10538 Overture

1972 single by the Electric Light Orchestra August 2024 August 2024 10538 Overture 10538 Overture.jpg yes single the Electric Light Orchestra The Electric Light Orchestra *"First Movement (Jumping Biz)" (UK) "The Battle of Marston Moor (July 2nd 1644)" (US) 1972 06 23 y July 1970 Philips (London) *Hard rock cello rock psychedelic 5 32 (album) 4 4 (single) Harvest Jeff Lynne *Roy Wood Jeff Lynne 1972 Roll Over Beethoven 1973 Official audio tfpkG73ckm4 "10538 Overture" "10538 Overture" is the debut single by the English band the Electric Light Orchestra. It was released on 23 June 1972 as the lead single from their self-titled debut studio album (1971). It is a hard rock song influenced by psychedelic music, with cello instrumentation and lyrics about an escaped prisoner. Originally written by co-founder Jeff Lynne for his and Roy Wood's previous band, the Move, it became the first recording by the Electric Light Orchestra after Wood added orchestral instruments to the song. Background and recording thumb|left|Roy Wood, Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan in 1971|150px After seeing an orchestra in the studio during the recording of the Move's debut album, Move (1968), band member Roy Wood conceived the idea of a new rock band that would emphasise orchestral instruments over traditional rock instrumentation. This approach was inspired by George Martin's string arrangements for some of the Beatles' songs, such as "Strawberry Fields Forever".Thompson Dave Dave Thompson (author) 2006 Electric Light Orchestra 14–18 Goldmine Project M Media Lynne was also enthusiastic after Wood told him about the idea, and they agreed to work together on the project.BBC6 5:56 Jeff Lynne first wrote and demoed "10538 Overture" in his family home in Birmingham,Irvin Jim Jim Irvin August 2001 The Bullring Variations: ELO Mojo Bauer Media Group using a Bang & Olufsen Beocord 2000 reel-to-reel tape recorder. He wrote the song around its double-tracked guitar riff.Lynne 2018 133 Recorded in July 1970Lester Paul Paul Lester 16 April 2024 live https://www.loudersound.com/features/jeff-lynne-elo-early-years "We never did any TV-throwing – I'd rather nick 'em than throw 'em out the window": Jeff Lynne recalls how easy it was for ELO to take over the 70s https://web.archive.org/web/20240622065418/https://www.loudersound.com/features/jeff-lynne-elo-early-years 22 June 2024 Prog Future during the sessions for the Move's third album, Looking On (1970),Sharp Ken 30 September 1994 Roy Wood: The Wizzard of Rock Goldmine Project M Media the song was initially intended to be a B-side for one of the band's singles. After recording the song's backing track, bassist Rick Price and drummer Bev Bevan left the studio, while Lynne and Wood stayed behind.Van der Kiste John John Van der Kiste 15 August 2015 Jeff Lynne: Electric Light Orchestra: Before and After 9781781554920 Fonthill Media While they were listening back to the recording, Wood, who had purchased and began learning to play a cello two weeks prior, began improvising a Jimi Hendrix-inspired string part over it. Lynne insisted that they record it immediately, and Wood overdubbed the song's string parts that night, creating a sound he later described as "a real heavy metal orchestra". This recording became the first song by the Electric Light Orchestra, and it became the blueprint for the musical style of the band's early work.BBC6 9:05 Lynne later cited the creation of "10538 Overture" as the first moment in his career that he felt that he could write a hit single.Lynne Jeff Jeff Lynne Lynskey, Dorian Jeff Lynne on Reviving ELO: 'It's the Most Fun I Ever Have' Billboard 16 November 2015 live https://www.billboard.com/music/features/interview-jeff-lynne-revives-elo-grammys-ed-sheeran-traveling-wilburys-6753789/ https://web.archive.org/web/20240531124752/https://www.billboard.com/music/features/interview-jeff-lynne-revives-elo-grammys-ed-sheeran-traveling-wilburys-6753789/ 31 May 2024 2 July 2024 Composition and lyrics "10538 Overture" is a midtempoUnited Artists Music (1999), pp. 140 hard rock song, with influences from psychedelic music.Reed Ryan 7 January 2016 The 10 Best ELO Songs live https://www.stereogum.com/1850258/the-10-best-elo-songs/lists/ https://web.archive.org/web/20240628204248/https://www.stereogum.com/1850258/the-10-best-elo-songs/lists/ 28 June 2024 28 June 2024 StereogumMasley Ed 20 October 2024 Best ELO songs of all time: Electric Light Orchestra's 30 greatest moments live https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/music/2024/10/20/best-elo-songs-jeff-lynne-electric-light-orchestra/75737416007/ https://web.archive.org/web/20241218090143/https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/music/2024/10/20/best-elo-songs-jeff-lynne-electric-light-orchestra/75737416007/ 18 December 2024 The Arizona Republic 18 December 2024 The song is composed in the key of C major in common time, with a measure of time 5 4 introduced