Missing the one song that I wanted "Don't Bring Me Down" and the rest just weren't that good.

This CD is ELO perfection. My husband and I enjoy this music on an almost nightly basis.

To me, ELO is another one of those bands I thought I knew little about, until I got this collection, at which time I realized I knew half these songs well. A nice mesh of classic rock, pop, and a hint of disco, many of these tracks are standard radio play. The more well known would be "Evil Woman", "Livin' Thing", "Strange Magic", and "Can't Get You Out Of My Head". The rest however hold up, and some are easily as good as these hits are. There's only one song I really miss, maybe because of my age, and that's "Don't Bring Me Down". It's possibly my favorite ELO song, and because of that I might search for a different collection myself. I'd even like to have "Xanadu" on here, even if it did sound a tad out of place. Overall though these are the better songs from their best years.

I would prefer to rate this at 4 1/2 stars only because it is not a comprehensive overview of ELO's overall output. That being said, there are several charmers on here and perhaps most of their peak output is captured on this dated greatest hits collection.

ELO is one of the most accessible pop-prog rock acts ever. Some circles may dismiss them as shallow and 'bubble gum' but, really - give this a listen and then tell me straight how insubstantive they are. Evidently heavily influenced by The Beatles, ELO puts their own spin on the rock genre with fantastic results.

Extremely melodic with nice classical elements, one cannot help but appreciate their caliber. I won't go as far to state that I like every tune they've released. However, they do have a highly respectable ranking in my book. Some of the cream of the crop is on this such as "Strange Magic", "Evil Woman", "Turn To Stone", "Mr. Blue Sky", "Livin' Thing", "Can't Get It Out Of My Head", "Telephone Line", and so on.

Overall this serves as a great introduction to a great band. Lead singer Jeff Lyne has had a successful career as a producer as well as some interesting solo venutres. But for the casual ELO or rock fan, Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) have an effect on the listener that may have one saying...."I Can't Get It Outta My Head". Some of the most catchy and melodic rock to be found is on this release. You've been duly warned.

Electric Light Orchestra was, in my mind, ahead of their time in the realm of classic rock. I consider them classic rock because they seemed to have, besides the strings, a more studio, Steely Dan sound. But I could be wrong.
Anyway, a few things made them stand out for me. First of all, the harmonies in the vocals were really amazing. In the first two songs, Evil Woman and Livin' thing, the harmonies in the choruses make the songs. Oh, and the harmony is great in Showdown.
The other thing is the use of strings. It really gave the band more of a sophistocated sound. The introduction to Livin' Thing is by far one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard. And on Showdown, the strings sound tougher, more bada*s.
Overall, great compilation, great band.

This is a short, but excellent complation of ELO hits.
My next door neighbor let me look through his cds and pick which ones I wanted for him to burn. Among them was this cd. I listened to it & was ashtonished. ELO is f**king sweet! This should be in your collection.

1. Evil Woman 5/5
2. Livin' Thing 5/5
3. Can't Get It Out Of My Head 5/5
4. Showdown 5/5
5. Turn To Stone
6. Rockaria 3/5
7. Sweet Talkin' Woman 5/5
8. Telephone Line 5/5
9. Ma-Ma-Belle 3/5
10. Mr. Blue Sky 5/5

BUY IT! YOU WON'T BE SORRY
Alex (an ELO fan)

This album has great early tracks but as a previous reviewer stated, there are more comprehensive discs out there with better sound as well. This disc is not remastered and so does not sound as great as it really should given today's sound technology. However, if you are getting this as a summary of their earlier stuff and then going on to get "Discovery" and "Time" remastered, you'd have gotten pretty much the best that ELO have ever done. Value for the money you pay but I'd recommend going straight for "Strange Magic...."

I've always enjoyed this old album. I've recently upgraded to CD. I don't know why I waited so long. This is a nice collection (not complete, but nice nonetheless). Not a bad song on this one.

ELO - Electric Light Orchestra - came out with a number of great hits during the 1970s. They were great to dance to, and sometimes slipped in a meaning or two.

That's not to say the songs weren't great! I love this album and listen to it fairly frequently. But really, you don't get dense soul searching in here. You get "Evil Woman" where the guy is annoyed with his ex, saying "You made the wine, now drink the cup."

