All Over the World: the Very Best of [Import]

Track Listings

1. Mr. Blue Sky

2. Evil Woman

3. Don't Bring Me Down

4. Sweet Talkin' Woman

5. Shine A Little Love

6. Turn To Stone

7. Diary Of Horace Wimp

8. Confusion

9. Hold On Tight

10. Livin' Thing

11. Telephone Line

12. All Over The World

13. Wild West Hero

14. Showdown

15. Ma-Ma-Ma Belle

16. Xanadu (New Verison)

17. Rockaria!

18. Strange Magic

19. Alright

20. Rock & Roll Is King

Editorial Reviews
Album Details
2005 Newly Remastered Compilation by Jeff Lynne who also Contributed the Liner Notes.

Tracks:

Mr. Blue Sky
Evil Woman
Don't Bring Me Down
Sweet Talkin' Woman
Shine A Little Love
Turn To Stone
The Diary Of Horace Wimp
Confusion
Hold On Tight
Livin' Thing
Telephone Line
All Over The World
Wild West Hero
Showdown
Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
Xanadu
Rockaria!
Strange Magic
Alright
Rock And Roll Is King

Amazon.com

The Electric Light Orchestra were one of the biggest and most successful bands of the late 1970s, producing a massive string of hit singles and albums that almost any other band would envy. Their works have been cited as influences by such hip acts as Grandaddy and Super Furry Animals. Their frontman and leader Jeff Lynne has been the producer of choice for people like Paul McCartney, Tom Petty and George Harrison. From "Evil Woman", "Don't Bring Me Down" and "Mr Blue Sky" to "Livin' Thing" and "Hold On Tight", there are few duds amongst these 20 remastered tracks. ELO produced some of the biggest and best singles in rock & roll's history, and All Over The World: The Very Best Of ELO is an excellent reintroduction to this great band. Hopefully, this also signals the beginning of a long-overdue revival and re-evaluation. --Robert Burrow

Customer Reviews:

NOT A BAD GREATEST HITS COMPILATION ALBUM ON ONE CD........2007-07-07

I will be writing a review on the legendary greatest hits compilation album entitled "THE VERY BEST OF ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (ELO), ALL OVER THE WORLD" by one of Rock's all-time greatest bands ever. I give you one of Britain's pride and joy's and one of Birmingham, England's favorite sons, E-L-E-C-T-R-I-C L-I-G-H-T O-R-C-H-E-S-T-R-A! This legendary compilation album was originally released in 2005 on Compact Disc on the Epic / Legacy Records label which is manufactured and distributed by Epic Records, a division of Sony BMG Music Entertainment Ltd. As always, if I hear any new additional information concerning this legendary compilation album or the artist, I will edit this review immediately so that you the consumer will get the overall best informative and most accurate review possible.

ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (ELO) will forever go down in Rock n' Roll history and be remembered for composing and recording some of Rock's all-time greatest sacred anthems ever. When guitarist Jeff Lynne met up and joined forces with lead vocalist and frontman Roy Wood, bassist Rick Price and drummer Bev Bevan, ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA would be born with the same traditional music sound values like that of ELO'S most favorite band and idol's, THE BEATLES. When ELO was formed in 1970, Jeff Lynne made it perfectly clear that the band's intentions were to pick up where THE BEATLES classic anthem "I Am The Walrus" left off. ELO composed and recorded some great legendary hit songs and albums through the years during the period of 1973 to 2001. Listening to all of their hit songs, it is clearly evident in which you can actually feel THE BEATLES influence in this legendary band. In my opinion, had THE BEATLES stayed together from 1970 to 2001, ELO would have sounded in comparison just like THE FAB FOUR. And if that wasn't enough, ELO were actually one of the early pioneers to present their legendary concert performances with their rare breathtaking and explosive vibrant light and laser displays along with their massive flying saucer stage sets. Which now brings me to the legendary greatest hits compilation album I'm about to review for all of you today. "THE VERY BEST OF ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (ELO), ALL OVER THE WORLD" chronicles and highlights the majority of ELO'S greatest hit songs from the 1973 to 2001 period. In my opinion, this legendary compilation album is without a doubt, a true testament of the brilliance and musical creativity of four masterminded genius'. This legendary compilation album is also a fine fitting tribute to a great legendary band that was truly indeed, far ahead of their time. This album is the tales in the life and world of ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA, their music is their story that speaks for itself.

