I listened to Face the Music to-day, and in the early alternative mix of the introduction to "Fire on High" (included as a bonus track), I discovered a quotation of "Pop Goes the Weasel." It's a bit off-kilter, in keeping with the feeling of the track. It's starts at about 2:38 (panned a bit to the left), and I think it's played in the upper register of a cello.
I don't think that part of the track made it into the final version though. Only the first minute and a half are used before there's an edit into an-other section. Still, I felt it worth noting.
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
Friday, December 1, 2017
"Nellie Takes Her Bow"
Jeff Lynne's ELO posted in various places that to-day's the 46th anniversary of the release of the first ELO album:
I listened to the album and noticed a small thing about "Nellie Takes Her Bow" (I also figured out the French horn part at the end because it's only a handful of notes). The "world" in the lines "Just a lonely girl / That could not face a broken world" isn't sung with a single syllable like it is when spoken. I think it's actually sung to three notes: there's an initial note and then a glissando from one note to an-other. Whatever the specifics, the note is sung with a melisma, so the "broken" quality mentioned in the lyric is also demonstrated in the music.
I listened to the album and noticed a small thing about "Nellie Takes Her Bow" (I also figured out the French horn part at the end because it's only a handful of notes). The "world" in the lines "Just a lonely girl / That could not face a broken world" isn't sung with a single syllable like it is when spoken. I think it's actually sung to three notes: there's an initial note and then a glissando from one note to an-other. Whatever the specifics, the note is sung with a melisma, so the "broken" quality mentioned in the lyric is also demonstrated in the music.
Thursday, November 16, 2017
"Mr. Blue Sky"
I saw a post on the Jeff Lynne's ELO Instagram account to-day about the Wembley or Bust album. As a soundtrack, there's a live version of "Mr. Blue Sky" (apparently the one from the album):
One of the lines caught my attention. In this version, I think it's "Ev'rybody's in a play," but in the original version on Out of the Blue, it sounds more like "Ev'rybody's in their play." In any case, I realized that this line has some similarity to a verse in the Beatles' "Penny Lane":
One of the lines caught my attention. In this version, I think it's "Ev'rybody's in a play," but in the original version on Out of the Blue, it sounds more like "Ev'rybody's in their play." In any case, I realized that this line has some similarity to a verse in the Beatles' "Penny Lane":
Behind the shelter in the middle of a roundabout
A pretty nurse is selling poppies from a tray
And though she feels as if she's in a play
She is anyway
Being in a play (or feeling like it) is common to both. The weather described in "Mr. Blue Sky" ("The sun is shinin' in the sky / There ain't a cloud in sight") and the title itself resemble the "blue suburban skies" in "Penny Lane" too.
I don't know if these similarities were intentional, but there are some obvious and unmistakable references to the Beatles in other ELO songs, so it's possible that "Penny Lane" had some influence on "Mr. Blue Sky."
Sunday, November 12, 2017
"Fire on High"
I listened to Face the Music yester-day, and the piano and bass parts in "Fire on High" sounded easy to figure out. Both are just one measure repeated over and over. Rather than repeat these measures for the entirety of the track, I just played eight measures: four of piano alone and then four of piano and bass:
Perhaps I should note that my primary referent for figuring out the parts was the "early alternative mix" included as a bonus track on the CD re-issue. The piano and bass are easier to hear in that mix.
Monday, November 6, 2017
"Alright"
I listened to All over the World: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra a couple days ago, and one of the guitar phrases in "Alright" sounded easy to figure out. I figured it out to-day (along with a few bits from "Xanadu") and realized something interesting about the song's structure.
The guitar phrase I figured out occurs after every other line in the first two verses, but it's not in the third verse at all. Significantly, the first two lines in the third verse are "It's not use thinkin' 'bout what you ain't got / Just makes you bitter." The absence of the guitar phrase here sort of represents "what you ain't got."
The guitar phrase I figured out occurs after every other line in the first two verses, but it's not in the third verse at all. Significantly, the first two lines in the third verse are "It's not use thinkin' 'bout what you ain't got / Just makes you bitter." The absence of the guitar phrase here sort of represents "what you ain't got."
