Eldorado (song)
| "Eldorado" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Electric Light Orchestra | ||||
| from the album Eldorado | ||||
| A-side |
| |||
| Released | April 1975 (US) B-side May 1978 (UK) B-side | |||
| Recorded | February–August 1974 | |||
| Genre | Progressive rock, symphonic rock | |||
| Length | 5:17 (album) 4:50 (single) | |||
| Label | Jet, United Artists | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jeff Lynne | |||
| Producer(s) | Jeff Lynne | |||
| Electric Light Orchestra singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Eldorado track listing | ||||
10 tracks
| ||||
"Eldorado" is the title track from the 1974 album of the same name by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO).
The song was used as the B-side of the United States single "Boy Blue" in 1975 and later as the flip side to the UK hit single "Wild West Hero" in 1978.[1]
Content
In the 2001 remastered album's liner notes, composer Jeff Lynne said, "This song is where the dreamer wakes up to reality, then decides he likes his dream world better and tries to get back to Eldorado."[2]
Reception
Rolling Stone critic Ken Barnes remarked that although it is "embarrassingly rotund in spots" it "is a tuneful Bee Gees-like ballad."[3] Phonograph Record critic Michael Davis similarly noted that it "displays a feel for melody...that would make a Bee Gee blush in envy."[4]
Controversy
The song gained notoriety when it was claimed by some Christian fundamentalists that "Eldorado" contained some "satanic messages" when the record was played in reverse. Lyrics were claimed to sound like "He is the nasty one - Christ you're infernal" when played backwards. Lynne denied these allegations, and inserted an obviously and deliberately backmasked segment into ELO's next album (Face the Music), within the opening portions of the famous "Fire On High" track. He later recorded Secret Messages, an entire album strewn with backmasking.[5]
Fleming & John version
The song was covered by Fleming & John on the tribute album Lynne Me Your Ears.[6]
References
- ^ "Electric Light Orchestra - Wild West Hero (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 17 June 2010. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
- ^ Eldorado - A Symphony By The Electric Light Orchestra (liner notes). 2001.
- ^ Barnes, Ken (2 January 1975). "Eldorado". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ Davis, Michael (November 1974). "Eldorado". Phonograph Record.
- ^ Macdonald, Fiona (21 October 2014). "The hidden messages in songs". BBC. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
- ^ Damas, Jason. "Lynne Me Your Ears: A Tribute to the Music of Jeff Lynne - Lynne Me Your Ears : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
