Jeff Lynne - Mr. Blue Sky (ELO) | The story behind the song | Top 2000 a gogo

Jeff Lynne tells the story behind 'Mr. Blue Sky' by Electric Light Orchestra (E.L.O.). A short documentary by Top 2000 a gogo (Dutch Public TV) from 2012.

[@realmontgomeryfan]

The first thing I said to my daughter when I held her was "Hey you with the pretty face, welcome to the human race." So it's wonderfull to learn so much more about this great song.

[@joelwallenius2877]

Awww ;3

[@BibTheBoulderTheOriginalOne]

And E.L.O still sound incredible as we head into the 2020's....

[@hedegaard8]

Bib The Boulder yep!

[@timwright4263]

The critics never liked ELO. When I did a school exam on ELO, in 1984, my teacher asked me 'Are they still going?' Now it's 36 years later and here you are, still listening. It's unbelievable, really. ELO were dismissed in the early 80s, but here we are today.

[@quaid667]

I was born in the late 70's and i dug out my parents ELO albums in the mid 80's and i remember growing up mentioning that i liked them the response was either that i was taking the piss or told that they are very of their time. When it got to the early 2000's i told a young guitarist that i like ELO and he immediately said oh yeah ELO are cool! Yeah, funny how things work out.

[@timwright4263]

@@quaid667 My first tattoo was the ELO logo, the image to the left of my words. I had no idea, when I first became a fan, that ELO came from my home town. Now, as a driver, I pass through Shard End, Birmingham, where Jeff Lynne grew up. I even went to Jeff's house, in the 1980s. Crazy, right?

[@quaid667]

@@timwright4263 you lucky bugger 😂 no, that's cool beyond belief. I thought they were American for awhile. I was very young, I didn't know about The Move or The Idle Race. I think I asked my uncle and he told me they were from your neck of the woods and that blew my mind. I have seen a picture of his parents house and think that's where wrote all his early stuff. Amazing.

[@ffjsb]

This is a perfect example of creativity being too far ahead of the technology.

[@nordicphyromaniac]

Didnt help they had a short writing/producing time either

[@LogiForce86]

Maybe but nowadays the consumers have gone down the shitter with the quality of their home audio equipment. Where in the 70s and 80s you'd still have a capable hifi setup with some proper 3-way speakers, now you ask Google to play it on your Google Home speaker or play it as compressed audio over Bluetooth to a wireless speaker. 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@BeaulieuTodd]

LogiForce86 you are out of your MIND! So eight people back then had high end reel to reels and marantz receivers. Dear lord I can’t even continue with how absurd that is .

[@LogiForce86]

@@BeaulieuTodd I don't know what backwater you are from but I am from the Netherlands. We had this little company called Philips, who were the inventors of all modern physical audio/video formats since the Compact Cassette. Maybe living in a free country where we liberated ourselves from the chains of the Catholic Church from a wee little thing called the Englightenment, which fanned the explosive development of science and art. Music being an art of its own it isn't without reason that the Netherlands is at the forefront of this art, and many more arts. Therefore it is understandable that such things were rooter more in our society then others, or at least gained greater importance. Therefore there are also many families here who can play an instrument. In fact like the act of drawing a painting or creating music is part of our primary school subjects and continues up through middle and high school, and can be perfected at a university level. Per capita it isn't without reason that within many walks of life from arts to sports to science and many many other areas, it isn't without reason that we per capita produce more genius level persons in their specialism than any other country in the world. So I can fully understand that in other parts of the world enjoying the arts might not always have been that important as people see it has here. Even nowadays there are plenty of Dutch artists who are either famous themselves or travel as maybe lead artists in a band. Nightwish - Floor Jansen (Dutch) Van Halen - Alex and Eddie van Halen are Dutch. DJ Tiësto - Thijs Michiel Verwest (Dutch) DJ Hardwell - Robert van de Corput (Dutch) Caro Emerald - Caroline Esmeralda van der Leeuw (Dutch) Within Temptation - Dutch band Junkie XL - Tom Holkenborg (Dutch) Epica - Simone Simons (lead singer... Dutch) Just to name a few just from the musical arts. That excludes theater actors, movie actors, painters and so on. So not to sound high and mighty. It is just that I understand that I was lucky to have been born in this country, and that maybe other countries with other history and thus differences within your culture that lead to having a different set list of what you found important, as a community, within your social circles. That's what makes the world so awesome, diverse and unique. Where we all end up bringing our own important things forth onto the world stage, and each become like an indispensable piece of a grand puzzle that lie within the deeper meanings of the circle of life. So yeah, sorry to hear you didn't have some fine equipment to listen music on. Not even at friends or neighbours it seems.