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
"Boy Blue"
I recently learned the slide guitar parts in "Boy Blue." Since I learned a pizzicato part back in August (although I think there might be more than the one part I have), I now know enough to make a recording worth it. This is the first song from Eldorado I've recorded, although I did just a section of it:
I had to use the "pizzicato" setting on my keyboard, which isn't great but which turned out better than I thought it would, and I probably could have done the right channel slide guitar track better.
Monday, October 9, 2017
"Kuiama"
I recently learned one of the guitar tracks and the bass part for the first section of the Beatles' "Sun King." The third guitar phrase (at about 0:13) sounded familiar to me, and I discovered that this same phrase is also in ELO's "Kuiama." It's at about 2:55 (and around 4:51, although the last note's different). I should specify that those are the timings of the version on ELO II; I discovered that the version of "Kuiama" on the compilation Olé ELO is a few minutes shorter.
I did the notation for both parts in order to show their similarity, but since both parts contain glissandi, I did the tab too (the ~s indicate glissandi). I should note that the notation for both is an octave higher than played (otherwise, there'd be a mess of ledger lines).
First, here's the phrase from "Sun King":
And here's the phrase from "Kuiama":
The phrase in "Kuiama" starts exactly the same as that in "Sun King" (even beginning on the same beat in the measure) and then the same phrase is played again an octave higher.
I don't know if the phrase in "Sun King" had anything to do with this phrase in "Kuiama," but they are essentially the same and there are other Beatle references in ELO songs, so it's possible.
I did the notation for both parts in order to show their similarity, but since both parts contain glissandi, I did the tab too (the ~s indicate glissandi). I should note that the notation for both is an octave higher than played (otherwise, there'd be a mess of ledger lines).
First, here's the phrase from "Sun King":
And here's the phrase from "Kuiama":
The phrase in "Kuiama" starts exactly the same as that in "Sun King" (even beginning on the same beat in the measure) and then the same phrase is played again an octave higher.
I don't know if the phrase in "Sun King" had anything to do with this phrase in "Kuiama," but they are essentially the same and there are other Beatle references in ELO songs, so it's possible.
Friday, September 22, 2017
"Need Her Love"
I recently got the album Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls. It's a collection of modern recordings of player piano rolls that Gershwin made in the 1910s and 1920s. One of the tracks (the only one not played by Gershwin himself) is "An American in Paris." While listening to this piano arrangement, one of the melodies caught my ear. I found the score of the orchestral version and tracked down that melody. In the middle of the piece, it's played by a variety of instruments at various times, but it's most prominent near the end (at about 15:44 in the recording I have by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra), where it's played by a solo violin:
I edited my image a bit to isolate the phrase.
I knew this phrase sounded familiar, but it took me a while to place it. I was pretty sure it was on ELO's Discovery album, and I eventually narrowed it down to "Need Her Love." After each "I need her love" (save for those at the end of the song), there's a choral section. One of the voices has a phrase something like:
(I might have this in the wrong octave, but it makes it easier to compare the two phrases.)
Both phrases start with an arpeggiated C7 and then descend more or less diatonically (ELO's phrase has an accidental, and Gerswhin's phrase goes back up to G at the end). Although the note values are different, the two phrases are even positioned within the measures in a similar way.
Of course, I'm not sure if this was intended as a quotation of Gershwin, but the phrases are pretty similar. This wouldn't be the first time ELO quoted Gershwin either. Like I pointed out a couple years ago, the violins in "Birmingham Blues" from Out of the Blue (the album before Discovery) quote a phrase from Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue."
I edited my image a bit to isolate the phrase.
I knew this phrase sounded familiar, but it took me a while to place it. I was pretty sure it was on ELO's Discovery album, and I eventually narrowed it down to "Need Her Love." After each "I need her love" (save for those at the end of the song), there's a choral section. One of the voices has a phrase something like:
(I might have this in the wrong octave, but it makes it easier to compare the two phrases.)
Both phrases start with an arpeggiated C7 and then descend more or less diatonically (ELO's phrase has an accidental, and Gerswhin's phrase goes back up to G at the end). Although the note values are different, the two phrases are even positioned within the measures in a similar way.
