Fans are sharing their hot takes on Electric Light Orchestra records, with a series of posts from listeners detailing their most controversial opinions.
The Jeff Lynne-fronted group are set to play their final show at Hyde Park later this year, and fans are now detailing their most contentious opinions on the band. In a post to the r/ELO subreddit, one user suggested the band’s notable A New World Record album holds one of their best songs off of the album. While the song has not made its way onto the Over and Out Tour setlist, fans were left praising the “deep cut” track. One fan wrote: “Shangri-La is the best song on A New World Record (which is an incredible album).”
Other fans agreed with this statement, and considered it one of the songs Lynne and the band should add to their final live shows. One wrote: “Correct take.” The original poster added: “It’s the best ELO deep cut, and I wish they played it this past tour. It would’ve made an eleven out of ten concert a twelve out of ten. (Or pick whatever number over ten you want lol).”
A third added: “Yes. Second time seeing them live was a few months ago at Madison Square Garden in New York City. I was hoping they would play it. Jungle would be great live as well.” Other users who attended the show had hoped for Shangri-La, but considered it was too similar sounding to another song already in the setlist.
One suggested: “I saw them at Madison Square Garden also! Night two. They were fantastic. Went with my Dad, who got me into ELO as a kid. Special night for us. Maybe Jeff feels Shangri-La is too similar to Telephone Line — like it’s the song’s younger brother. I love both songs and wouldn’t have minded Jeff playing both of them at all. And it would’ve let the band’s opera singer shine. She was terrific on Rockaria.”
Other users praised the Shangri-La suggestion and dubbed the “hot take” an “objectively correct opinion” to hold about the band. One wrote: “Objectively correct opinion, I remember first listening to that song a long long time ago, and the vocals and the tone of the song just spoke to my soul. Can’t listen to that song without tearing nowadays but still one of my all time favorite songs and album by ELO.”
Another added: “The instrumentation of it is just so beautiful, from the first note to the last. It’s so melancholy and it perfectly represents ELO’s ‘sad song’ library.” Not every user was full of praise for A New World Record, though, as one suggested it was their “worst album”.
They wrote: “A New World Record is their worst album. Telephone Line is one hell of a song but damn, it’s the only good song on that album (other than the bonus track, Surrender).”
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A New World Record, is a wonderful album, and has 2 of my 10 ELO songs, Livin’ thing and Tightrope. I was 9 years old in 1976, and my aunt bought it me for christmas.
Whoever said A New World Record was their worst album, has to stop smoking crack. Balance of Power, despite having some good songs, is their worst. It’s boring.
Sorry but my favourite ELO album is Eldorado. It never dates, sublime vocals, songwriting and instrumentation. I was never a fan before, apart from Overture, with Roy Wood.
Shangri-la my absolute favourite
The most underrated ELO song ever. I asked Johnnie Walker to play an ELO song for me and it was a choice between Shangri La or Joker, I think. He chose the other one.
A New World Record is definitely my favourite ELO album, followed closely by Face The Music.
Just a shame Jeff Lynne and other spin offs never chose to play Shangri La live, that would have been beautiful.
Do Ya is the best song Jeff ever wrote. All musicians are aware of that fact.
Can’t get it out of my head simple really because I can’t get it out of my head