before each bridge.United Artists Music (1999), pp. 140, 142 Its instrumentation consists of drums, bass, guitar, cellos, horns, and woodwinds.Afterglow Afterglow (Electric Light Orchestra album) 1990 Epic Records US Wood and Lynne share lead vocals on the song. It was recorded at Philips Studios, in London.The Electric Light Orchestra Electric Light Orchestra Europe EMI Records, Harvest Records 2012 5099995588322. SHVLX 797 Lawson Dom It opens with a descending,Weigel David David Weigel 28 April 2006 Electric Light Orchestra: No Answer live https://www.popmatters.com/electric_light_orchestra_no_answer-2495677462.html https://web.archive.org/web/20240626061311/https://www.popmatters.com/electric_light_orchestra_no_answer-2495677462.html 26 June 2024 PopMatters arpeggiated electric guitar riff,Spicer 2018 112 before a French horn part and Wood's aggressive, multitracked cello performance are introduced.Bailey Andrew 23 December 1971 Roy Wood Moves On to Orchestra Rolling Stone 28 Wood later said that he was playing the string part "not as a cellist, but as a rock guitarist". Mark Beaumont of The Guardian wrote in 2016 that the song "perfected the formula" of the band's goal to bring classical influences into their music, and that it was less progressive than much of their other early work.Beaumont Mark Mark Beaumont (journalist) 30 March 2016 live https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2016/mar/30/electric-light-orchestra-10-of-the-best-jeff-lynne Electric Light Orchestra – 10 of the best https://web.archive.org/web/20240626203947/https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2016/mar/30/electric-light-orchestra-10-of-the-best-jeff-lynne 26 June 2024 The Guardian 26 June 2024 Several contemporary critics compared the song to the works of the Beatles, particularly "I Am the Walrus".Valentine Penny Penny Valentine 1 July 1972 Single Reviews by Penny Valentine live https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Sounds/70s/Sounds-1972-07-01-S-OCR.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20240520155859/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Sounds/70s/Sounds-1972-07-01-S-OCR.pdf 20 May 2024 23 SoundsPeel John John Peel 1972 Single Reviews by John Peel Disc and Music Echo Lynne's lyrics for "10538 Overture" were written about an escaped prisoner. Wood recounted in 2001 that Lynne had wanted the song's protagonist to have a number rather than a name, and they decided upon 1053, which was the serial number of the mixing console in the studio.BBC6 9:09 They added an eight later to fit the song's lyrics. Bevan recalled the origins of the song's title differently, saying that it was inspired by a neighbour of Lynne's parents. Bevan stated that "he was a bit lacking in the brains department", and "used to have letters and numbers written across his forehead, and Jeff got the idea from that".Bevan Bev Bev Bevan Dave Schulps Ira Robbins Talk Talkin' with Bev Bevan Trouser Press December 1976 17 live https://trouserpress.com/magazine-covers-2/#read https://web.archive.org/web/20240226071422/https://trouserpress.com/magazine-covers-2/#read 26 February 2024 29 June 2024 7, 24 Promotion and release Roy Wood first announced the Electric Light Orchestra project and "10538 Overture" in late 1970, stating that the song would "be on release in the very near future". 5 December 1970 Move Again https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Beat-Instrumental/Beat-Instrumental-1970-12-S-OCR.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20240520101828/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Beat-Instrumental/Beat-Instrumental-1970-12-S-OCR.pdf 20 May 2024 Beat Instrumental 19 3 July 2024 It was first released as the opening track on The Electric Light OrchestraHollingworth Roy 18 December 1971 The Electric Light Orchestra: "Magnificent, this is a fascinating album." live https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Melody-Maker/70s/71/Melody-Maker-1971-1218-OCR.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20240520084056/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Melody-Maker/70s/71/Melody-Maker-1971-1218-OCR.pdf 20 May 2024 29 Melody Maker on 3 December 1971.live https://www.noise11.com/news/electric-light-orchestras-first-album-turns-50-20211204 https://web.archive.org/web/20240703204006/https://www.noise11.com/news/electric-light-orchestras-first-album-turns-50-20211204 3 July 2024 Electric Light Orchestra's First Album Turns 50 Cashmere Paul Paul Cashmere 4 December 2021 Noise11 3 July 2024 It was released as the album's lead single in edited form six months later, on 23 June 1972, with "First Movement (Jumping Biz)" as its B-side. In the US, the single was instead released with "The Battle of Marston Moor (July 2nd 1644)" as its B-side. June 3, 1972 Electric Light Orchestra – 10538 Overture live https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1972/BB-1972-06-03.