Boy Blue (Electric Light Orchestra Song)
Encyclopedia
"Boy Blue" is a song written by Jeff Lynne
and performed by the Electric Light Orchestra
which first appeared as track number 3 from their 1974 album, Eldorado
.
The album version of the song starts with a Baroque styled brass fanfare and then develops in to a minimoog
sequence before the song proper starts. The song includes a midway solo of the bands three string players. At the end of the song the string instruments fade out into "Laredo Tornado."
Bassist Mike de Albuquerque featured on the song but it is unknown just how many tracks he contributed to on the album, as he left the band during the recording sessions.
"Mike de Albuquerque left the group after the recording session of Eldorado, on which his mighty voice could be heard for the last time on an E.L.O. record in the sixth verse of Boy Blue."
Patrik Guttenbacher, Marc Haines, & Alexander von Petersdorff (1996 Unexpected Messages).
Jeff Lynne
(2001 - Eldorado
Remaster).
The song is an anti-war song set during the Crusades
and forms the second dream as part of the overall Eldorado dreamscape.
It tells a story about a hero returning from a far off war and the rapturous welcome he received from his town folk. Boy Blue (the character of the song) rebuffs the hero worship and declares his hatred of war and stating his refusal to ever take up arms again. To those in the military in the early '70s, it was set in their lives, in a war far too near.
The song was covered by the tribute and compilation album Lynne Me Your Ears
by Rick Altizer.
The USA edited single version of this song is missing the fanfare intro, parts of the orchestral bridge, and the 2nd to last chorus. The song was released as the second single from the Eldorado album but failed to chart.
Jeff Lynne
Jeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
and performed by the Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
which first appeared as track number 3 from their 1974 album, Eldorado
Eldorado (Electric Light Orchestra album)
Eldorado - A Symphony By The Electric Light Orchestra is the fourth studio album by the Electric Light Orchestra, released in 1974.-Concept:...
.
The album version of the song starts with a Baroque styled brass fanfare and then develops in to a minimoog
Minimoog
The Minimoog is a monophonic analog synthesizer, invented by Bill Hemsath and Robert Moog. It was released in 1970 by R.A. Moog Inc. , and production was stopped in 1981. It was re-designed by Robert Moog in 2002 and released as Minimoog Voyager.The Minimoog was designed in response to the use of...
sequence before the song proper starts. The song includes a midway solo of the bands three string players. At the end of the song the string instruments fade out into "Laredo Tornado."
Bassist Mike de Albuquerque featured on the song but it is unknown just how many tracks he contributed to on the album, as he left the band during the recording sessions.
"Mike de Albuquerque left the group after the recording session of Eldorado, on which his mighty voice could be heard for the last time on an E.L.O. record in the sixth verse of Boy Blue."
Patrik Guttenbacher, Marc Haines, & Alexander von Petersdorff (1996 Unexpected Messages).
Story
"A song about an all-conquering hero from the middle ages."Jeff Lynne
Jeff Lynne
Jeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
(2001 - Eldorado
Eldorado (Electric Light Orchestra album)
Eldorado - A Symphony By The Electric Light Orchestra is the fourth studio album by the Electric Light Orchestra, released in 1974.-Concept:...
Remaster).
The song is an anti-war song set during the Crusades
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
and forms the second dream as part of the overall Eldorado dreamscape.
It tells a story about a hero returning from a far off war and the rapturous welcome he received from his town folk. Boy Blue (the character of the song) rebuffs the hero worship and declares his hatred of war and stating his refusal to ever take up arms again. To those in the military in the early '70s, it was set in their lives, in a war far too near.
The song was covered by the tribute and compilation album Lynne Me Your Ears
Lynne Me Your Ears
Lynne Me Your Ears - A Tribute To The Music of Jeff Lynne is a compilation of compositions written by songwriter Jeff Lynne. The majority of material are cover versions of Lynne's longest running and most successful group; Electric Light Orchestra....
by Rick Altizer.
The USA edited single version of this song is missing the fanfare intro, parts of the orchestral bridge, and the 2nd to last chorus. The song was released as the second single from the Eldorado album but failed to chart.