Secret Messages

Secret Messages
Studio album by Electric Light Orchestra
Released	June 1983 June 12 2001 (reissue)
Recorded	1982-1983 Wisselord Studios, Hilversum, Holland
Genre	Rock
Length	46:52
Label	Jet Records & Columbia Records; Epic/Legacy (reissue)
Producer	Jeff Lynne
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Popmatters (Favourable) link Q link
Electric Light Orchestra chronology
Time (1981) Secret Messages (1983) Balance of Power (1986)

Secret Messages is an album by Electric Light Orchestra. It was released in 1983 (see 1983 in music).

Original Concept

The record was originally planned to be a double album, but the band's record company cited that it would be too expensive for a double vinyl LP due to the early 80's oil crisis (the fact that ELO's commercial appeal was on the wane is also speculative). This version of the album was digitally recorded and suppose to be ELO's first compact disc before Balance Of Power. Six of the songs from the intended double album would appear as B-sides and reappear on the Afterglow box set in 1990, including a track that some fans consider to be Jeff Lynne's finest work: a string-laden eight minute long tribute to his hometown entitled "Hello My Old Friend." Some of the tracks reappeared on the 2001 re-issue of the album. "Endless Lies", which had been altered for its inclusion on the subsequently-released Balance of Power album, appears in its original 1983 form on the 2001 remaster of this album.

Secret Messages, as its title would suggest, was littered with hidden messages in the form of backmasking, some obvious and others less so; this was Lynne's tongue-in-cheek response to allegations of hidden Satanic messages in earlier Electric Light Orchestra LPs (a similar response had been made by Lynne on the Face the Music album, during the intro to the "Fire On High" track). Louis Clark returned to conduct the strings once more and violinist Mik Kaminski appeared on an ELO recording for the first time since 1977's Out of the Blue, playing a violin solo on the track "Rock 'n' Roll Is King." On completion of this album Jeff Lynne dismissed bassist Kelly Groucutt. Groucutt later sued for alleged lost royalties and received a settlement out of court.

Three singles were released from the album in the UK: "Rock 'n' Roll Is King," the title track, and "Four Little Diamonds." In the US, "Rock 'n' Roll Is King," "Four Little Diamonds," and "Stranger" were issued. "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" would be the band's last UK Top 20 hit. The song "Letter from Spain" was used as backing music in commercials for the Games of the XXV Olympiad, held in 1992 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

Chart Position

• #4 UK Albums Chart
• #19
• #36 Billboard 200

Track listing

All tracks written by Jeff Lynne Strings conducted by Louis Clark

1. "Secret Messages" - 4:44
2. "Loser Gone Wild" - 5:27
3. "Bluebird" - 4:13
4. "Take Me On and On" - 4:57
5. "Time After Time" - 4:01 (not on vinyl LP; included on cassette tape format and 12 inch single )
6. "Four Little Diamonds" - 4:05
7. "Stranger" - 4:27
8. "Danger Ahead" - 3:52
9. "Letter from Spain" - 2:51
10. "Train of Gold" - 4:20
11. "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" - 3:49

Bonus tracks on the 2001 edition

12. "No Way Out" - 3:28
13. "Endless Lies" - 3:26
14. "After All" - 2:23

Original intended track listing for double album

Personnel

• Jeff Lynne - vocals, backing vocals, guitars, synthesisers, bass guitar, piano, percussion
• Bev Bevan - drums, percussion
• Richard Tandy - synthesizers, grand piano, electric piano, harmonica
• Kelly Groucutt - bass guitar, backing vocals (Train Of Gold, Rock 'N' Roll Is King, No Way Out and Beatles Forever)
• Mik Kaminski - violin (Rock 'n' Roll Is King)
• Dave Morgan - additional backing vocals

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