Of course, I'm not sure if this was intended as a quotation of Gershwin, but the phrases are pretty similar. This wouldn't be the first time ELO quoted Gershwin either. Like I pointed out a couple years ago, the violins in "Birmingham Blues" from Out of the Blue (the album before Discovery) quote a phrase from Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue."
Monday, September 11, 2017
"Baby I Apologize"
A couple months ago, I learned the piano and organ parts for the first section of "Baby I Apologize," a session outtake included as a bonus track on the CD re-issue of ELO II. I didn't really know how I would write down the parts in order to have some record of them if I forget, so I decided to film them.
I'm pretty sure I'm missing a few notes at the end of the piano part, and I don't know if I have the right chord voicings.
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
"Little Town Flirt"
I recently listened to Discovery. The edition I have has bonus tracks, one of which is a cover of Del Shannon's "Little Town Flirt." A few months after I'd figured out the chords for ELO's cover, I got a two-disc compilation album of Del Shannon, which I've been listening to fairly regularly this year. Listening to Discovery reminded me that I'd never gotten around to comparing the two versions of "Little Town Flirt," so I finally did.
The only major difference I noticed is that ELO's version (in C major) is a half-step lower than Del Shannon's original (in C# major). I went through the chords measure by measure to find that the two versions have the same structure, although the fade-out in ELO's version starts a bit later.
Here are the chords; each instance represents one measure:
Introduction
C major | C major | C major | C major
Verse one
C major | C major | A minor | A minor
F major | F major | G major | G major
E major | F major | F major | F minor
C major | A minor | C major | A minor
F major | G major | C major | A minor
Verse two
C major | C major | A minor | A minor
F major | F major | G major | G major
E major | F major | F major | F minor
C major | A minor | C major | A minor
F major | G major | C major | C7
Bridge
F major | F major | C major | C major
F major | G major | C major | C major
E major | E major | A minor | A minor
F major | F major | G major | G major
Verse three
C major | C major | A minor | A minor
F major | F major | G major | G major
E major | F major | F major | F minor
C major | A minor | C major | A minor
F major | G major
Fade-out
|: C major | A minor :|
The only major difference I noticed is that ELO's version (in C major) is a half-step lower than Del Shannon's original (in C# major). I went through the chords measure by measure to find that the two versions have the same structure, although the fade-out in ELO's version starts a bit later.
Here are the chords; each instance represents one measure:
Introduction
C major | C major | C major | C major
Verse one
C major | C major | A minor | A minor
F major | F major | G major | G major
E major | F major | F major | F minor
C major | A minor | C major | A minor
F major | G major | C major | A minor
Verse two
C major | C major | A minor | A minor
F major | F major | G major | G major
E major | F major | F major | F minor
C major | A minor | C major | A minor
F major | G major | C major | C7
Bridge
F major | F major | C major | C major
F major | G major | C major | C major
E major | E major | A minor | A minor
F major | F major | G major | G major
Verse three
C major | C major | A minor | A minor
F major | F major | G major | G major
E major | F major | F major | F minor
C major | A minor | C major | A minor
F major | G major
Fade-out
|: C major | A minor :|
Sunday, July 23, 2017
"Tightrope"
"Tightrope" was the only song from A New World Record that I hadn't either written about or learned a part from, so last week I figured out a synth part at the beginning:
To make my notation, I program a MIDI part and then just take a screen clipping of it. I don't know how to put in repeats (if that's even possible with my program), so I added my own repeat signs when I edited the image.
I also referenced the early instrumental mix that's a bonus track on the CD re-issue. The synth part isn't present there, so it's easier to hear the string parts. I think for the most part, the upright bass plays the same thing as the synth, but I haven't lookt into it that closely yet. I did notice that in one measure the synth plays G and B notes but the bass plays only a G (in my notation, it's the last measure in the third line).
To make my notation, I program a MIDI part and then just take a screen clipping of it. I don't know how to put in repeats (if that's even possible with my program), so I added my own repeat signs when I edited the image.