[@robbepetitjean4343]

Wat een kutlijstje, vriend.

[@johntate2539]

Jeff Lynne is an EXTREMELY RARE MUSICAL GENIUS. A master for the ages. The greatest rock ‘n roll musician of the entire era. Hands down. I am flabbergasted at the man’s talent. His music SENDS ME!!!The man should meet with overwhelming adulation every where he goes (while we still have him with us).

[@bossfan49]

This gets said about a lot of people, (especially in the last 5-10 yrs because people like to speak in superlatives) but seriously...Jeff Lynne is a genius.

[@inanutshellnmore8927]

He is! It's not worth saying he's a genius if he's not! Everything he sings or produces is Beautiful or Great & Fantastic like Mr. Blue Sky. This gets me feeling Great and thinking positive- It's a Great Wonderful Song & I Love this song. Thank you Jeff Lynne, God Bless You.

[@Mark021611]

Jeff, you don't have to change a thing. Your music has always been out of this world for me. Bravo.

[@TheBollocksPictures]

Very, very underrated band ELO.

[@g.j.koster1986]

Debatable

[@reedmack7766]

Guardians of the galaxy Vol 2

[@9094nancyj]

Agreed!

[@danielg335]

G.J. KOSTER I agree with you ELO is not so underrated. It did have a period where they were amongst the best band around and recognized so 😐

[@johandeboer9325]

Not underrated at all.

[@lawrencedavis5459]

Nothing beat the original. God I loved this band as a kid.

[@GuentherGadget]

True, the new version doesn't even touch the same feeling

[@reedmack7766]

I love this band AS a kid

[@jsmall10671]

@@GuentherGadget I was skeptical and thought he had changed the song significantly, but upon hearing them here, I like the new cleaned up version. It's the exact same song but the sound is much better.

[@GuentherGadget]

@@jsmall10671 Thank (whichever) god that you can't argue about taste... So i don't start a discussion.

[@cornetingen7733]

Isnt that a big part of nostalgia?

[@xjet]

Sorry, the 1978 version sounds *soooo* much better than the 2012 version. The latter is *too* "produced" and crowded whereas the 1978 version is clean and elegant -- the way good rock songs should be.

[@erik5374]

And the outro is missing. The part I liked best.

[@shyman99]

@@erik5374 - Completely agree

[@AladayMobileMedia]

it was a great tour also...the only other more intense stage to set up was Pink Floyd's The Wall...used to work for Bill Graham Presents :-)

[@thetreblerebel]

There's beauty in analog..

[@mana_beast_beats1114]

Is the robot voice saying "please turn this side over?"

[@thetreblerebel]

Dude is by far one of THE GREATEST producers ever!! Gold and platinum records adorn his halls from many hits...

[@sheilaphillips2083]

This is the most uplifting song ever ever by the best singer songwriter ever ever😎😎😎😎

[@danieledson7496]

Sheila Phillips I agree

[@MajorWolfgangHochstetter]

I agree, agree! I could not, could not agree agree more more!! ;-{) ;-{) I agree, agree! I could not, could not agree agree more more!! ;-{) ;-{)

[@billythedog-309]

Yes, you can stick George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Richard Rogers and Lennon McCartney in the bin.