There are cool instrumental parts of "Livin' Thing" - and I love the sliding harmonies in the song. "Can't Get it Out of my Head" with its keyboard is more melancholy but also manages to capture the feeling of being stuck on someone.

The next three - Showdown, Turn to Stone and Rockaria are fine for pure enjoyment, but often I am waiting anxiously for the series of 5 songs that are simply magic. They are Sweet Talkin' Woman, Telephone Line, Ma-Ma-Ma-Belle, Strange Magic and Mr. Blue Sky. I've owned this CD for so long that they run together into a giant opus of fantastic music. "Don't know what I'm gonna do - I've gotta get back to you!" The harmonies are just fantastic, the rhythms are great, they are just so dance-around-the-houseable. What do the lyrics really mean? He misses his woman. Does it really matter? You get swept along with the songs and by the time it's all over, you feel so much better.

I bet we could invent an ELO diet where you played this every morning, danced around your kitchen while you made yourself toast and coffee, and ended up happy and in better shape than before. I highly recommend it!

ELO evolved from another British group, The Move, which was successful in the late sixties with such hits as Flowers in the rain and Blackberry way. Bev Bevan, Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne, all previously with The Move, created ELO. With other new members, they recorded their debut album, which yielded the UK top ten hit 10538 overture. After that, there were a series of line-up changes but the biggest change came because Roy and Jeff disagreed about the way that ELO should develop. Roy and two others quit and formed their own group, Wizzard (essentially a rock'n'roll group, updated for the seventies) who had a couple of UK number one hits (See my baby jive, Angel fingers), but is now best remembered for the top five hit, I wish it could be Christmas every day.

With Roy gone, Jeff was free to do what he wanted. He added classical music influences to a basic rock sound, making something unique and distinctive, though this vision took a few albums to be fully realized. ELO had a long string of hits on both sides of the Atlantic in the seventies, particularly from the albums A new world record, Out of the blue and Discovery, but were unable to sustain that success in the eighties. Their last UK top ten hit was in 1981 and they only came close once after that - in 1983, with Rock'n'roll is king. In America, their fortunes faded equally dramatically but they had already recorded a body of work that is well worth listening to.

This brilliant compilation contains most of ELO's big British and American hits from the period 1973 to 1978. Six of the tracks here come from the two albums for which they are best remembered - A new world record (Living thing, Telephone line, Rockaria) and Out of the blue (Mr Blue sky, Sweet talking woman, Turn to stone). The other five tracks are older.

There are stronger ELO compilations than this, but if you only want a sample of their music and your favorite songs are here, this might suit you. The most comprehensive compilation is the British double-CD, Ultimate collection, which lives up to its title (unlike some compilations titled Ultimate).

ELO had so many hits, you can't fit them on one album.

Would have liked it if this set had 'Fire on High'.

Alas, all classics here!

ELO has a lot of good stuff, and to limit the greatest hits collection to one short disc just isn't right. This cd has good songs, but it's missing more good songs than it has. Perhaps I'm unique in missing songs like Waterfall, Shangrila, Fire on High, Do Ya, and Don't Bring Me Down... that last one is really the worst omission, every classic rock station has "Don't Bring Me Down" in their regular loops, but for some reason it's absent.

Personally, I wouldnt recommend this cd at all. I have every ELO album and they are all great to listen to in their entirety. Now if this were truly a representative collection I would recommend it for the casual fan, but it falls far short of it's potential. You can go on ebay and get the entire elo cd collection imported for just under $30 (last I checked it was unavailable for purchase on amazon)

Well, gang, here is something for your musical sweet tooth! This CD collects some of ELO's biggest radio hits from '73-'78 in one concise disc. Also included are two prime album cuts, "Rockaria" and "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle," both of which showcase ELO's rockier edge. Most of the other cuts are sweet pop confections of the highest order. Jeff Lynne is one of the great art pop/rock producers and his artistry shines through on cuts such as the synth epic "Turn to Stone," the yearning ballad "Can't Get it Out of My Head," the sunny stomp "Mr. Blue Sky," the sugary "Sweet Talkin' Woman," and the funky foreboding of "Evil Woman." Bev Bevan's signature drum romping, Kelly Groucutt's indispensible vocal backing, Richard Tandy's lively keys, and Mik Kaminski's stunning violin work all shine brightly here. Of course, 1995's STRANGE MAGIC double disc offers a more complete and up-to-date overview of the band, but for a quick hit of pop brilliance, this HITS disc is tough to top. (Also check out the more recent ESSENTIAL ELO collection.)