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20240519180345/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1972/BB-1972-06-03.pdf 19 May 2024 11 Billboard 2 July 2024 the A promotional music video for "10538 Overture", featuring the band miming to the song, was filmed to promote the band internationally. They also made appearances on BBC's Top of the Pops and the Old Grey Whistle Test to promote the single. Their performance on the former featured violinist Wilf Gibson and a roadie wearing a pig mask miming the song's cello parts.Strange Magic: The Best of Electric Light Orchestra Electric Light Orchestra US Epic Associated, Legacy Recordings 1995 Z2K 64157. 64157 Robbins Ira "10538 Overture" made its debut on the UK singles chart at number 45 on 29 July 1972.Official Singles Chart Top 100 – 29 July 1972 https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19720723/7501/ Official Charts Company 7 July 2024 It peaked at number nine on 26 August 1972,Official Singles Chart Top 100 – 26 August 1972 https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19720820/7501/ Official Charts Company 23 June 2024 and remained within the top twenty for six consecutive weeks. Attributed to multiple references.Official Singles Chart Top 100 – 5 August 1972 https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19720730/7501/ Official Charts Company 7 July 2024Official Singles Chart Top 100 – 12 August 1972 https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19720806/7501/ Official Charts Company 7 July 2024Official Singles Chart Top 100 – 19 August 1972 https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19720813/7501/ Official Charts Company 7 July 2024Official Singles Chart Top 100 – 2 September 1972 https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19720827/7501/ Official Charts Company 7 July 2024Official Singles Chart Top 100 – 9 September 1972 https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19720903/7501/ Official Charts Company 7 July 2024 In France, the song peaked at number five on the French Singles Chart, and spent three weeks on the chart.Electric Light Orchestra – 10538 Overture https://tsort.info/music/3evwrf.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20240313182214/https://tsort.info/music/3evwrf.htm 13 March 2024 live SNEP tsort.info In the Netherlands, the song entered the Tipparade charts at number 30 on 30 September 1972.Nederlandse Top 40 – week 40, 1972 https://www.top40.nl/tipparade/1972/week-40 Dutch Top 40 7 July 2024 It peaked at number 24 two weeks laterNederlandse Top 40 – week 42, 1972 https://www.top40.nl/tipparade/1972/week-42 Dutch Top 40 23 June 2024 and spent three weeks on the chart in total. Attributed to multiple references.Nederlandse Top 40 – week 41, 1972 https://www.top40.nl/tipparade/1972/week-41 Dutch Top 40 7 July 2024 The song did not chart in the United States, despite predictions of success from multiple music publications. 27 May 1972 Record World Single Picks live https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/72/RW-1972-05-27.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20240519214230/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/72/RW-1972-05-27.pdf 19 May 2024 Record World 10 8 July 2024 27 May 1972 Cashbox Single Reviews: Choice Programming live https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1972/Cash-Box-1972-05-27.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20240519212212/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1972/Cash-Box-1972-05-27.pdf 19 May 2024 Cash Box 16 8 July 2024 There was contention within the band's management over the choice of "10538 Overture" as the band's first single. Don Arden, their manager, objected to it, while A&R representative Nick Mobbs of Harvest Records pushed for its release. Arden was still trying to prevent the single's release only ten days before it was distributed.Phillips Paul Paul Phillips (singer) 26 November 1977 From Pistols to Rich Kids: The A&R Men – Nick Mobbs of EMI live https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1977/Music-Week-1977-11-26.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20240531062507/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1977/Music-Week-1977-11-26.pdf 31 May 2024 34 Music Week 2 July 2024 A month after the single's release, Wood left the Electric Light Orchestra July 1972 Everybody Quits https://archive.org/details/nmerocknrollyear0000unse/page/240/mode/2up NME United Kingdom 7 July 2024 due to disagreements with Lynne and their management. Critical reception "10538 Overture" was received favourably by contemporary music critics, several of whom compared it to the works of the Beatles.Caven James 7 July 1972 Pop Pickin' with James Caven https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sfRAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=r6cMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4329%2C685943 The Evening Times Glasgow 6 July 2024 Penny Valentine of