[@sonicfoxxmusic4281]

This new song may come a second close with the uplifting vibe of the catchy chorus...you are one of the first to see or hear it Sheila..enjoy. Loved your positive comment on MR BLUE SKY. You just had a compliment about your comment from the co-writer of SAILING ON A CLOUD. Interesting how both songs mention the "looking above into the ether"...ENJOY...so lovely to see such a positive comment. Regards, Sonic Foxx, SONIC FOXX MUSIC(writing with artists and supporting them) Stephen Russell SAILING ON A CLOUD..NEW RELEASE..links below: For sale + demo: itunes.apple.com/album/id1435537556?ls=1&app=itunes You tube: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZu5aWCQgaZ9qZY

[@VinceScaglione]

SONIC FOXX MUSIC........................sorry but the link to this song and the song itself come nowhere even close to the galaxy Jeff Lynne is in!

[@andan04]

"That's how it is and it's okay." Yes, it is, Mr. Lynne. It is definitely okay.

[@rjjcms1]

A certain kind of Brummie modesty that my brother-in-law's father,who's now 98,often has on things.

[@karenoconnor9649]

U571...Absolutely brilliant..

[@stoptheworldiwannagetoff4780]

I bought both cds of ELO's greatest hits recently. Had them in the car driving to work, singing along.........so uplifting!

[@adamweston4152]

In 1978 i got a small cassette player and the tape out of the blue by elo, it was the first album /tape i ever owned and I was just 8yrs old. I loved it, it brought me into a whole new world and I'm 48 now and I still love it and mr blue sky was one of my favourite tracks. That was my introduction to having MY Music.

[@artboy789]

Adam Weston same here. Out of the blue was my first vinyl lp too. Sweet talking woman and turn to stone were the other two hits from this album.

[@TheNeutralViewFromSwedenAKAHer]

I have pretty much the exact same story. But I am two years younger than you.

[@marccas10]

I can imagine the tingle you get at that memory.

[@mana_beast_beats1114]

I was 11. My dad gave me a bunch of tapes. ELO's greatest hits was one of them.

[@stevejelly3161]

Fun Fact !!!!!!!!!!,,,,,,,,,,,,, my little late Mum was never interested in television all her life ,,,,,,,,,,,, She liked "The Sound of Music" and Royal Weddings ,,,,,,,,,,,,, The only programme she ever noticed,, enjoyed and remembered was "ELO Live in Concert" ,,,,,,,,,,, and she loved it. It came on quite late and was from Birmingham,,,,,, and she never forgot how lovely the music was !!!!!!

[@PatRyan-my8ep]

Awesome driving song so uplifting thank you ❤

[@peggyconley5225]

Such a beautiful happy song .So uplifting and special

[@tygovisser5626]

Al was dit een bekende band, hij wordt nu behoorlijk vergeten en dat vind ik voor deze tijdloze nummers onterecht

[@markevans7860]

a wonderful guy, extremly talented and humble with it, think you have another 20 years in you jeff

[@bobduncanvevo6969]

I’m 18. For some reason I grew up knowing this song. I still think it’s one of the best.

[@luckyidiot9433]

Yay It’s an Avocado i was like 5 when i heard it in a movie called the magic roundabout

[@deathkampdrone]

Jeff is a master of melody, and he seems a pretty decent bloke too.

[@markgreen5153]

"and luckily it turned out ok" This guy has no idea how brilliant he is.

[@QBAN2010]

Dear Jeff, leave the originals alone! They were perfect!!

[@fistingendakenny8781]

He still has his voice!!! Amazing

[@epic5945]

Jeff is a genius. Everything he touches turns to gold. He is simply amazing.

[@lionheartroar3104]

Still prefer the original....I've got a superbly remastered version and it sounds gorgeous.

[@tjrox]

Not to mention, just because you can re-record it, doesn't mean you have to. That are both great versions, but I like the original a little better as it brings me back to a different time.

[@kyrol54]

If its remastered, then its not the original is it not ?

[@NoLefTurnUnStoned.]

@@kyrol54 Hmmmmm...it’s the original recording and mix with the whole track going through an enhancement. Remastered music rarely detracts from the original, it just “lifts it” a little...