The Electric Light Orchestra has to go down as one of the most underrated bands in the history of music. When I think of Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), I immediately think of the voice and sound behind them and that is Jeff Lynne. Just like ELO is underrated, so is Jeff Lynne. However many in the music industry recognize Lynne's talent. When Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Tom Petty, and Roy Orbison asked Jeff Lynne to join The Traveling Wilburys, it might have seemed like a surprise to many - but those in the music industry knew the talent that Lynne brought to the table. Jeff Lynne was not along for the ride - he was an integral part of the Traveling Wilburys. In fact, he might have been a big reason for their success. Jeff Lynne didn't come out of nowhere - he has been around for a while.

While this particular collection does cover the most successful period of ELO (the 1970s), it is not the most complete. "Strange Magic: The Best of Electric Light Orchestra" is a 2 CD collection that seems to be one of the better compilations of ELO material. All of the material contained on "ELO's Greatest Hits" is included on the "Strange Magic" collection. "Strange Magic" will also include some of the material from the 1980s as well. There are some other notable collections such as "ELO's Greatest Hits Volume 2" (this goes deeper into the post "ELO Greatest Hits material than "Strange Days"), "ELO Classics" (a weak 10 track collection that doesn't really distinguish itself as a solid compilation), and "Essential Electric Light Orchestra" (covers 70s and 80s, but you are still better off with "Strange Days"). Again, the best thing about "ELO's Greatest Hits" is that it does cover the hey-dey of ELO.

The material on the album covers a period when ELO was releasing about one album a year from 1973 through 1977.. The five albums are: "On the Third Day ("Ma-Ma-Ma Belle", "Showdown"); "Eldorado" ("Can't Get it Out of My Head"); "Face the Music" ("Evil Woman", "Strange Magic"); "A New World Record ("Livin' Thing", "Rockaria!", "Telephone Line"); and "Out of the Blue ("Turn to Stone", "Sweet Talkin Woman", "Mr Blue Sky"). Although there is only one song from "Eldorado", I can understand it - "Eldorado" is a terrific concept album that fuses both rock and orchestra together and deserves to be listened to as a whole. You won't quite get the fusion of orchestra and rock with this particular collection, but you will get to hear the product of a lot of good work. Usually I prefer a Greatest Hits collection to be in chronological order of the release dates of the song. "ELO's Greatest Hits" does not do this. However, Jeff Lynne - the master producer does seem to find a way to arrange the tracks in a very fitting order. I like how "Evil Woman" kicks off the collection" and I really like how "Strange Magic" and "Mr Blue Sky" are the last two tracks.

This was the first ELO album I had gotten. I had always had a pre-concieved notion that ELO was much like they did on "Eldorado" - the great fusion of rock and orchestra. Through this collection, I discovered also was a great classic rock band. Many might find this crazy, but I actually see a lot of simularities to the Beatles. I think it's fair to say that Lynne was influenced by the fab four. I can also see why the Wilburys (with George Harrison) asked Lynne to join. I see the Beatles influence in many different forms. "Rockaria!" actually has a retro type sound that reminds me of the earlier Beatles. "Sweet Talkin Woman" is a unique song. There are parts that remind me of the early Beatles, there are parts that take me back to the early 60s, and there are other parts where ELO puts some of their computer sounded vocals in to give what was a modern spin for the 1970s. Other songs that do invoke memories of the fab four include "Telephone Line", and the song that I consider the best ELO - "Mr Blue Sky". It is also worth noting that "Mr Blue Sky" also with a Beatles like sound - ELO also adds their own touch with some of the computer voices that make it such a unique song. The ending for "Mr Blue Sky" has a "finale" type of feel and that is why "Mr Blue Sky" was such a great pick for the final track.

