The Essential Electric Light Orchestra
The Essential Electric Light Orchestra | ||||
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Greatest hits album by | ||||
Released | 1 April 2003 | |||
Recorded | September 1972 – January 1986 | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 60:58 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Producer | Jeff Lynne | |||
Electric Light Orchestra chronology | ||||
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Playlist: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra (2008) | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Music Box | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Essential Electric Light Orchestra is a 15-track, single-CD, US-only compilation album by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released in 2003. It is part of Sony Music's The Essential series.
On 2 September 2008, an eco-friendly repackaging of the album, retitled Playlist: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra, was released. This edition includes a multimedia section on the CD that features photos, credits, and two wallpapers.[citation needed]
A third edition of the album was released in 2011. This version features 37 tracks on two discs, arranged in chronological order.[4] It was the third ELO compilation to present the songs in chronological order, preceded by the US releases Olé ELO in 1976 and Strange Magic: The Best of Electric Light Orchestra in 1995.
Each edition of the album features a different cover.
Track listing
All tracks are written by Jeff Lynne, except "Roll Over Beethoven", which was written by Chuck Berry.
Original Edition
No. | Title | Original Album | Length |
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1. | "Evil Woman" (UK Single Edit) | Face the Music (1975) | 4:19 |
2. | "Do Ya" | A New World Record (1976) | 3:47 |
3. | "Can't Get It Out of My Head" | Eldorado (1974) | 4:26 |
4. | "Mr. Blue Sky" | Out of the Blue (1977) | 5:08 |
5. | "Strange Magic" (UK Single Edit) | Face the Music (1975) | 4:07 |
6. | "Livin' Thing" | A New World Record (1976) | 3:33 |
7. | "Turn to Stone" | Out of the Blue (1977) | 3:48 |
8. | "Sweet Talkin' Woman" | Out of the Blue (1977) | 3:49 |
9. | "Telephone Line" | A New World Record (1976) | 4:40 |
10. | "Shine a Little Love" | Discovery (1979) | 4:42 |
11. | "Hold on Tight" | Time (1981) | 3:08 |
12. | "Calling America" | Balance of Power (1986) | 3:28 |
13. | "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" (Edit) | Secret Messages (1983) | 3:17 |
14. | "Don't Bring Me Down" | Discovery (1979) | 4:04 |
15. | "Roll Over Beethoven" (Single Edit) | ELO 2 (1973) | 4:33 |
Total length: | 60:58 |
2011 edition
Essential Electric Light Orchestra 2CD | ||||
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Greatest hits album by | ||||
Released | 10 October 2011 (UK/Europe), 24 October 2011 (US) | |||
Recorded | 1970–2007 | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 144:56 | |||
Label | Epic, Legacy, Sony Music | |||
Producer | Jeff Lynne | |||
Electric Light Orchestra chronology | ||||
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2-Disc Edition UK album cover | ||||
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No. | Title | Original Album | Length |
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1. | "10538 Overture" (Single Edit) | The Electric Light Orchestra (1971) | 4:05 |
2. | "Roll Over Beethoven" (Single Edit) | ELO 2 (1973) | 4:33 |
3. | "Showdown" | On the Third Day (1973) | 4:10 |
4. | "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" (Single Edit) | On the Third Day (1973) | 3:38 |
5. | "Can't Get It Out of My Head" (Single Edit) | Eldorado (1974) | 3:08 |
6. | "Evil Woman" (UK Single Edit) | Face the Music (1975) | 4:13 |
7. | "Nightrider" (Single Edit) | Face the Music (1975) | 3:43 |
8. | "Strange Magic" (UK Single Edit) | Face the Music (1975) | 4:08 |
9. | "Livin' Thing" | A New World Record (1976) | 3:33 |
10. | "Do Ya" | A New World Record (1976) | 3:46 |
11. | "Rockaria!" | A New World Record (1976) | 3:13 |
12. | "Telephone Line" | A New World Record (1976) | 4:41 |
13. | "Turn to Stone" | Out of the Blue (1977) | 3:50 |
14. | "Mr. Blue Sky" | Out of the Blue (1977) | 5:04 |
15. | "Sweet Talkin' Woman" | Out of the Blue (1977) | 3:49 |
16. | "Wild West Hero" | Out of the Blue (1977) | 4:43 |
17. | "It's Over" | Out of the Blue (1977) | 4:10 |
18. | "Shine a Little Love" (Single Edit) | Discovery (1979) | 4:11 |
Total length: | 72:36 |
No. | Title | Original Album | Length |
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1. | "Don't Bring Me Down" | Discovery (1979) | 4:04 |
2. | "The Diary of Horace Wimp" | Discovery (1979) | 4:17 |
3. | "Confusion" | Discovery (1979) | 3:40 |
4. | "Last Train to London" | Discovery (1979) | 4:32 |
5. | "I'm Alive" | Xanadu (1980) | 3:44 |
6. | "Xanadu (New Version)" | Flashback (2000) | 3:22 |
7. | "All Over the World" | Xanadu (1980) | 4:03 |
8. | "Don't Walk Away" | Xanadu (1980) | 4:47 |
9. | "Hold on Tight" | Time (1981) | 3:08 |
10. | "Twilight" | Time (1981) | 3:45 |
11. | "Ticket to the Moon" | Time (1981) | 4:08 |
12. | "The Way Life's Meant to Be" | Time (1981) | 4:40 |
13. | "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" (Single Edit) | Secret Messages (1983) | 3:08 |
14. | "Secret Messages" | Secret Messages (1983) | 4:45 |
15. | "Four Little Diamonds" | Secret Messages (1983) | 4:07 |
16. | "Calling America" | Balance of Power (1986) | 3:31 |
17. | "So Serious" | Balance of Power (1986) | 2:44 |
18. | "Surrender" | A New World Record: 30th Anniversary Edition (2006) | 2:33 |
19. | "Latitude 88 North" | Out of the Blue: 30th Anniversary Edition (2007) | 3:23 |
Total length: | 72:20 |
Charts
Chart (2003) | Peak position |
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Switzerland Swiss Hitparade[5] | 58 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United Kingdom (BPI)[6] | Silver | 60,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
References
- ^ The Essential Electric Light Orchestra at AllMusic
- ^ Metzger, John (May 2003). "Electric Light Orchestra The Essential Electric Light Orchestra". The Music Box. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
- ^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian, eds. (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th edn). New York, NY: Fireside/Simon & Schuster. p. 275. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ Electric Light Orchestra - The Essential Electric Light Orchestra at JB Hi-Fi
- ^ Switzerland Charts – Electric Light Orchestra – The Essential Electric Light Orchestra
- ^ "British album certifications – Elo – The Essential". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 10 April 2022.