It is now time to let the Rock n' Roll music of ELO to speak for itself and back it up musically as it was originally truly intended to be heard and listened to. "THE VERY BEST OF ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA, ALL OVER THE WORLD" from 2005 begins with the incredible upbeat Rocker "Mr. Blue Sky," the forever ELO stamped trademark Rocker, "Evil Woman," the forever blistering ELO stamped trademark Rocker, "Don't Bring Me Down," this legendary anthem is a perfect example of how beautifully and harmoniously classical orchestrated music blends with Rock n' Roll as THE BEATLES forever proved it, "Sweet Talkin' Woman," the breathtaking orchestrated Hard Rocker "Shine A Little Love," the amazing synthesized and orchestrated Rocker "Turn To Stone," the breakthrough synthesized and orchestrated mild Rocker "The Diary Of Horace Wimp," the beautifully slow/medium acoustic Rocker "Confusion," the groundbreaking synthesized Rocker with the feelings and sounds bringing back the true spirit of the fifties, "Hold On Tight," the beautifully arranged orchestrated Rocker "Livin' Thing," the beautifully slow mindblowing sounds and special effects mild Rocker, "Telephone Line," the unforgettable orchestrated ans synthesized Rock anthem "All Over The World," the beautifully slow sounding orchestrated synthesized Rocker "Wild West Hero," the slow and smooth orchestrated Rocker "Showdown," the a*s kicking ELO stamped trademark orchestrated Hard Rocker "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle," the original genuine Rockin' version that was also recorded by OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN, "Xanadu," the slow teaser erupting into a a*s kicking, explosive Hard orchestrated Rocker, "Rockaria," the beautifully slow and soothing orchestrated mild Rocker, "Strange Magic," the merciless synthesized Hard Rocker "Alright" and the fast and energetic synthesized Rocker "Rock And Roll Is King." May I also add that the music track recording arrangements on all of these great hit songs were layed down perfectly. I would also like to commend ELO on their most beautiful harmony vocals. Their singing sounded so refreshing and heavenly.

I would like to highly recommend purchasing this legendary greatest hits compilation album for everyone of all ages to own as a valuable and important part of his or her own personal music collection. If you love THE BEATLES, you will love this album. This priceless gem has already proven to stand the test of time and will always be around to be enjoyed, appreciated and cherished for many years to come, NOW AND FOREVER. There are also many other ELO greatest hits compilation albums that you might want to check out and research further into before you make your final decision. In doing this, you will have found the best album that is right for you and suits your music tastes and needs. When this is accomplished, you will have also taken a giant step in owning and starting your very own personal ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA music collection. You can do all of your researches and album purchases either on Amazon com or at your nearest local Borders Books and Music store.

In closing, despite changing numerous band personnel in the late 70's and throughout the 80's, ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA would still successfully continue in delighting their fans with their legendary albums and concert tours to highly critically acclaim for many more years up to the very day when the band officially disbanded in 1988. Prior to 1988, from 1987 onwards, Jeff Lynne has become one of the world's most sought after in-demand songwriter and producer, successfully collaborating and producing with legendary artists as well as personal friends such as the late great George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, the late great Roy Orbison, Del Shannon, Tom Petty and Brian Wilson. Lynne was also a member of the legendary Grammy-award winning band THE TRAVELING WILBURIES. It seems to me that Jeff Lynne keeps himself pretty busy and active in the music world. With all of this in mind, ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA has forever left their place and mark in Rock n' Roll history and their many contributions, accomplishments and achievements will never be forgotten or denied. So here's to you Jeff, Roy, Rick and Bev. Thanks for the great memories and moments. Keep The Faith. And as the saying goes, "AND THE REST IS ROCK N' ROLL HISTORY," need I say more? Thanks for reading my review and I truly hope that you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have truly enjoyed writing it for your reading pleasure. I also deeply hope that all of you will read all of my other reviews in the near future when time permits. ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA FOREVER! Long Live Rock n' Roll. Rock out always and take it easy. Forever in Rock, John L.

A GREAT ALBUM.......2007-06-28

THIS IS AN ALBUM NAMED "OUT OF THE BLUE." IT'S A GREAT ALBUM. YOU MUST GET IT . IT'S FANTASTIC! "STARLIGHT" AND "MR BLUE SKY" ARE GREAT SONGS, AND "SWEET TALKING WOMAN" IS SUPER TOO. HEY WHAT ABOUT "TURN TO STONE" AND "ITS OVER?" THEY'RE AWESOME ALSO.

I LIKE THE WEIRD SOUNDS AT THE BEGINNING OF "STARLIGHT" AND "SUMMER AND LIGHTNING." ALSO, "STARLIGHT" HAS A GREAT LINE THAT SAYS 'STARLIGHT, YOUR EYES ARE LOOKING DOWN ON ME.' "JUNGLE" IS ALSO A PRETTY GOOD SONG.

