ELO's Greatest Hits

Track Listings

1. Evil Woman

2. Livin' Thing

3. Can't Get It Out of My Head

4. Showdown

5. Turn to Stone

6. Rockaria!

7. Sweet Talkin' Woman

8. Telephone Line

9. Ma-Ma-Ma Belle

10. Strange Magic

11. Mr. Blue Sky

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
You can't make a meal of bubblegum, but it sure can be a delicious distraction. ELO's Greatest Hits is filled with gooey, chewy delights--sonic kitsch like "I Can't Get It Out of My Head" (Lennon on Lithium), "Telephone Line" (Kool & The Gang with violins), and the irresistible "Turn to Stone" (Wagner in spandex)--cultural guideposts, whether you want to admit it or not. ELO combined classical elements with electronic rock and their influence can still be heard in new Turk bands playing with Moogs--for all their Beatles-in-space trappings, the group was also pretty damn catchy. Early ELO was spotty, with flavorful items like "Strange Magic" popping out of the lab nevertheless. By the late '70s, producer-songwriter-singer Jeff Lynne had his electronic pop chamber-group machine oiled to perfection, and this package contains a heavy dose of those longer-lasting-flavor years, with well-chosen dabs of essential chewing pleasure. --Don Harrison --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Tracks:

Evil Woman
Livin' Thing
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Showdown
Turn To Stone
Rockaria!
Sweet Talkin' Woman
Telephone Line
Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
Strange Magic
Mr. Blue Sky

Amazon.com

You can't make a meal of bubblegum, but it sure can be a delicious distraction. ELO's Greatest Hits is filled with gooey, chewy delights--sonic kitsch like "I Can't Get It Out of My Head" (Lennon on Lithium), "Telephone Line" (Kool & The Gang with violins), and the irresistible "Turn to Stone" (Wagner in spandex)--cultural guideposts, whether you want to admit it or not. ELO combined classical elements with electronic rock and their influence can still be heard in new Turk bands playing with Moogs--for all their Beatles-in-space trappings, the group was also pretty damn catchy. Early ELO was spotty, with flavorful items like "Strange Magic" popping out of the lab nevertheless. By the late '70s, producer-songwriter-singer Jeff Lynne had his electronic pop chamber-group machine oiled to perfection, and this package contains a heavy dose of those longer-lasting-flavor years, with well-chosen dabs of essential chewing pleasure. --Don Harrison

Customer Reviews:

still great!.......2007-07-13

this has turned out to be a really fun purchase...the only song i could wish it had is "don't bring me down", but otherwise it has all the songs i remember fondly. my original intent was to introduce the music to my 18-year-old music major son, but we have very much enjoyed it too.

Okay.......2007-03-22

Missing the one song that I wanted "Don't Bring Me Down" and the rest just weren't that good.

Great Shakes.......2006-07-29

This CD is ELO perfection. My husband and I enjoy this music on an almost nightly basis.

Can't get them out of my head........2006-06-26

To me, ELO is another one of those bands I thought I knew little about, until I got this collection, at which time I realized I knew half these songs well. A nice mesh of classic rock, pop, and a hint of disco, many of these tracks are standard radio play. The more well known would be "Evil Woman", "Livin' Thing", "Strange Magic", and "Can't Get You Out Of My Head". The rest however hold up, and some are easily as good as these hits are. There's only one song I really miss, maybe because of my age, and that's "Don't Bring Me Down". It's possibly my favorite ELO song, and because of that I might search for a different collection myself. I'd even like to have "Xanadu" on here, even if it did sound a tad out of place. Overall though these are the better songs from their best years.

The "Strange Magic" of Electric Light Orchestra..........2006-06-21

I would prefer to rate this at 4 1/2 stars only because it is not a comprehensive overview of ELO's overall output. That being said, there are several charmers on here and perhaps most of their peak output is captured on this dated greatest hits collection.

ELO is one of the most accessible pop-prog rock acts ever. Some circles may dismiss them as shallow and 'bubble gum' but, really - give this a listen and then tell me straight how insubstantive they are. Evidently heavily influenced by The Beatles, ELO puts their own spin on the rock genre with fantastic results.

Extremely melodic with nice classical elements, one cannot help but appreciate their caliber. I won't go as far to state that I like every tune they've released. However, they do have a highly respectable ranking in my book. Some of the cream of the crop is on this such as "Strange Magic", "Evil Woman", "Turn To Stone", "Mr. Blue Sky", "Livin' Thing", "Can't Get It Out Of My Head", "Telephone Line", and so on.