Sounds wrote that the song was "a splendid piece of wizardry from Wood". Melody Makers Roy Hollingworth praised the song and its production, dubbing it a "monster of a track". John Peel of Disc and Music Echo called the song "lovely" and described its style as "a dormant sound that has been awoken". James Caven of the Evening Times wrote that the song made "compelling listening" and predicted that the single would "attract some attention". Retrospective reviews of the song have also been positive. Writing in 2006, Ed Masley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette named the song among the most enduring on The Electric Light Orchestra, and praised its "richly textured majesty and yearning hooks".Masley Ed 30 March 2006 For the Record: The Electric Light Orchestra – No Answer https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2NsnAAAAIBAJ&sjid=M3IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3062%2C4156528 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Pittsburgh 3 July 2024 David Weigel of PopMatters called it "a perfect combination of sounds and themes, a deserved hit single that the band was never able to recreate". Ryan Reed of Stereogum ranked it as the band's ninth best song in 2016, writing that it "solidified the project’s classical-rock aim straight out of the gate" and that "the late-'60s Beatles influence was never more apparent". He went on to say that, while the band "would quickly shed this psychedelic skin, [...] they wore it beautifully here". The track was interpolated in “The Changingman” by Paul Weller in 1995. Live performances Since its release, "10538 Overture" has been consistently featured in the Electric Light Orchestra's concert setlists,Bellman Joel Jeff Lynne Sees the Light Trouser Press December 1976 17 live https://trouserpress.com/magazine-covers-2/#read https://web.archive.org/web/20240226071422/https://trouserpress.com/magazine-covers-2/#read 26 February 2024 29 June 2024 5Zoom Tour Live Zoom Tour Live 2001 74321 89860 9 Image Entertainment DVD Europelive https://www.noise11.com/news/jeff-lynnes-elo-announce-their-final-tour-20240319 https://web.archive.org/web/20240711080539/https://www.noise11.com/news/jeff-lynnes-elo-announce-their-final-tour-20240319 11 July 2024 Jeff Lynne's ELO Announce Their Final Tour Cashmere Paul Paul Cashmere 19 March 2024 Noise11 11 July 2024 up to their final concert tour, the Over and Out tour, in 2024.Harrington Jim Review: Classic rock icon delivers most visually stunning show of the year The Mercury News 3 September 2024 live https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/09/02/review-fans-enjoy-the-most-visually-stunning-rock-show-of-the-year/ https://web.archive.org/web/20240919113518/https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/09/02/review-fans-enjoy-the-most-visually-stunning-rock-show-of-the-year/ 19 September 2024 19 September 2024 A performance of the song appeared on the band's 1974 live album The Night the Light Went On in Long Beach, and was included as the B-side on the US and UK release of "Evil Woman". During the band's 1976 performances in support of Face the Music, they performed the song as a medley with "Do Ya".Fusion – Live in London Fusion – Live in London 1990 Pickwick Video PTR 2152 VHS EuropeLive at Winterland '76 Live at Winterland '76 1998 Eagle Records EAMCD038 CD US Personnel Electric Light Orchestra Jeff Lynne– vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, co-production Roy Wood– vocals, cello, bass guitar, co-production Bill Hunt– French horn, hunting horn Steve Woolam– violin Bev Bevan– drums, percussion Technical Roger Wake– engineering Pete Cliff– engineering Charts + Weekly chart performance for "10538 Overture" Chart (1972) Peakposition France (SNEP)5 Netherlands (Tipparade)24 UK Singles (OCC)9 Notes and references Notes Citations 30em Hannon, Neil (presenter); Wood, Roy (interviewee) 2001 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00w4kf3 https://web.archive.org/web/20160704115938/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00w4kf3 4 July 2016 Mr Blue Sky: The Jeff Lynne Story radio broadcast BBC Radio 6 Music Sources 30em Van der Kiste John John Van der Kiste 15 August 2015 Jeff Lynne: Electric Light Orchestra: Before and After Fonthill Media 9781781554920 Spicer Mark 29 January 2018 Burns Lori Lacasse Serge The Pop Palimpsest: Intertextuality in Recorded Popular Music University of Michigan Press The Electric Light Orchestra and the Anxiety of the Beatles' Influence 9780472123513 Lynne Jeff Jeff Lynne 26 November 2018 Wembley or Bust: Jeff Lynne's ELO Genesis Publications 9781905662647 1999 Electric Light Orchestra Anthology 140–142 United Artists Music United States Category:Electric Light Orchestra songs Category:Song recordings produced by Roy Wood Category:Song recordings produced by Jeff Lynne Category:1972 debut singles Category:1972 songs Category:Songs written by Jeff Lynne Category:Harvest Records singles