[@imannonymous7707]

He's one of my favorites and so is this track

[@jebbie2595]

*Electric Light Orchestra is SUCH a great band! LOTS of fantastic songs.*

[@clydekelvinandthesinners.3977]

Paperback writer is my favorite Beatles song, the most underrated riff in rock.

[@gekkehansie]

beatjes shoud be underrated, hans teeuwen zei het al: de band begint te spelen...KUTmuziek!

[@MrBlueTruckCamper]

1978 every time its full of life, the new one is too soft and fuzzy and sounds like a tribute band in comparison........ when people have been listening for 30+ years they know and love every note of the original.

[@markwestaway7207]

This song is utterly bonkers and utterly perfect. So incredibly overproduced (and I mean that with absolute respect), but never fails to bring joy.

[@moogdome2562]

The most wonderful beautiful song ever. It has everything to please everyone. Brings back so many memories of better times.and touches my heart deeply. especially.the voice at the end.Perfection. I can't imagine the world without this masterpiece. Jeff. if you are reading this Brother, a Brummi done good. Love ye.

[@JeffLynnesELO2024Tour]

Jeff is the best ever!

[@djbail1]

It’s so interesting to listen to such a talented musician-producer explain his craft. To the less sophisticated ear such as mine, the differences are minor but what is so enjoyable is feeling the energy of the live events like the performance at Wembley. Simply amazing. Let’s get 2020 behind us and get these guys back on tour! We need Mr. Blue Sky to show up for real in 2021.

[@MrJosephdrummond]

this makes me so happy! when an artist is satisfied with what he created...there's nothing like it. and it's a song i really like, too! this is the best i've felt all day- THANK YOU

[@ginskimpivot753]

There's definitely a bit of _'A Day In The Life'_ in there - "Woke up, got out of bed..."..

[@megazoned3973]

GinSkimPivot yes

[@marks.6480]

there's always a bit of Beatles/Lennon in his work.

[@rustyaxelrod]

Just for the time reference, I graduated high school in 1980. Very much into music, I was in a band that had actual “gigs” lol. I liked Rock much more than pop at the time but ELO songs like Ma ma Bell, and Do Ya? We’re really good to me. It was the days of 8track so you had to listen to other songs to get back to the one you really wanted to hear. Somewhere along the way Jeff’s songwriting and production soaked into me. Now I still have songs like Wishing, Midnight Blue, Wild West Hero, and Shangrila (spelling?) and few more I can’t think of right now on my playlist and listen at least every week. Its part of my life and I’m glad Jeff and the whole band made such great music that has lasted so long. So if somehow you read this,,Thanks Man!

[@_yerf]

He somehow managed to look 50 in the 70's, yet he also managed look 60 in the 2010's

[@josephfernandez1738]

The way you've told the story and compared the two songs is genius!

[@GrotrianSeiler]

I must have been 13yrs old when I could easily hear the genius of this music. I feel so indebted to Jeff Lynne for all he has written.

[@MMmmm-ir9me]

Im only 15 years old and i love elo 🌚i always hear “aren’t you too young for this music”

[@judeasher706]

M Grande no one ever says that

[@MMmmm-ir9me]

Jude Asher you don’t know the people who talk to me so you can’t know that

[@samuelmarlow1969]

My daughter is 12 and loves the Armchair Theatre album. Get them when they're young I say!

[@reedmack7766]

I love ELO at 10

[@robomoto5550]

This song just makes me smile.

[@minermike61]

I agree with some of the other comments. There is such a thing as over-engineering a thing. If it was good enough for 1978 then it's still good enough now, and really it was fantastic then.

[@andyrondeau5364]

I still break out a smile when I hear an ELO song.

[@spockmcoyissmart961]

'Out of the Blue' is a great double album. Love Concerto for a rainy day. Great stories told.

[@mrstandfast2212]

Agreed, concerto is great and the highlight of a great album.

