Hello, ELO

I am a huge fan of Electric Light Orchestra, or ELO. (And apparently Adam Sandler too; most of his movies include a song or two from them in their soundtrack.) They were an English rock group that created pop/rock songs with classical music overtones; in other words, a band with a light orchestra (consisting of only a few cellos and violins) accompanying them. The very first song of theirs that I remember hearing on the radio was “Turn To Stone” and I immediately took to their sound—it was decidedly rock and roll, with jangling guitars and pounding drums, but with a lush orchestral background that enriched and punctuated the song’s riffs. And I eagerly lapped up every song of theirs after that; there was no song they released that I didn’t like.

Their biggest hit in the U.S. charts was “Don’t Bring Me Down”. And ELO gained popular appeal among the Eat Bulaga! crowd when their song “Xanadu” (vocals performed by Olivia Newton-John) was used for a dance contest that featured tanga-clad females being lifted at the climax of the song. But way before that, ELO already captured the ears of the masa crowd with the following song. In fact, I honestly believe that all maids and yayas during the early 80s knew this song by heart and could sing along—albeit with erroneous lyrics—to it (I know ours did). Had there been karaoke at that time, this song would have seriously kicked “My Way”’s butt in popularity and ubiquity. And you know you’re a child of the 80s if you know this song:



Sing along ka na!