927. mission (a world record)

Deep cut from the album that finally, irrefutably kicked the Electric Light Orchestra into the big leagues, 1976’s New World Record. A story song about an alien that comes down to earth, gets taken for a street person, files a negative report back to the home planet. It was a common theme in those days as the afterglow of the big deal moon landings faded and the various grim realities of life on earth got harder and harder to ignore. Same as it ever was.

elo-1976

1110. tightrope

A non-hit from a 1976 album that was thick with hits, Tightrope nevertheless has everything that was ever truly great about the Electric Light Orchestra – big screen dynamics, big melody, big fun all around. It even rocks once they finally get to that part.