[@theuktoday4233]

Imagine ELO with a full orchestra and choirs performing live? WOW that would be something not to miss

[@socalltd]

look up the 2017 Hollywood bowl shows with the Los Angeles philharmonic orchestra. i was at the Saturday show

[@ldude]

im 34 now, i used to record "hold on tight" on my lil tape recorder as a lil boy and played it over and over, musical genius Jeff! 🎶

[@ldude]

record it from the radio to my tape!

[@ldude]

i thought he was some french guy, lmao, akwistaa ado naa 😂🤣

[@ColtraneAndRain]

Groot dancing to this song brought me great joy.

[@benskelly8892]

Jeff Lynne is a genius. Still underrated after all these years.

[@oldmanc2]

It's OK Jeff - IT'S DEFINITELY OK! Thank you for this classic

[@gregoryhainsworth2663]

The instrumental at the end is righteous.

[@Helvianir]

Jeff Lynne is een geweldig persoon. De muziek die hij maakt is ook gewoon goed. Hij, Parson en Woolfson zijn muzieklegendes in mijn optiek.

[@docutainment1852]

How can anyone be so ignorant and hateful to give a thumb down? This is simple beautiful as music can be!

[@leehayton]

Possibly my favourite song of all time. Who does not love this song? Exactly!

[@theangrycro-mag9444]

I was wild about Out of the Blue when it first came out. I was about ten or eleven at the time. Made my old man take me to see them in concert in support of the album. Saw them at Madison Square Garden. Same with Kiss and Yes. Man those were the days. The 70s and 80s was the golden age for concerts.

[@kafkent6727]

You did a great job Jeff,...its playing in my van this morning....sun is out AND blue sky 🌞

[@John3Ks]

JEFF IS The BAND ..

[@weslyon6086]

Let us not forget or overlook the masterpiece El Dorado by Jeff Lynne and ELO, it had such a Wizard of Oz quality and feeling to it

[@jasonbouchard9233]

3:02 wow, Rosie Vela, loved her in the eighties...still do.

[@blissy1]

Jeff being a perfectionist, they both sound good👍

[@PinkPants]

I really enjoy the lyrics I'm glad you went on that trip

[@TheGlssr60]

Thanks for all the incredibly great music, Jeff!

[@garypierce7380]

Bands like ELO, Kansas, Yes, Rush are so far ahead of most others that Lynn seems a little ridiculous criticizing his music. You can tell the obvious difference in quality between the original and the reproduction though.

[@thelolguy007]

Gary Pierce Ridiculous to the likes of us mere mortals perhaps but he’s on another level musically than most. The guy is a perfectionist

[@progressiverockvocal]

Might not be popular to the ELO fans but this song is fantastic, but the "ONE and ONLY" ELO tune I ever liked. Wow what a brilliant piece of work. They can keep all the pop crap.......my god there is a pile of it... But take a HUGE bow for this song..!

[@meandthemrs7403]

Either version is a masterpiece.

[@sandyguerrero804]

When we were listening to your songs in the 70s, we didn’t know it could be any better!

[@tielemobiel]

My favorite song of all times. Always cheers me up

Something the non-UK audience may not realise but I actually like is that Jeff Lynne hasn't bothered to change his accent. His voice says where he is from, no apologies !

[@ZZMJo]

😀 That's the reason why I prefere his singing!

@@ZZMJo he is in the super musician class now, but he still talks to people. I like that

[@ZZMJo]

@ Well, IDK if I explained clearly! I mean, I saw some interviews years ago but I still have some "problems" to understand his Birmingham accent, but while he's singing, I don't notice it. Is that possible?

@@ZZMJo yes, of course, I understand Golden Earing :) I think what happens is that great musicians get heard, i.e. we naturally open our ears to good music. Does that make sense?

@@ZZMJo If I am honest, I live in the UK and there are people from Glasgow in particular that after a few beers I have no idea what they are saying.

[@Hailstonepie]

Brilliance.

[@Drchainsaw77]

You got your copies of _Out of the Blue_ ready? Ok, side 3, play the "second ending" of Mr Blue Sky, and wait til the drums kick out at the end and the swirling strings take over. That melody played by the cellos ...now, put on Side 1. Play the intro to "It's Over." Same stuff -- only backwards. Easter Eggs *all over* Jeff's stuff.

