ELO 2

ELO 2
Studio album by Electric Light Orchestra
Released	February 1973 (See release history)
Recorded	May – October 1972, Air Studios London
Genre	Progressive rock, cello rock
Length	41:48 (Original)
Label	Harvest Records (UK) United Artists Records (US), Jet Records, Columbia Records EMI, Epic/Legacy (Reissue)
Producer	Jeff Lynne
Electric Light Orchestra chronology
The Electric Light Orchestra (1971) ELO 2 (1973) On the Third Day (1973)
US alternate album cover

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Classic Rock
Robert Christgau	(C+)
This table needs to be expanded using prose. See the guideline for more information.

ELO 2 is the second album by Electric Light Orchestra, released in 1973. In the US the album was released as Electric Light Orchestra II and is sometimes known as ELO II.

Overview

Originally to be titled The Lost Planet, but that concept was quietly dropped (see below), it was during the initial recording sessions for this album that Roy Wood left the band and formed Wizzard in early 1972. Although uncredited at the time Wood performed on two tracks, playing cello and bass on "In Old England Town" and "From the Sun to the World". Classically trained cellists Colin Walker and Mike Edwards replaced Wood, and Wilfred Gibson played on violin. Richard Tandy made his ELO studio debut on the album although he had earlier performed live with the original lineup.

The British and American sleeves differed, as did the title; in the UK it was released in a gatefold sleeve titled ELO 2 with a painting of a light bulb travelling through space with the wording ELO2 on the base of the bulb, while in the US the cover featured a more ornate light bulb against a night sky and was titled Electric Light Orchestra II. For reasons unknown "Roll Over Beethoven" was slightly edited in length compared with its US counterpart. Track 2 'Mama' was Americanised to "Momma" for the US release.

All five pieces are longer than standard rock songs, and feature multi-layered orchestral instruments that create a dense, complex sound, The album contains the band's longest running song, the anti-war song Kuiama. Along with its predecessor it is the least commercial sounding album the band released, although ironically it did reach the British Top 40 album chart, whereas its more concise follow-up, On the Third Day, did not; an edit of "Roll Over Beethoven" was a Top 10 hit in Britain and received radio airplay in America too. In 2006 the album was remastered and expanded with a slightly different running order to the UK 2003 EMI version with both versions sharing the same Hipgnosis album art for the first time.

Release history

Region	Date	Version
United Kingdom	January 1973 (1973-01)	Original vinyl
United States	March 1973 (1973-03)	Original vinyl
United Kingdom	January 2003 (2003-01)	30th Anniversary edition
United States	March 28, 2006 (2006-03-28)	Expanded remaster

Chart positions, chart runs

• US: #62 Billboard 200, 22 weeks
• UK: #35 UK Albums Chart, 1 week
• AUS: did not chart
• CAN: #17 RPM Albums Chart, 22 weeks

Original track listing

All songs written by Jeff Lynne unless otherwise indicated.

Side one

1. "In Old England Town (Boogie No. 2)" – 6:56
2. "Mama" – 7:03, "Momma" (UK edition)
3. "Roll Over Beethoven" (Chuck Berry) – 8:10, 7:03 (UK edition)

Side two

4. "From the Sun to the World (Boogie No 1)" – 8:20
5. "Kuiama" – 11:19

US Bonus Tracks (2006 reissue)

6. "In Old England Town" (Instrumental) – 2:43
7. "Baby, I Apologise" – 3:43
8. "In Old England Town" (Take 1, Alternate mix) – 6:56
9. "Roll Over Beethoven" (Take 1) (Berry) – 8:15

ELO 2 (First Light Series)

ELO 2 First Light Series
Studio album by Electric Light Orchestra
Released	2003
Recorded	1972-73 at Air Studios
Genre	Progressive rock, rock
Label	Harvest Records, EMI
Producer	Jeff Lynne
Electric Light Orchestra chronology
The Electric Light Orchestra (First Light Series) (2001) ELO 2 First Light Series (2003) For compilation album chronology see Showdown (1974)
CD 2 The Lost Planet
The Lost Planet CD cover

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
This table needs to be expanded using prose. See the guideline for more information.

ELO 2 First light Series is an expanded 30th Anniversary edition of Electric Light Orchestra's second album.

The second in the EMI First Light Series released in 2003 to mark the album's 30th anniversary and features Glam rock superstar Marc Bolan on double lead guitar playing on tracks 10-12. The second disc utilises the original albums working title The Lost Planet and features out takes and rarities including songs recorded with original Move lead vocalist Carl Wayne. On CD one the first five tracks include the original ELO 2 album.

All songs written by Jeff Lynne except where noted.

CD one ELO 2

1. "In Old England Town (Boogie No. 2)" – 6:56
2. "Momma..." – 7:03
3. "Roll Over Beethoven" (Chuck Berry) – 7:03
4. "From the Sun to the World (Boogie No. 1)" – 8:20
5. "Kuiama" – 11:19

Bonus tracks:

6. "Showdown" – 4:11
7. "In Old England Town (Instrumental)" – 2:43
   • B-side of Showdown single
8. "Baby I Apologise" – 3:42
   • Session outtake, 1 June 1973
9. "Auntie" (Ma-Ma-Ma Belle Take 1)" – 1:19
10. "Auntie" (Ma-Ma-Ma Belle Take 2)" – 4:03
11. "Mambo" (Dreaming Of 4000 Take 1)" – 5:02
12. "Everyone's Born To Die" – 4:40
13. "Roll Over Beethoven (Take 1)" (Berry) – 8:16

• Tracks 9–13 previously unreleased.

CD two The Lost Planet

1. "Brian Matthew Introduces ELO" – 0:22
2. "From The Sun To The World (Boogie No. 1)" (BBC Session) – 7:25
3. "Momma" (BBC Session) – 6:57
4. "Roll Over Beethoven (Single Version)" (Berry) – 4:35
5. "Showdown (Take 1)" – 4:18
6. "Your World (Take 2)" – 4:55
7. "Get a Hold of Myself (Take 2)" – 4:43
8. "Mama (Take 1)" – 4:59
9. "Wilf's Solo (Instrumental)" (Wilfred Gibson) – 3:39
10. "Roll over Beethoven" (BBC Session) (Berry) – 7:40

• Lead vocals on tracks 6–8 by Carl Wayne.
• BBC session material recorded at BBC Langham Studio 1, November 1, 1972.

Personnel

• Jeff Lynne – Vocals, Guitar, Moog Synthesizer
• Bev Bevan – Drums, Percussion
• Richard Tandy – Keyboards, Moog Synthesizer
• Mike de Albuquerque – Bass, backing vocals
• Wilfred Gibson – Violin
• Mike Edwards – Cello
• Colin Walker – Cello

Additional personnel

• Marc Bolan - Guitar on ELO 2 tracks 10-12
• Roy Wood – Bass, Cello on ELO 2 tracks 1 and 4
• Carl Wayne – Lead Vocals on The Lost Planet tracks 6–8

External links

• ELO II Remastered info