Eldorado Overture
Encyclopedia
"Eldorado Overture" is the opening track on Electric Light Orchestra's
1974 concept album
Eldorado
.
It was a new experience for Jeff Lynne
to use a full orchestra
and choir
for the band's songs. The opening starts with haunting sounds provided by Richard Tandy
on the synthesizer
. A deep voice (Peter Forbes-Robertson) speaks out the first lyrics of the entire album.
The words fade into an orchestra that opens the concept of the LP
, from 1:11 to 2:11. The orchestra slows and segues into the next track Can't Get It Out of My Head
. Since the two tracks fit together well, they were performed together up until the Time
tour in 1981.
Jeff Lynne (2000 - Flashback
)
"This was the first time I'd ever used a big orchestra on a record. Up until then it had been two cellos and a violin double-tracked a few times. I was thrilled when the 30-piece struck up on the big intro."
Jeff Lynne (2001 - Eldorado Remaster)
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...
1974 concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
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:...
.
It was a new experience for 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...
to use a full orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
and choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
for the band's songs. The opening starts with haunting sounds provided by Richard Tandy
Richard Tandy
Richard Tandy , is best known as the keyboard player in the rock band, Electric Light Orchestra...
on the synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
. A deep voice (Peter Forbes-Robertson) speaks out the first lyrics of the entire album.
The dreamer, the unworken fool,
In dreams, no pain will kiss the brow.
The love of ages fills the head.
The days that linger there in prey of emptiness,
Of burned out dreams.
The minutes calling through the years.
The universal dreamer rises up above his earthly burden.
Journey to the dead of night.
High on a hill in Eldorado...
The words fade into an orchestra that opens the concept of the LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
, from 1:11 to 2:11. The orchestra slows and segues into the next track Can't Get It Out of My Head
Can't Get It Out of My Head
Can't Get It Out of My Head is a song by Electric Light Orchestra.First released on the band's fourth album, Eldorado, in July 1974, the song is the second track on the album and follows "Eldorado Overture." The song was released in November of that same year as a single.The song became the band's...
. Since the two tracks fit together well, they were performed together up until the Time
Time (Electric Light Orchestra album)
Time is a concept album by Electric Light Orchestra released in 1981 through Jet Records. The album tells the story, through its songs and lyrics, about a man from the 1980's finding himself in the year 2095 and trying to come to terms with being unable to return and adjusting to his new...
tour in 1981.
Reviews
"The first actual experience of having a great big orchestra was the Eldorado Overture and it blew me away. I never write the words to my songs until after I've finished the music. In this case, I wrote the spoken introduction for the actor in the van on the way to the studio."Jeff Lynne (2000 - Flashback
Flashback (Electric Light Orchestra box set)
Flashback is a box set compilation by Electric Light Orchestra. See also: Afterglow.-History:In 2000, Jeff Lynne found a new impetus to work on the music of his old band and returned to the recording studio to work on an ELO project for the first time in some 15 years just prior to the comeback...
)
"This was the first time I'd ever used a big orchestra on a record. Up until then it had been two cellos and a violin double-tracked a few times. I was thrilled when the 30-piece struck up on the big intro."
Jeff Lynne (2001 - Eldorado Remaster)