[@seaweedsally]

If you know of any website that lists all the "Easter eggs", I'd love to check it out!!!

[@Danimal1577]

Jeff pretty much sums up why ELO stopped touring and dissolved. His songs became more complex and more difficult to play live on the road.

[@nbt3663]

The suite is BRILLIANT!

[@ritasmith5377]

i TRULY ENJOY WATCHING ALL YOUR VIDEOS..🥰😍🤩😘 LOVE YA ALWAYS...RITA~

[@ritasmith5377]

Great insight on how you work the music Jeff.......love ya, Rita~

[@JM-5150]

Friday aug 10, in Houston, Jeff lynne sounded amazing . Absolutely a freaking genius. ELO live was probably the best I've ever seen in my lifetime, i waited since i was a kid to see him live, incredible. Jeff Lynne one cool dude.

[@BenJamminKraftbc]

cool fact, the words "please turn me over" at the end of the song, is an instruction to turn over the record as it was the last song on the first side :)

[@Drchainsaw77]

THIRD side.

[@jobaecker9752]

Hah! Since 1977 I thought it said "It's blue sky out there"

[@BenJamminKraftbc]

hahaha thats awesome!!! glad i was able to put it to rest for ya :P

[@Drchainsaw77]

Richard Tandy has confirmed this, as he was the one who played it -- but it *still* doesn't sound like that.

[@theeyeinthesky3854]

Rainer or shine,Light or dark,this guy won't let his glasses alone.

[@soundhobo]

A track that always gets me smiling and singing along when it comes on the car radio on a sunny day 👍

[@elaineioannou2687]

This song is the happiest song in music history!

[@spoddie]

I've been a fan of Jeff and ELO since New World Record in 1976 - I have the vinyl. I don't know any who prefers the new version on Mr Blue Sky. I don't think any of us think it sucks, but frankly it's not as good and there's no point. The old stuff just has a punch to it that new stuff doesn't. I don't know why, is it over compressed? over mastered? dunno. (And I heard it as a blind test. Randomly listening to ELO on Spotify and it just sounded soft to me)

[@fivestring65ify]

This is my favorite ELO song. There are many great ones, but this is the best.

[@robstearns7080]

the 1978 version is untouchable. Nothing is better than the original

[@hawkmaster381]

Jeff Lynn. Legend.

[@noodlehat3250]

Never realized there were two recorded versions of the song

[@Kenaroni]

I bought this album the year it came out and played it a lot. When I first heard "Mr. Blue Sky", I immediately thought it sounded a lot like the middle section of The Beatles "A Day in the Life". ("woke up, fell out of bed, dragged a comb across my head", etc.). Both songs even have that running breath sound in the track where it goes "heh-heh-heh".

[@Gu1tar1st]

It’s Way more than okay. Mr Blue Sky is one of the best songs ever written, and produced.

[@TheTowerMacMaolain]

One of my all time favorite songs. I remember this coming on while I was driving along Hwy.1 in California. Nearly wrecked us. ( In a beautiful way.)

[@rokalot2436]

78 original every time thank you

[@castelnedd]

Love this song. Reminds me of happy times☺☺☺

[@EphemeralProductions]

the 70s left, and Jeff's afro, beard, and dark glasses look from the 70's never did. LOL And I LOVE it! it's his trademark look and works well for him. :)

[@ElvarMasson]

I enjoy listening to Jeff Lynne

[@MusicLover10538]

Jeff Lynne is a Music God!

[@arnolddalby5552]

Mr Blue Sky a brilliant song from the 20th century and loved by millions for it's sunny disposition. Haha. Had it on vinyl, CD and MP3. What more do you want 21st century? Haha.

[@adriancole3165]

Genius.

[@sprintkick9793]

A musical genius. Pure and simple.

[@davemac7945]

Pure Class.

[@tt-tc2xo]

How did he not get old

[@tracieday1914]

Love this song!! Catchy as hell.