ELO isn't all about the Beatles or early 60s influences either. They have a style of their own. Songs such as "Evil Woman", "Showdown", and "Strange Magic" are the type of songs that helped define what could be considered the "70s Rock Sound". "Turn to Stone" is a terrific track and shows that ELO can rock with the best. "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" also has a great classic rock feel to it.

The liner notes do contain all of the lyrics to the 11 tracks on this collection. There also is a nice "writeup" by Jeff Lynne who reflects back on his work during the period that this collection covers. I believe this is in Jeff's actual handwriting and words. It is a little difficult to read, but it does seem like Jeff's words and I think that should be considered a positive. The back of the CD contains what albums each of the tracks are from. The bad news is that there is nothing in the way of production or band credits and it almost comes across as a "Jeff Lynne effort" as opposed to an ELO effort.

Although this is a good effort, my original point is that there are more complete collections available - namely the "Strange Magic" double CD. However, if you can get this CD on sale - it still is worth it.

ELO was a great band to listen to in college and still is now.

"Telephone Line" and "Strange Magic" are gems.

At first when I saw this CD I was shocked to see that Don't Bring Me Down wasn't on this album but I later figured out why and I wonder how come this CD is missing some songs like It's Over, Do Ya, Fire on High, Boy Blue, Daybreaker, Roll Over Beethoven and Poker but overall this is a good ELO compilation album and it's way better than ELO Classics, if you're a new fan of ELO I would start off with Strange Magic: The Very Best of ELO, I wish that they didn't edit out the intro to Strange Magic.

The Electric Light Orchestra is perhaps one of the most underrated bands of the 70's, only because they didn't fit into the typical foot-on-the-amp classic-rock sound, shooting for symphonic grandiosity but overlooked for the guitar-god posturing of their contemporaries. ELO basically combines candy-coated guitar-rock/pop incorporating elements of a classical music orchestra with a kistchy futuristic-type glossing. Central to their sound is the silky-sweet vocals of Jeff Lynne who has wonderful scope, shifting from warm croons to Beach Boys-type harmonies/melodies. Their 'Greatest Hits' seems to be reflective of the bands overall approach, a breeding ground to experiment with sound and structure (everything from flutes, world percussion, and quirky samples) without straying too far away from the orchestral strings, melodies and the pop pick-me-up's. The ambition and intent is there, the material is strong and diverse, capturing the musical essence of something that is obviously way ahead of it's time. A space jam of spaceship occupants, The Archies, a rock guitarist, and an accompanying orchestra...all wearing polyester bell-bottoms in a flying-saucer waiting to take-off.

If you've loved ELO for long, you will have had these songs on all the original albums, but if you're an ELO newbie, this is an excellent, though very brief, introduction. I am sick of ELO being bashed as the poor man's Beatles, as sappy, as "disco-flavored violin trash," and as infantile muzak. All of these criticisms are from people who haven't bothered to listen to ELO from beginning to last and who are too obtuse to realize that Jeff Lynne is a musical genius (and no, I don't use that word lightly). Yes, his lyrics are banal, but with this type of music, who on earth cares? The lyrics to "Ob La Di, Ob La Da" are trite too, but with such catchy music, one can overlook the banality of the words.

This set is by no means the definitive set of the three issued ELO compilations, but it hits the high notes. I wish they would have included ELO's most underrated (and, I think, best) song, "Nightrider."

The sound quality is excellent and the track order is pleasing. There are no omissions and only a few questionable inclusions, such as "Telephone Line," one of the more vapid ELO entries.

I bought my first ELO single when I was 10 years old and I never looked back. If you've read this far, you're a fan like me and you will devour this set. Long live this sappy, trite, banal band... I still love 'em forever!

This wonderful album was first released in 1979, and was re-released on CD in 1990. It contains many of the Electric Light Orchestra's finest works up to 1979, and indeed many of their finest works, period. I had this album on cassette during my college years, and often missed its fantastic sounds. Well, now it's back and I am very glad to have it.

Admittedly, this CD doesn't include any "extras" beyond what was on the original album, but the quality is excellent. As a bonus, the liner notes include the words to all of the songs. So, let me sum up by saying that this is a great album, one that I am very glad to have. I highly recommend it!