I also referenced the early instrumental mix that's a bonus track on the CD re-issue. The synth part isn't present there, so it's easier to hear the string parts. I think for the most part, the upright bass plays the same thing as the synth, but I haven't lookt into it that closely yet. I did notice that in one measure the synth plays G and B notes but the bass plays only a G (in my notation, it's the last measure in the third line).
Sunday, July 16, 2017
"Above the Clouds"
I haven't posted anything for the last few months, but I've been listening to the albums regularly and figuring out parts here and there (just none that overlap, so any recordings I would make wouldn't be very interesting). I recently figured out and notated the bass part for "Above the Clouds," so I thought I would post that so that there's some activity here. There's a section at the very beginning of the song that's just strings and a vocal; my notation starts after that. As always, there's the disclaimer that I might have something wrong:
Saturday, June 10, 2017
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Re-Establishment
About two years ago, I started a project in which the goal was to learn every part to every song by Electric Light Orchestra. I don't think I ever thought I would actually achieve this (and I still don't), but I thought it a worthy objective all the same.
I started this project on tumblr, but recently I've started to feel dissatisfied with it. I felt I should have a cleaner, more professional-looking platform. (I found some aspects of tumblr's interface less than ideal too.) Initially, I went with tumblr only because I could directly post audio files of my own recordings of the songs, as a way to demonstrate that I had in fact learned the parts I said I had. But I can achieve the same thing just with embedded YouTube videos.
So essentially, I'm jumping ship. I'm going to continue doing everything I would normally do for this project, just on Blogger rather than on tumblr. I'll be going back and copying my old posts over to this blog, so I'll have the complete archive, but it'll take a while to transfer everything.
I started this project on tumblr, but recently I've started to feel dissatisfied with it. I felt I should have a cleaner, more professional-looking platform. (I found some aspects of tumblr's interface less than ideal too.) Initially, I went with tumblr only because I could directly post audio files of my own recordings of the songs, as a way to demonstrate that I had in fact learned the parts I said I had. But I can achieve the same thing just with embedded YouTube videos.
So essentially, I'm jumping ship. I'm going to continue doing everything I would normally do for this project, just on Blogger rather than on tumblr. I'll be going back and copying my old posts over to this blog, so I'll have the complete archive, but it'll take a while to transfer everything.
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
"Waterfall"
Backdated, archival post
[link to original on tumblr]
[link to original on tumblr]
---&---
All month, I've been learning some parts for "Waterfall." This is only the first two minutes or so, but I know the bass part for the whole song (I'm in the midst of writing it down so I'll have some record if I forget it). I also have the piano at the beginning (which I'll admit I had to record on two separate tracks because I can't play the chords and the bass register in the right rhythm at the same time) and almost all of the slide guitar parts (although I don't play them that well). I'm still missing the slide guitar part during the middle, but my recording doesn't get that far.
Monday, January 23, 2017
"Xanadu"
Backdated, archival post
[link to original on tumblr]
I listened to All over the World: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra last week, and the guitar parts at the end of "Xanadu" sounded easy to figure out, so I did that this morning.
It's not much, but it's a start.
[link to original on tumblr]
---&---
It's not much, but it's a start.
Sunday, January 8, 2017
"Julie Don't Live Here"
Backdated, archival post
[link to original on tumblr]
I just figured out the chords for "Julie Don't Live Here." It's a bonus track on the re-issue of Time, but according to the liner notes, it was a B-side to the 12" U.K. single of "Twilight."
Recording only the chords would be boring (both to record and listen to), so I'm just making a note here that I learned them. I wrote them down for future reference, and hopefully I'll learn some more parts to the song to make it worth recording.
[link to original on tumblr]
---&---
Recording only the chords would be boring (both to record and listen to), so I'm just making a note here that I learned them. I wrote them down for future reference, and hopefully I'll learn some more parts to the song to make it worth recording.
Thursday, January 5, 2017
"The Way Life's Meant to Be"
Backdated, archival post
[link to original on tumblr]
[link to original on tumblr]
---&---
I finally scanned my notation for the bass part for "The Way Life's Meant to Be" (with the guitar chords written in too). I went over this a couple times, but since a majority of the song is just three chords, I might have inadvertently doubled or left out a measure. There's the usual disclaimer that I might be wrong about the notes themselves too.
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