Eldorado (Electric Light Orchestra album)
Eldorado | ||||
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Warner Bros., United Artists | ||||
Producer | Jeff Lynne | |||
Electric Light Orchestra chronology | ||||
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Electric Light Orchestra studio album chronology | ||||
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Singles from Eldorado | ||||
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Eldorado (subtitled A Symphony by the Electric Light Orchestra) is the fourth
Concept
Eldorado is the first complete ELO concept album; bandleader Jeff Lynne conceived the storyline before he wrote any music.[2] The plot follows a Walter Mitty-like character who journeys into fantasy worlds via dreams, to escape the disillusionment of his mundane reality. Lynne began to write the album in response to criticisms from his father, a classical music lover, who said that Electric Light Orchestra's repertoire "had no tune".[3] The influence of The Beatles is prevalent, especially in the melody of the verse of "Mister Kingdom" which to some degree resembles the Beatles' "Across the Universe".[citation needed]
Recording
Eldorado marks the first album on which Jeff Lynne hired an orchestra; on previous albums band members would play strings using multitracked overdubbing.[2] Louis Clark co-arranged, with Lynne (and keyboardist Richard Tandy), and conducted the strings. The group's three resident string players continued to perform on recordings, however, and can be heard most prominently on the songs "Boy Blue" and "Laredo Tornado". Mike de Albuquerque departed early on in the recording process, as touring made him feel separated from his family. Lynne plays most of, if not all, the bass tracks and backing vocals for the album, but de Albuquerque still featured on the final release as well as getting credited. Kelly Groucutt replaced him for the subsequent tour, when cellist Melvyn Gale also joined (replacing the departing Mike Edwards). "Eldorado Finale" is heavily orchestrated, much like "Eldorado Overture". Jeff Lynne said of the song, "I like the heavy chords and the slightly daft ending, where you hear the double bass players packing up their basses, because they wouldn't play another millisecond past the allotted moment."[2][verification needed]
Cover design
The cover, designed by John Kehe, is a mirrored
Release, reception and aftermath
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [6] |
MusicHound | 3/5[7] |
Music Story | |
Rolling Stone | (favourable)[8] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [9] |
PopMatters | (favourable)[10] |
Critical reception
Bruce Eder of
Commercial reception
"Can't Get It Out of My Head" was released as a single (with "Illusions in G Major" as the B-side) and was a success in the US.[11] An edited version of "Boy Blue" was released as the album's second single, but failed to make any commercial impact. The album was certified Gold in the United States soon after its release. The album and singles, however, failed to find a wide audience in the band's native United Kingdom.[citation needed]
Accolades
In 1978, the filmmaker Kenneth Anger re-released his 1954 film Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome, using Eldorado as the soundtrack.[citation needed]
In July 2010, the album was named one of Classic Rock magazine's "50 Albums That Built Prog Rock".[12]
On 17 June 2015, the album was ranked #43 on Rolling Stone's "50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time".[13]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Jeff Lynne
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Eldorado Overture" (instrumental) | 2:12 |
2. | "Can't Get It Out of My Head" | 4:21 |
3. | "Boy Blue" | 5:18 |
4. | "Laredo Tornado" | 5:29 |
5. | "Poor Boy (The Greenwood)" | 2:57 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
6. | " Eldorado " | 5:20 |
10. | "Eldorado Finale" | 1:20 |
Total length: | 39:03 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
11. | "Eldorado Instrumental Medley" | 7:56 |
12. | "Dark City" | 0:46 |
Personnel
- backing vocals, electric & acoustic guitars, bass, Moog, production, orchestra & choral arrangements
- percussion
- Wurlitzer electric piano, guitar, backing vocals, orchestra & choral arrangements
- Mike de Albuquerque – bass & backing vocals (credited; departed during the recording of the album)
- Mike Edwards – cello
- Mik Kaminski – violin
- Hugh McDowell – cello
- Additional personnel
- Peter Forbes-Robertson – spoken word
- Louis Clark – orchestra and choral arrangements and conducting
- Al Quaglieri – reissue producer (2001)
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada)[23] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[24] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
- ^ a b "50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
- ^ a b c Wild, David. "The Story of a Rock and Roll Band and the Pop Genius Who Dared to Go Baroque." Flashback.
- ^ Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (30 October 2015). "Interview: Jeff Lynne - From Electric Light Orchestra to one-man band, the pop veteran talks about his new solo album". ft.com. Financial Times. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
- ^ "ACHOF Interview with designer and illustrator John Kehe". Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ a b Eder, Bruce. "Eldorado – Electric Light Orchestra: Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
- ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
- ISBN 1-57859-061-2.
- ^ a b Barnes, Ken (2 January 1975). "Electric Light Orchestra: Eldorado". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 16 February 2008.
- ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ a b Hicks, Chuck (11 June 2001). "ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA: ELDORADO". PopMatters.
- ^ "ELO through the years: How the Electric Light Orchestra has changed over time".
- ^ Classic Rock magazine, July 2010, Issue 146.
- ^ (Posted: 17 June 2015) (17 June 2015). "50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time". Rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Australian Album Chart Positions". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
Eldorado
. - ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3900a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Electric Light Orchestra – Eldorado" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Electric Light Orchestra – Eldorado". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ "Electric Light Orchestra Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ "CashBox Top 100 Albums" (PDF). CashBox. Vol. XXXVI #31. United States. 14 December 1974. p. 37. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
- ^ "Top Pop Albums of 1975". Billboard. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
- ^ "Number One Pop Albums" (PDF). Billboard. United States. 27 December 1975. p. 16. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Electric Light Orchestra – Eldorado". Music Canada.
- ^ "American album certifications – Electric Light Orchestra – Eldorado". Recording Industry Association of America.