My friends invited me to go ice skating far away from home.
I was ice skating for the first time in my life. I was skating into the wee hours of the night.
As I looked down at the ice or up at the ceiling after I fell down, I heard Telaphone Line.
Every time I hear that song, I feel like I am traveling back in time to that night.
It was so surreal especially in Florida!

Significantly influenced by the likes of The Beatles, David Bowie, and Queen, Electric Light Orchestra made quite a splash when they combined pop tunes, rock and roll guitar, and the occasional symphonic arrangement complete with zinging violins. When all was said and done, the band was never in the same league with those who inspired them--but even so they did manage to generate a number of tunes that continue to resonate with us, music that we occasionally hear spouting out of the radio and hesitate over.

ELO's output was very hit and miss, so if you're interested in the band a compilation is generally the best way to go. And while it's easy to argue about what should and shouldn't be on a "greatest hits" album, this one pretty much has the essentials, all the way from "Evil Woman" to "Mr. Blue Sky." The songs and their production are ultra-slick, and it's fun to drop them into the stereo and revisit.

The weakness in ELO are the vocals. Jeff Lynne and company have good voices, but they are not unique voices; they lack that unexpected spark that crackles inside your head and makes you hunger for more. It is a matter, perhaps, of being too slick for their own good. Even so, it's hard to fault "Can't Get It Out of My Head" or "Evil Woman"--and while ELO will never go down in history as an influential or important band, they are certainly a fun one. Recommended if you're in a mood to revisit art-rock than ran as quickly as possible into the mainstream.

--GFT (Amazon.com)--

ELO, Styx, 10cc, Toto, and Queen, were all pretty much fused together in my mind in the progressive rock genre listening to the radio in the mid to late '70's. I always enjoyed ELO's hit tunes, but only wound up buying one of their albums, "Face The Music." ELO did great some great music, but overall, I always found their albums to be a bit uneven and I was never motivated enough to consistently go out and purchase their discs.

What made ELO a great rock band to me was that much of their music has a "classical base" to it. The orchestrations are rich, multi-layered, and still amaze me today. Trust me... I can pop this CD in my car or home player and it'll be days later before I take it out! It is just fun to listen to over and over again. The energy this band created with their songs is as fresh today as when these tunes were first released.

The playlist on this album does a good job of covering their more memorable hits and this selection to me is better than a couple of other "best of" ELO compilitations I have seen. The rock and ballad songs on this CD are as infectious as they have ever been- you can't help but sing along. ELO always had a bit of a chameleon-like quality to it too, and I say that as a respectful compliment to this band's abilities. "Mr. Blue Sky" is my favorite ELO tune. Listen to the lyrics, singing style, and the melodies to this song. I can close my eyes today and swear I'm listening to The Beatles.

Anyone not familar with main-stream pop hits of the '70's will give themselves a nice introduction to the better music that traversed the airwaves with this album. Sit back and enjoy this set of songs. It will have a mind-altering effect on you- and in a good way!

I liked Electric Light Orchestra from the very first song I heard on the radio. Putting their music into perspective, I now consider ELO to be Progressive Rock - Light, or heavy pop. Their heavily orchestrated and symphonic works, loaded with electronics and high-pitched vocals, have the trappings of progressive rock, yet were firmly rooted in pop music.

This CD chronicles many of the better known Electric Light Orchestra songs from the 70s, all of which received various amounts of air play. My favorites tend to be the longer compositions, reflecting my enjoyment of progressive rock. "Mr. Blue Sky" starts out like a Beatles song, but progresses quickly into traditional ELO. My all-time favorite ELO song.

"Can't Get It Out of My Head" starts out with wonderfully evocative lyrics:

Midnight on the water.
I saw the ocean's daughter.
Walking on a wave's chicane,
staring as she called my name.

I've never quite understood what this song is about. It mixes surreal images with a section about bank robbery and heroic historic figures that is somewhat confusing to me. I've wondered whether it is just a song about meditating on life and the choices we make, or something else.

"Livin' Thing" starts with an almost Gypsy feeling, then jumps into a pop beat, but then flips back into the Gypsy violin sound. The lyrics again rely on strange imagery versus clearly trying to convey a point.

Enjoying "Strange Magic" is a guilty pleasure. The music is beautiful, and the lyrics are poetic, but the choruses are repetitive and lengthy. The song is easy on the ears, and easy to sing, but there should have been more meat to the lyrics. But the song is still catchy and I enjoy it.

