Eldorado (song)

This article is about the Electric Light Orchestra song. For the Iron Maiden song, see El Dorado (song). For other uses, see El Dorado (disambiguation).

"Eldorado" is the title track from the 1974 album of the same name by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO).

"Eldorado"
Single by Electric Light Orchestra
from the album Eldorado
A-side	"Boy Blue" (US) "Wild West Hero" (UK)
Released	April 1975 (US) B-side May 1978 (UK) B-side
Recorded	February–August 1974
Genre	Progressive rock, symphonic rock
Length	5:17 (album) 4:50 (single)
Label	Jet, United Artists
Songwriter(s)	Jeff Lynne
Producer(s)	Jeff Lynne
Electric Light Orchestra singles chronology
"Can't Get It Out of My Head" (1974) "Eldorado" (1975) "Evil Woman" (1975)
Eldorado track listing
10 tracks Side one "Eldorado Overture" "Can't Get It Out of My Head" "Boy Blue" "Laredo Tornado" "Poor Boy (The Greenwood)" Side two "Mister Kingdom" "Nobody's Child" "Illusions in G Major" "Eldorado" "Eldorado Finale"

The song was used as the B-side of the United States single "Boy Blue" in 1975 and later as the flip side to the UK hit single "Wild West Hero" in 1978.^[1]

Content

In the 2001 remastered album's liner notes, composer Jeff Lynne said, "This song is where the dreamer wakes up to reality, then decides he likes his dream world better and tries to get back to Eldorado."^[2]

Reception

Rolling Stone critic Ken Barnes remarked that although it is "embarrassingly rotund in spots" it "is a tuneful Bee Gees-like ballad."^[3] Phonograph Record critic Michael Davis similarly noted that it "displays a feel for melody...that would make a Bee Gee blush in envy."^[4]

Controversy

The song gained notoriety when it was claimed by some Christian fundamentalists that "Eldorado" contained some "satanic messages" when the record was played in reverse. Lyrics were claimed to sound like "He is the nasty one - Christ you're infernal" when played backwards. Lynne denied these allegations, and inserted an obviously and deliberately backmasked segment into ELO's next album (Face the Music), within the opening portions of the famous "Fire On High" track. He later recorded Secret Messages, an entire album strewn with backmasking.^[5]

Fleming & John version

The song was covered by Fleming & John on the tribute album Lynne Me Your Ears.^[6]

References

1. "Electric Light Orchestra - Wild West Hero (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 17 June 2010. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
2. Eldorado - A Symphony By The Electric Light Orchestra (liner notes). 2001.
3. Barnes, Ken (2 January 1975). "Eldorado". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
4. Davis, Michael (November 1974). "Eldorado". Phonograph Record.
5. Macdonald, Fiona (21 October 2014). "The hidden messages in songs". BBC. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
6. Damas, Jason. "Lynne Me Your Ears: A Tribute to the Music of Jeff Lynne - Lynne Me Your Ears : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 March 2013.