In fact, ELO had not broken up and “Calling America” not only got some air play but was a hit.
ELO, which stands for Electric Light Orchestra, just announced they are going on their final tour.
It got me thinking about the first time I heard about them, and the last.
Back masking
Back in the early ‘80s, religious groups began to talk about the messages implanted in rock music. If you played a record backwards, you could hear faint messages of devil worship.
Back in the early ‘80s, religious groups began to talk about the messages implanted in rock music. If you played a record backwards, you could hear faint messages of devil worship.
It kind of freaked me out, at the age of 11 and 12, but I also wondered one thing? How do you listen to a record backwards? There was no reverse like on a tape recorder. Even then, the reverse on a tape recorder didn’t allow you to actually hear the recording backwards.
The subject had made its way to my family. My Uncle Ed had a friend who belonged to one of these religious groups and went so far as to burn his records. One day, we were visiting and I asked my cousin Carl about this. He said he couldn’t hear anything. I asked how he played his records backwards. He smiled and said he put the needle of the record player in a groove and, using his finger, rapidly spun the record backwards. What else could you do, I thought.
The movement spread, and made its way to my junior high school in Coaldale, Alberta. Two girls in my class went to some meetings in Lethbridge, and brought a recording about back masking – which would be kind of like a podcast now. The speaker talked about back masking, and even shared an example. I couldn’t make out any words, much less the words he was claiming to hear.
The band the speaker was talking about was – the Electric Light Orchestra.
That was my introduction to ELO.
Mixed tape
As ridiculous as all that is, ELO really was not that big on my musical radar when I first got into music. That was in like 1982 and 1983, and I really got into it in 1984.
As ridiculous as all that is, ELO really was not that big on my musical radar when I first got into music. That was in like 1982 and 1983, and I really got into it in 1984.
The first ELO song I actually heard was “Evil Woman”. My brother had begun to make me these mixed tapes for Christmas, with a bunch of songs by a wide range of performers he thought I might like. “Evil Woman” by the Electric Light Orchestra was on one of those mixed tapes.
Comeback
By that time, I thought ELO was a thing of the past, either broken up or no longer putting out new music. That all changed in 1986.
By that time, I thought ELO was a thing of the past, either broken up or no longer putting out new music. That all changed in 1986.
I was working in a greenhouse where we often had the radio playing in the background while we worked. One day working after school, I was walking through one of the greenhouses past the radio. I liked the song that was playing but hadn’t heard it before. I asked around and someone told me they thought it was ELO. I thought that couldn’t be right.
It turns out, it was ELO. They had in fact put out a new single.
It was entitled “Calling America”, and it started playing more on the radio and even the odd music video show such as “Video Hits” and “Good Rockin’ Tonite”.
“Calling America” went all the way to number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was the last top 20 single that ELO has had to date.
Prolific band
Over time, as I got more and more into music, it turns out I had heard a lot of music by the Electric Light Orchestra.
Over time, as I got more and more into music, it turns out I had heard a lot of music by the Electric Light Orchestra.
Just some of their songs are “Roll Over Beethoven” which peaked at number 42 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973; “Can’t Get it Out of my Head”, peaking at number nine in 1974; “Evil Woman”, peaking at number 10 in 1975; and “Strange Magic”, going all the way to number 14 in 1976.
“Telephone Line” peaked at number seven in 1977; “Sweet Talkin’ Woman”, went to number 17 in 1978; and “Shine a Little Love” peaked at number eight, and “Don’t Bring Me Down”, peaked at number four, both in 1979.
“Xanadu” with Olivia Newton-John, peaked at number eight in 1980; “Hold on Tight”, peaked at number 10 in 1981; “Rock ’n’ Roll is King”, went to number 19 in 1983; and lastly, “Calling America” peaked at number 18 in 1986.
The Electric Light Orchestra was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in 2017.
Parting thoughts
As it turned out, I knew a lot more of ELO’s stuff than I thought, when I heard that goofy speaker talk about back masking.
As it turned out, I knew a lot more of ELO’s stuff than I thought, when I heard that goofy speaker talk about back masking.
It wasn’t the coolest introduction to the Electric Light Orchestra, but it didn’t really matter in the end, because the music speaks for itself.
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