Eldorado Overture
"Eldorado Overture" is the opening track on Electric Light Orchestra's 1974 concept album Eldorado.
| "Eldorado Overture" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Electric Light Orchestra | |
| from the album Eldorado | |
| Released | 1974 |
| Recorded | De Lane Lea Studios |
| Genre | Symphonic rock |
| Length | 2:11 |
| Label | Jet, United Artists, Columbia |
| Songwriter(s) | Jeff Lynne |
| Producer(s) | Jeff Lynne |
| Eldorado track listing | |
10 tracks
| |
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 Robinson, speaks out the first lyrics of the entire album.
The dreamer, the unwoken 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.
Journeys to the dead of night.High on a hill in Eldorado...
The words fade into an orchestra that opens the concept of the LP from 1:11 to 2:11, an excerpt from Edvard Grieg's piano concerto. 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 until the Time tour in 1981. The track remained unplayed until the Jeff Lynne's ELO tour in 2019, once again leading directly into Can't Get It Out of My Head.
Personnel
Electric Light Orchestra
- Richard Tandy - piano, moog synthesizer
- Bev Bevan - drums, percussion
Additional musicians
- Peter Forbes Robinson – spoken word
- Louis Clark – orchestral arrangements, conductor
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)
"This was the first time I'd ever used a big orchestra on a record. 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)