Overall this serves as a great introduction to a great band. Lead singer Jeff Lyne has had a successful career as a producer as well as some interesting solo venutres. But for the casual ELO or rock fan, Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) have an effect on the listener that may have one saying...."I Can't Get It Outta My Head". Some of the most catchy and melodic rock to be found is on this release. You've been duly warned.

(ELO Part II) Electric Light Orchestra, Part 2: Greatest Hits

Average customer rating:

(ELO Part II) Electric Light Orchestra, Part 2: Greatest Hits
Electric Light Orchestra
Manufacturer: Legacy
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ELO's Greatest Hits
The Essential Electric Light Orchestra

ASIN: B000253690
Release Date: 2005-03-09

Tracks:

Livin' Thing
Mr. Blue Sky
Telephone Line
Strange Magic
Sweet Talkin' Woman
Confusion
Do Ya
Rockaria!
Roll Over Beethoven
Hold on Tight
Turn to Stone
Don't Bring Me Down

Average customer rating:

Good Stuff, but a better collection exists

ELO's Greatest Hits
Electric Light Orchestra
Manufacturer: Jet
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000242JZ
Release Date: 1989-10-23

Tracks:

Evil Woman
Livin' Thing
Can't Get It Out of My Head
Showdown
Turn to Stone
Rockaria!
Sweet Talkin' Woman
Telephone Line
Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
Strange Magic
Mr. Blue Sky

Album Description

11 of their absolute greatest, including 'Evil Woman', 'Livin' Thing', 'Can't Get It Out Of My Head', 'Showdown', 'Sweet Talkin' Woman', 'Telephone Line', 'Strange Magic' and'Mr. Blue Sky'. 1998 Epic release.

Customer Reviews:

Good Stuff, but a better collection exists.......2006-08-01

I liked Electric Light Orchestra from the very first song I heard on the radio. Putting their music into perspective, I now consider ELO to be Progressive Rock - Light, or heavy pop. Their heavily orchestrated and symphonic works, loaded with electronics and high-pitched vocals, have the trappings of progressive rock, yet were firmly rooted in pop music.
This CD chronicles many of the better known Electric Light Orchestra songs from the 70s, all of which received various amounts of air play. My favorites tend to be the longer compositions, reflecting my enjoyment of progressive rock. "Mr. Blue Sky" starts out like a Beatles song, but progresses quickly into traditional ELO. My all-time favorite ELO song.

"Can't Get It Out of My Head" begins with wonderfully evocative lyrics:

Midnight on the water.
I saw the ocean's daughter.
Walking on a wave's chicane,
staring as she called my name.

I've never quite understood what this song is about. It mixes surreal images with a section about bank robbery and heroic historic figures that is somewhat confusing to me. I've wondered whether it is just a song about meditating on life and the choices we make, or something else.

"Livin' Thing" starts with an almost Gypsy feeling, then jumps into a pop beat, but then flips back into the Gypsy violin sound. The lyrics again rely on strange imagery.

Enjoying "Strange Magic" is a guilty pleasure. The music is beautiful, and the lyrics are poetic, but the choruses are repetitive and lengthy. The song is easy on the ears, and easy to sing, but there should have been more meat to the lyrics. The song is still catchy and I enjoy it.

Because of the juxtaposition of lyrics that rely on emotional imagery and flashes of insight barely tasted and music that ranges from near-classical to hard rock, I find it easy to consider that ELO is a progressive rock group. With the strong pop beat that infuses much of their music, that progressive rock is in a different category from Yes, the Moody Blues, King Crimson and others, but so too are those groups very different from each other. The best way of describing ELO is that they are what might have resulted if the Beatles combined with members of Yes and the Moody Blues. The result can sometimes be a little strange, but for those who enjoy it, this is wonderful music.

If you've heard ELO music somewhere and liked it, you will like this collection of ELO music. It's a great introduction and sampling of the group. It's not comprehensive by any means. For that you will have to look to another collection, such as "Strange Magic: The Best of Electric Light Orchestra", which includes every song in this collection plus another CD's worth. Likely a better buy if you are looking for a more comprehensive collection because that CD is relatively inexpensive. Also note that there are two versions of this CD. This particular version is an import to the U.S. that is priced differently from the other version. Choose the version that best meets your needs!

