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Talent in a Previous Life

Because It's Never Just About the Music

Saturday, December 13, 2003

ELO, ELO, ELO, What's All This Then? 

Don't worry, we've not forgotten the 117 Acest Things in the World... Ever, even though it's quite likely that you, the dear TiaPL reader, probably have. Anyway, we now present to you the fourth acest thing in the world, and it's also the acest song of all time as well:- Electric Light Orchestra - Mr Blue Sky.

Now, we know what you're thinking, you're thinking "ELO? Sod off!", and all we can say in response to that is "No! You sod off." ELO were very ace indeed and Mr Blue Sky is the pinnacle of songwriting genius. From the "rum-pum-rum-pum-rum-pum-rum-pum" intro to the swirlingly beautiful end via the "ting-ting-ting-ting" bits, not a second is wasted or goes wrong in any way, shape or form. It's long been a belief of ours that this song desperately needs to be covered by The Polyphonic Spree, a fact which they clearly semi-agree with as it was on their intro tape when we saw them earlier this year.

It's a tumbling, euphoric pop rush of a song, the sort of tune that makes a rubbish day seem more like the sort of day which Nick Heyward once sang about. Yes, lyrically it's not exactly touching any deep waters, but who cares? Sometimes all you want to do is hear something that celebrates the simple joy of a beautiful sunny day, even if the sun may be glinting off of a shattered windscreen as the light dances to the sound of a car alarm. We want summer in musical form, and that's what this is.

Living Thing is fantastic as well.