SEE YOU SOON. BYEBYE.

Quit.......2007-05-27

crying about the couple or three songs this album doesn't contain for ***** sake its a single cd. would you like them to include the whole ELO library? heres a thought stop being so cheap and go buy a another set which includes the songs that you cant live without or better yet put the cd in play it and be happy. That being said this is a very good collection. Thank You.

Greatest hits is a hit.......2007-03-30

If you love ELO then you will love this compilation.

A NICE COLLECTION OF ELO HITS, I WISH THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SOME ODD HITS FOR A CHANGE................2007-01-16

Nice overseen remastering job by Jeff Lynn. With the exception of the new version of "Xanadu"(I wish it was the 1980 version with Olivia Newton John), the song list is pretty nice. This sampling of ELO hits is a great way for a new ELO fan to start an ELO collection. Nice linear notes by Jeff. Again as with all the ELO greatest hits and ELO box sets there are favorite songs missing. Best bet by all the Epic /Legacy remastered ELO cd releases, but if you just want one disc full of hits this disc is a nice edition to have. I wish "Look At Me Now", "Dreaming Of 4000" and a few more ELO oddities were on this collection I know these are two odd songs that are not known as ELO greatest hits material but it would have added a little different curriculum to this latest ELO greatest hits release. I still enjoyed the listen it brought brought back alot of memories. While I listened to this ELO greatest hits collection cd, as usual I cracked an ELO smile. Recommended listening...............

All Over the World: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra

Average customer rating:

All Over the World: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000M2E42Q
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Tracks:

Mr. Blue Sky
Evil Woman
Don't Bring Me Down
Sweet Talkin' Woman
Shine a Little Love
Turn to Stone
Diary of Horace Wimp
Confusion
Hold on Tight
Livin' Thing
Telephone Line
All Over the World
Wild West Hero
Showdown
Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
Xanadu
Rockaria!
Strange Magic
Alright
Rock & Roll Is King

Album Description

All Around The World is a collection of hits from one of the steadiest selling artists in the world! Newly remastered by band mastermind Jeff Lynne and including liner notes written by Lynne. 20 total tracks including 'Evil Woman', 'Turn To Stone', 'Hold On Tight', 'Showdown', 'Rockaria', 'Alright', 'Rock N' Roll Is King' and many more hits! Sony. 2005.

Average customer rating:

Songs for Boys
Yes, This One Is The Very Best
Another one?
Why isn't Amazon listing the American version?
The sound quality is Out of This World...but where is domestic release?

All Over the World: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra
Manufacturer: Sony Bmg/Epic
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Classic Rock | Imports | Stores | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Eagles : The Very Best of
Xanadu
Doobie Brothers - Greatest Hits
Wish You Were Here
Love

ASIN: B0009F2BYO
Release Date: 2005-07-19

Tracks:

Mr. Blue Sky
Evil Woman
Don't Bring Me Down
Sweet Talkin' Woman
Shine a Little Love
Turn to Stone
Diary of Horace Wimp
Confusion
Hold on Tight
Livin' Thing
Telephone Line
All Over the World
Wild West Hero
Showdown
Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
Xanadu
Rockaria!
Strange Magic
Alright
Rock & Roll Is King

Album Description

All Around The World is a collection of hits from one of the steadiest selling artists in the world! Newly remastered by Jeff Lynne and including liner notes written by Lynne. 20 total tracks including 'Evil Woman', 'Turn To Stone', 'Hold On Tight', 'Showdown', 'Rockaria', 'Alright', 'Rock N' Roll Is King' and many more hits! Epic. 2005.

Album Details

2005 Newly Remastered Compilation by Jeff Lynne who also Contributed the Liner Notes.

Customer Reviews:

Songs for Boys.......2006-10-20

This compilation completely misses the point of ELO.

I've casually disliked this band for about 25 years, so I should know. They weren't real. Or significantly unreal, for that matter. Yet there was a time in the mid-to-late seventies when ELO meant something to me. When the songs and I were somewhere between boy and man . . .

"Live at Winterland 1976" shows that they were a studio band at heart and that Jeff Lynne wasn't a singer so much as a good in-the-studio vocals (and whatever else) manipulator.

Still, when in that studio and left to his own devices, manipulating whatever, wanking whenever, isolating the flotsam amid the gism (sorry, jetsam), and floating on his personal dream of music, he--like any boy in the same situation--sometimes hit the jackpot.