Electric Light Orchestra - Greatest Hits-Live

Average customer rating:

Only if you already like ELO music and want a live album
STRINGS ATTACHED
Not ELO
ELO Part II Does Live Better Than Regular ELO!!!
Don't miss it, it's a collectors item!

Electric Light Orchestra - Greatest Hits-Live
Electric Light Orchestra Part II Feat. The Moscow Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: Volcano
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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One Night - Live in Australia
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Access All Areas
Moment of Truth
Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - Zoom Tour Live

ASIN: B00000I9OP
Release Date: 1992-07-14

Tracks:

Overture
Turn To Stone
Evil Woman
Showdown
Livin' Thing
Hold On Tight
Thousand Eyes
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Telephone Line
Roll Over Beethoven

Customer Reviews:

Only if you already like ELO music and want a live album.......2007-03-20

Decent, but not an album that would make an ELO fan out of you if you aren't already one. I bought this album because I like ELO music--especially the earlier, more lavishly symphonic arrangements which this album reproduces in a live performance, though without front man Lynne providing the vocals--and wanted a live recording to round out my collection of their stuff. (Warning: There is an amateurish fireworks special effect punctuating one of the refrains in track 10, "Roll Over Beethoven," that you'll wish wasn't there when you hear it.) This, adding a live recording to your collection of studio-produced ELO material, along with adding music played by the splinter group ELO Part Two if, like me, you don't already have some, is about all this album is really good for, in my opinion.

STRINGS ATTACHED.......2005-12-22

ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA PART TWO-E.L.O.'S GREATEST HITS LIVE: As its rather clunky title implies, this is not the Jeff Lynne helmed mega-watt force that ruled the pop charts in the seventies, but a near tribute act featuring several former band members paired (not unreasonably, given their classical rock overtones) with the Moscow Symphomy Orchestra on a live run-through of past glories. That established, this sucker ain't half the travesty it oughta be. Ex-Climax Blues Band vocalist Pete Haycock and E.L.O. mainstay Kelly Groucutt do an admirable job of recreating Lynne's high pitched vocals, and the trademark string section sound remains intact on warhorses LIVIN' THING, EVIL WOMAN, and CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD. Always a reluctant live ensemble anyway, the original Orchestra never released a concert document, so perhaps this semi-reunion is excusable, if only to hear the grandiose ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN again in all its Chuck Berry meets high class symphony splendor. Predictably, new effort THOUSAND EYES can hardly compete with the likes of TURN TO STONE and TELEPHONE LINE (even in these stylized renditions), but as an update on one of modern rock's greatest singles practitioners, E.L.O. TWO isn't an uninteresting second chapter. RATING: THREE STRINGS

Not ELO.......2005-03-31

This is not ELO. Don't be fooled.
Not bad for not having Jeff Lynne, though.

ELO Part II Does Live Better Than Regular ELO!!!.......2004-03-03

I have been a fan of classic rock and ELO for most of my adult life. As a kid in the 1970's I was mezmorized by the polished orchestrated pop of gems like "Turn To Stone" and "Can't Get It Out Of My Head". The band's leader (some would say THE band) Jeff Lynne was a live performer recluse. He spent practically all his time in the studio arranging and creating. And he did this brilliantly. Like Steely Dan and Alan Parsons, we thought (and were wrong) that ELO would never do the consumate live album. To pull it off, they'd need more than the reclusive Lynne and his cast of help mates. Then comes the break up. Lynne goes into semi-retirement following his tourless stint with the Traveling Wilburys, opening up the opportunity for the band's drummer and an assembly of partially affiliated co-workers to hit the road with an ELO "show". They skirted the legalities (kind of) by calling themselves ELO Part II. Not the catchiest of band names, but ELO was in the title! They embarked on a nostalgia tour with the occasional full orchestra. The fruit of this tour is borne out on Greatest Hits Live. For ELO purests this whole idea is an insult. Jeff Lynne was incensed to the point of employing legal assistance. He lost. ELO II won. Lynne later reclaimed his territory on 2001's "Zoom" with the original ELO moniker. But there's no denying how good this live collection is.