Because of the juxtaposition of lyrics that rely on emotional imagery and flashes of insight barely tasted and music that ranges from near-classical to hard rock, I find it easy to consider that ELO is progressive rock. With the strong pop beat that infuses much of their music, that progressive rock is in a different category from Yes, The Moody Blues, King Crimson and others, but so too are those groups very different from each other. The best way of describing ELO is that they are what might have resulted if The Beatles combined with members of Yes and The Moody Blues. The result can sometimes be a little strange, but for those who enjoy it, this is wonderful music.

If you've heard ELO music somewhere and liked it, you will like this collection of ELO music. It's a great introduction and sampling of the group. It's not comprehensive by any means. For that you will have to look to another collection, such as "Strange Magic: The Best of Electric Light Orchestra", which includes every song in this collection plus another CD's worth. Likely a better buy if you are looking for a more comprehensive collection because that CD is relatively inexpensive.

The only ELO songs I knew were Evil Woman and Livin' Thing, from the radio. My parents listened to a lot of 70s music when I was growing up but there was no ELO in there! I always liked Evil Woman though, so I recently bought ELO's Greatest Hits, just for the one song. Lo and behold, I soon realised I liked Livin' Thing (which is like a pop symphony) as well. Then I realised I liked Sweet Talkin' Woman (a symphony fused with 60s-style?), then Turn To Stone (guitars and strings mushed together), then Rockaria (a rockin' fun, cheerful song!), then Showdown (more guitar and strings mush), then Ma Ma Ma Belle (another rockin' song), then the rest. Now I love the whole CD and listen to it all the way through. It's brilliant! I don't know how Jeff Lynne did it but I'm grateful that I'm able to listen to it. . . And I haven't even heard any of their other stuff yet!

I think, this CD is really good, I have it and I really enjoy listening while I am driving and I love to sing all the songs.
But in order to be the Greatest Hits Album, they needed to add 2 more songs.
I honestly think that they commit a huge mistake by letting out of the CD,2 of the greatest songs which are Last Train to London and Shine a little Love. I think that the people that disagree that this songs are as good as Telephone line or Evil woman are not really fans of ELO.
I would recommend in the other hand the CD Strange Magic: The Best of Electric Light Orchestra. This is a good recopilation that includes 2 Cd's and it is in a really good price. I don't think anybody would have a problem with that.

I bought this album back in 1990 when I just bought CD player and rush for major Greatest Hits albums in CD version. This album was great introduction for me to the greatest magic creator on earth Electric Light Orchestra. Although their complete compilation Strange Magic is there, it is still the album to play for me. Some of the tracks such as Showdown and Rockeria become the mainstay of classic rock station thanks to this compilation. Yes, every track deserves the airplay and rebooming will be sure to follow...

When ELO was bad, they were corny and saccharine. But, when they were good, they were just fantastic.

To dismiss something as gorgeous as "Can't Get It Out Of My Head" as 'fluff' or 'lightweight' is beyond my comprehension. Like the bulk of ELO's stuff it is a soundtrack in search of a film: technicolor cinemascope on a huge curved wrap-around screen, with six dozen audio speakers and a plush scarlet curtain 60 feet high and 180 feet wide...

Well, ELO does that to you: leaves you to glory in the wonder and beauty of art, even if it is pop (small 'p') art. "Rockaria!" may seem trivial to some, but it is such a sincere celebration of music itself--a Pop (large 'p') praise for Classical in a light Rock format--that it is a cold man who won't let himself enjoy it.

"Strange Magic" is just that, an oddly effecting piece carried by Lynne's breathy vocal. When he says he's never going to be the same again, you know just what he means. Avoiding this tune on the radio in the summer of 1975 was an impossibility.

And there is the overlooked masterpiece, "Mr. Blue Sky," an entire full-color cinematographer's blueprint in 5 minutes, the soundtrack to some forgotten Disney short.

Perhaps ELO's critics were right all along, maybe these are little LSD episodes for the post-60's generation. Maybe this is Pop of a lighter brand than Lynne's 60's-icon heroes would have have messed with, made more pallitable by masterful production.