However messy, the first time was one of the best, as sometimes happens to the more fortunate of us. 'Do Ya' proved he was experienced, or experienced enough to convincingly sound like he was. Link Wray, Ray Davies and Dave Davies (with Jimmy Page looking over his shoulder), Lou Reed, Pete Townshend, and others could have cited paternity, but they had their own woodpiles to contend with.

Lynne really broke out in a sweat with "Eldorado": "A Symphony By The Electric Light Orchestra." A "symphony," no less. Although it expressed only too well the source of his inspiration, as well as the limitations of his performance ability, 'Can't Get It Out of My Head' is as romantic as a boy can get. 'Boy Blue' was the natural and, eh, deserved follow-up.

Lynne listened to his own tune and heard himself revealed . . . He wrote his best album as a result. "Face the Music" he did, and as many reviewers will tell you, dark it was. Yet that very personal confrontation, coupled with honest adolescent feeling (cf. 'Evil Woman'), produced an album of songs that a romantic seems to come up with only once in his lifetime (girls know better). 'Fire on High,' 'Waterfall,' 'Poker,' and 'One Summer Dream' are stand-out tracks, but, incredibly, the others are about as memorable. The story of a boy's night out.

Having revealed his soul, he didn't know what to do with it, so he sold it. "A New World Record" cashed in, with the best song, 'Do Ya,' being anything but new, or living. (He'd already did, I'd thought.) A trivial album covering up lost innocence with as much hoopla as the 20th century, or Leni Riefenstahl, could muster.

His soul gone, with nowhere to go, Lynne did what he knew best. He went back to that there studio, shut out the world, and wanked as hard as he could for a new revelation. And he was granted one: Home might as well be outer space, and rainy days are nice. In perhaps his best song of all, 'Summer and Lightning,' he's all alone, with no one else to mess things up. The title of the album, "Out of the Blue," isn't quite as honest as "Golden Shower of Hits" (Circle Jerks) would have been, but for an olio of boyhood remembered, the songs have their charms.

And that was it for the next few decades. There really was nothing left for Lynne to say.

(He sure did help other guys express themselves, though, boy howdy: 'Free Fallin',' 'Got My Mind Set On You,' 'Handle With Care,' 'You Got It' . . .)

"All Over the World: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra" includes none of the above-mentioned songs, except for 'Evil Woman.'

Instead, you get 'Xanadu' without Olivia Newton-John.

At least Rush made Xanadu seem important. But then Neil Peart had read Coleridge's poem, even if he is Canadian . . . Peart, that is. Not Coleridge. Who's British. Took laudanum, an opium derivative.

Speaking of which . . . Afghanistan is producing bumptious crops of the stuff these days. Flesh and blood must make good fertilizer. Perhaps Lynne could take a trip and refuel his personal fantasies. If you can't get out of your head, you might as well stay there. Enjoy the view. Write songs for the boy in so many of us. I'll relive my youth, or the part of it that I can half remember, with the tunes he's capable of writing--I'll give Lynne some credit. Which, really, is saying a lot.

And we're back to where we started.

Yes, This One Is The Very Best.......2006-10-15

I really can't fault Jeff Lynne for putting together these collections every five years or so, because I imagine it is very hard for him to assemble a short list of the band's best tunes. I find it interesting that in the liner notes, he says he cannot believe how overblown some of the songs sound today. Over the years, the band became very light on the orchestra, but the songs remained as dream-like set pieces from a musical that never came to fruition.

On a previous greatest hits set, the terrific "Mr. Blue Sky" was the capper, and here it is given the premiere spot. And for everyone who has a hard time getting started in the morning without that mocha-latte-frappe-chino-grande, this song is a real double shot of espresso. It's easily the band's "Day In A Life," without the depiction of the suicidal man and all those holes in Blackburn Lancashire.

Everything sounds great, though I am partial to my favorites -- "Evil Woman," "Telephone Line," "All Over The World" and the aforementioned "Mr. Blue Sky." The sound, I think, is a vast improvement over ELO "The Hits," or maybe I am letting my ears deceive me in a haze of 70s and early 80s nostalgia. Speaking of early 80s, the underrated "Rock n' Roll Is King" (a companion piece to the earlier "Rockaria) is included here and you will believe again that sentiment is true.

The one dud here is Lynne's dreary take on "Xanadu," originally performed my Olivia Newton-John on the soundtrack of the ill-fated musical of the same name. He must have just watched the film when he recorded it because he sounds so terribly depressed.

