Mr Blue Skybrations

[Boiled Egg]

Caught ELO's 'Mr Blue Sky' on the radio the other day while stuck in typically sclerotic south London traffic.

And I was struck -- for the first time (though it may be I'm several dozen Christmases behind the curve) -- by what a gigantic debt it owes to Good Vibrations.

Modular composition; repeated high RH chords against punctuated bass; stacked vocals; triplet eighths; clutchless changes of gear -- I could go on, but you can join these dots as well as I can.

Questions, then, for the good Oracles: (1) Was/is Jeff Lynne a massive BB nut? (2) Anything on record from Brian about 'Mr Blue Sky'?

[Roger Ryan]

I can't say I heard much resemblance between "Good Vibrations" and "Mr. Blue Sky", but "Across The Border" from the same album (OUT OF THE BLUE) is most definitely inspired by "Heroes & Villains".

Of course, Jeff Lynne wrote and co-produced a track for Brian's 1988 solo album.

[Boiled Egg]

Syringe your ears, Roger. It's there.

[Roger Ryan]

Syringe your ears, Roger. It's there.

Okay, but I'd say "Mr. Blue Sky" could be equally inspired by Beatles' "Good Day Sunshine" or the Kinks' "Do You Remember Walter?".

[Boiled Egg]

Fair point. But, in terms of impact...?

[Roger Ryan]

Fair point. But, in terms of impact...?

I'm not sure what you mean by "impact"? Do you mean how popular the song was?

Incidentally, listening again to it, "Mr. Blue Sky" owes an awful lot to McCartney's portion of "A Day In The Life" (right down to the huffing and puffing).

[Summertime Blooz]

I didn't even remember it being a single; I don't recall ever hearing it on the radio in the 70s. I had to check- it reached #35 on Billboard, so I guess it could be considered a modest hit is the US. In the UK it did much better- #6. I always thought it was a good album track, but it's only in the last 7 or 8 years that it's taken on an added luster thanks to it's incessant use in movie trailers. This song never reminded me of the Beach Boys, but I'd say it's a safe bet Lynne is a big Beach Boys fan.

[hypehat]

I see what you mean - but then it also nicks the first three chords off Yesterday! I don't think much of Jeff Lynne, but he's a good jukebox at least.