But it's still great Pop.

Jeff Lynne is one talented musician and producer. Though I haven't heard many of his non-hit songs, E.L.O.'s "Greatest Hits" is 11 songs of pure tunefulness, with Lynne working as the mastermind behind them. You can tell the guy enjoyed making music for himself and his fans; he sang, produced, wrote the lyrics and played guitar on each of these songs. E.L.O.'s tunes don't exactly boast a big, bad sound, but the band is a tight outfit that incorporates classical snippets of violin, piano and even vocal arias, like in the operatically themed but rugged rocker "Rockaria," where Lynne tips his hat to Wagner, Beethoven, Puccini and Verdi. Truly, what rocker has the stones to do that these days? Further, what rock band nowadays comes remotely close to E.L.O.'s stylish sound and showboat experimentation. For what the band sacrifices in trends and "cool points," it makes up for with genuinely crafty songs that everyone and their grandmother could love. Lynne and the gang in E.L.O. are very talented musicians with great voices. Offhand, Queen (see Queen II), Def Leppard (see X), the Bee Gees (see Their Greatest Hits: The Record) and Supertramp (see Breakfast in America) are the only groups I can think of who put so much emphasis on the backing vocals. I also like the piano on these songs, as well as the various string arrangements in the background. I've also noticed Lynne's meat-and-potatoes penchant for sometimes making the drums sound big and bassy, such as on the song "Don't Bring Me Down," which isn't on this album, unfortunately. It's also cool to hear a retro-sounding '50s doo-wop on the tunes "Telephone Line" and "Sweet Talkin' Woman." Overall, if you love good melody, sweet-sounding vocals and unique song arrangements, E.L.O. are a classic/classical/pop-rock band you should check out.

Play some later Beatle songs backwards and you get garbled lines like "Turn me on, dead man," and "Love is good hash." Turn the Beatles whole career backwards and you get ELO, who rewound from a career built on "I Am the Walrus" pomposity to the twangy, spacy pop-bubblegum-rockabilly heard here.

Like similar collections from Dan Fogelberg and Steve Miller, ELO's Greatest Hits captures not so much a career as a moment in time: 1975-78, when the group amazed on disc and in concert. Two early singles (the stomping "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" and the snaky "Showdown") lead into the core synthesized hits every 70s high school student loved: the haunting "Can't Get It Out of My Head," "Evil Woman," the spacy "Strange Magic" the faux dramatic "Livin' Thing," the ballads "Telephone Line" and "Sweet Talkin' Woman." Sadly, the album omits two rockers, "Do Ya" and their cover of "Roll Over Beethoven," for the gimmicky "Rockaria." It would have spiked what was a sugary album even at its 1979 release. Still, ELO's Greatest Hits more than introduces a new listener to the kind of pop music that, as lead singer Jeff Lynne was put it, "faded like the Beatles on Hey Jude."

This collects some of ELO's biggest radio hits from '73-'78 in one concise disc. Also included are two prime album cuts, "Rockaria" and "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle," both of which showcase ELO's rockier edge. Most of the other cuts are sweet pop confections of the highest order. Jeff Lynne is one of the great art pop/rock producers and his artistry shines through on cuts such as the synth epic "Turn to Stone," the yearning ballad "Can't Get it Out of My Head," the sunny stomp "Mr. Blue Sky," the sugary "Sweet Talkin' Woman," and the funky foreboding of "Evil Woman." Bev Bevan's signature drum romping, Kelly Groucutt's indispensible vocal backing, Richard Tandy's lively keys, and Mik Kaminski's stunning violin work all shine brightly here. To some degree, 1995's STRANGE MAGIC double disc offers a better overview of the band, but for a quick hit of pop brilliance, this HITS disc is tough to top.

ELO's unique blend of rock instruments with the synthesized orchestral accompanyment leaves you looking for many more people on stage. The songs have distinct and audible lyrics, and some of the more upbeat tunes have a driving rock backbone. Many tracks on this CD bring goosebumps from memories of their live performances and all the good times we had singing along with each song in their debut years. A thoroughly enjoyable album With "their own" sound, jammin' keyboards, guitar licks, and a listenable soft side for classic (hard) rock fans. You'll reminisce with every track!