Lynne's talents as a songwriter cannot be disputed. As a producer, he found his muse in Beatles producer George Martin (just listen to the ending of "Turn To Stone" for proof). Even when overdubbed, one cannot help but get tangled in the fabulous strings, especially in "Telephone Line."

Buy this CD and remember when you drove around in your parents' old LTD with the "Discovery" 8-Track playing the soundtrack to the musical of your life with you as the star.

Another one?.......2005-09-12

This is the third hits collection put out by Legacy for ELO. The third time's a charm, right? Well, almost. I guess if I were a big fan of ELO, I'd grab 2000's 3CD Flashback collection. Granted in 2003, The Essential ELO was released with 15 songs, but this latest collection has 20. For some reason, some of the 'Essential' songs aren't the very best, because they have been omitted.

All of that aside, getting 20 hits by one of the most progressive rock bands of the seventies ain't so bad. Some of the effects heavy numbers will make you chuckle due to their use of primitive electronic effects. All and all, this collection packs all you need to know about ELO. You'll be surprised at how many song you actually know too.

Why isn't Amazon listing the American version?.......2005-08-08

This CD is great, but as has already been mentioned, Amazon is not listing the American release, which came out on August 2. Everybody else seems to have it. Why not Amazon? It's an awesome overview of ELO's career, from the early 70s right up into 2001's "Alright." I love the fresh new sound that these songs have on this release and the cover is really cool. While I appreciate that Jeff Lynne wrote some new notes for the CD booklet, I wish he could have written more. Many of the songs you love are here, like "Mr. Blue Sky" and "Turn to Stone" and "Livin' Thing." There aren't many ballads here, but the beautiful "Strange Magic" certainly is a highlight. There are also some lesser known songs like the crunchy "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" and the British hit, "Wild West Hero." A lot of folks may not even know that ELO did some of these songs, but for me, it's like the soundtrack of my life from the 70s and 80s. Gotta love it!

The sound quality is Out of This World...but where is domestic release?.......2005-08-05

I don't understand why Amazon is not listing the USA domestic release of ALL OVER THE WORLD which was released by Sony/Legacy on August 2? It's available at most major retail outlets. WHAT GIVES?

That said, this is a brilliant release with beautiful packaging and outstanding track selection...20 of ELO's most-beloved songs. The sound is spectacular and dynamic, especially on cuts such as "Mr. Blue Sky," "Turn to Stone," and "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle." One could quibble with some of the tracks that were left out of this collection (which could have easily filled a second disc), but the producers obviously were going for the jugular here, with one killer single disc. In addition to including 15 of ELO's 20 US Top 40 Hits, there are some of the band's big UK hits, such as the madcap Sgt. Pepperesque "The Diary of Horace Wimp" and the cinematic wistfulness of "Wild West Hero." It's a stellar introduction to ELO for new initiates and a nostalgia-drenched rocking collection for the true afficianado.

But...HELLO, AMAZON? Anybody at home? Where is the US domestic release? Please get this link fixed!

Average customer rating:

Vol. 4-Original Compositions

Manufacturer: Yuko Ohigashi
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000CAJQBC
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Average customer rating:

All Over the World: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000MMN7EW
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Tracks:

Mr. Blue Sky
Evil Woman
Don't Bring Me Down
Sweet Talkin' Woman
Shine a Little Love
Turn to Stone
Diary of Horace Wimp
Confusion
Hold on Tight
Livin' Thing
Telephone Line
All Over the World
Wild West Hero
Showdown
Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
Xanadu
Rockaria!
Strange Magic
Alright
Rock & Roll Is King

Album Description

Slide-pack edition of this release, a no-frills CD packaging featuring an outer slipcase with the original cover artwork and an inner 'slider' including a CD. There is no CD booklet in this package. ELO's All Over The World is the definitive single disc compilation from Jeff Lynne and the boys. 20 tracks including 'Mr. Blue Sky', 'Sweet Talkin' Woman', 'Turn To Stone', 'Hold On Tight' and more. Sony/BMG. 2007.

Music Review:

Music Review

Music Review

1. Mr. Blue Sky
2. Evil Woman
3. Don't Bring Me Down
4. Sweet Talkin' Woman
5. Shine A Little Love
6. Turn To Stone
7. Diary Of Horace Wimp
8. Confusion
9. Hold On Tight
10. Livin' Thing
11. Telephone Line
12. All Over The World
13. Wild West Hero
14. Showdown
15. Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
16. Xanadu (New Verison)
17. Rockaria!
18. Strange Magic
19. Alright
20. Rock & Roll Is King