The album begins with the classic ELO overture(performed with the Moscow Symphony) that blossoms into an amazing take of "Turn To Stone". The band's grouping of "poser" musicians including violinist Mik Kaminski do some incredible vocalizing on this overdub only-can't-do-it-live ELO radio staple. They pull it off, and it sends a jolt of "electricity" through the audience. The band keeps the hits rolling fast and hard with "Evil Woman", "Showdown", "Living Thing" and "Hold On Tight". By that time the listener is ready for a musical break of sorts and the band slips in an ELO II original-"Thousand Eyes". Perfect timing, and not a bad song for a bunch of replacements. The band resumes with a dreamy "Can't Get It Out Of My Head" followed by "Telephone Line" and "Roll Over Beethoven". The latter being the real show finale. The song list in this set could have included "Fire On High", "Don't Bring Me Down" or "Do Ya". But the band or the label decided to condense it to these ten tracks. For those who want more you can check out "Live In Australia". I was still very impressed with the energy, the creativity, the vocalizing and the solid mix of orchestration and rock elements. This is no accident. It's well rehearsed, well executed art rock by a bunch of guys (minus Bev Bevan) who were likely in diapers when ELO started out. This is one of my all time favorite live albums. Buy it and enjoy (with headphones).

Don't miss it, it's a collectors item!.......2001-06-18

Best performance of the ELO. Great music, great sound. Don't waste time to buy it. You'll never regret it.

Average customer rating:

ELO's Greatest Hits [Japan Import]
Electric Light Orchestra , E.L.O. , and ELO
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000KFTMU4

Product Description

Out of print Japan import on Sony records Japan (catalog: CSCS-6033).

Greatest Hits Live, Part II: The Encore Collection

Average customer rating:

not too bad
Misleading Title
Good....But not Great

Greatest Hits Live, Part II: The Encore Collection
Electric Light Orchestra Part II
Manufacturer: Bmg Special Product
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tracks:

Telephone Line
Strange Magic
One More Tomorrow
Do Ya
Evil Woman
Livin' Thing
Confusion
Standing In The Rain
Whiskey Girls
Don't Wanna

Customer Reviews:

not too bad.......2004-12-13

The title is misleading,unless you've already listened to some of part2's music.Eric Troyer can sing if he will just take the clothespin off his nose.Seriously,I've listened to part2 in every version I could find.There are only 2 songs of their own that I really like,and if you are like me,you'd rather hear the studio versions than live.Those 2 songs are "Honest Men" and "One More Tomorrow",the one that's included here and I believe it to be their masterpiece.But Jeff Lynne this isn't even though I suspect he gets a cut of the profits just the same:he's a shrewd businessman.If you want to hear part 2 at their best look for studio work,not live.

Misleading Title.......2002-06-30

The labelling for this CD reads:

Electric Light Orchestra Greatest Hits Live, Part II:
The Encore Collection

If it read

Electric Light Orchestra, Part II Greatest Hits Live:
The Encore Collection

There would have been no confusion. I was expected the Jeff Lynne version of ELO when I picked this up. As soon as I heard the first vocal, I knew I'd been had. I would only recommend this to diehard ELO fans who want to hear different live versions of ELO classics.

If you like ELO Part II, then you may be satisfied with this disc. Personally I only like Jeff Lynne on vocals so I give this disc:

1 star for misleading labelling
3 stars for satisfactory performance.
End 2 stars.

Good....But not Great.......2002-05-13

I bought this cd a couple monts ago and have only listened to it once since. Mabey its just the fact that these songs are live and lose some of the more important ELO factors. You can't here many of their instruments and that takes away from this cd. I got it for 5$(new) at my local hastings and didn't know it was live until I popped it in my CD player. But still this is ELO(to me the best band of the 70's) so it was still worth it. I just don't think I would have spent more than that on it.This includes alot of their classics including my personal favorite "Livin' Thing"

Olivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2 [Japan Import] [1ST PRESS] [CP35]

Average customer rating:

Olivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2 [Japan Import] [1ST PRESS] [CP35]
Olivia Newton-John , and Olivia Newton John
Manufacturer: Toshiba-EMI
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000K26MOG

Product Description

Out of print. Highly sought after 1st CD pressing from Japan, issued on CD and released to the CD buying public in Japan in the infancy days of CDs, long before this became available domestically on CD. Part of the highly coveted "CP35" series of CDs from Toshiba-EMI Japan (featuring the black triangle print on the non playing side of the disc, designating the true first edition). 14 tracks.

Music Review:

Music Review

Music Review

1. Evil Woman
2. Livin' Thing
3. Can't Get It Out of My Head
4. Showdown
5. Turn to Stone
6. Rockaria!
7. Sweet Talkin' Woman
8. Telephone Line
9. Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
10. Strange Magic
11. Mr. Blue Sky