About Christopher A. Landt Expertise Hello, If it has anything to do with ELO, The Move, The Idle Race, or Jeff
Lynne give me a try. I will be glad to help out in any way possible! I
look forward to hearing from you...
Expert: Christopher A. Landt Date: 9/5/2007 Subject: ELO- Rockaria
Question QUESTION: Christopher, do you know what words the operatic soprano is singing right at the beginning of 'Rockaria'? I have been singing along using any old rubbish lyrics since I got the record in 1976 and I would be glad to get it right at last. And is the voice that of Kelly? He did it live, I recall, from when I went to see the 'Out of the Blue' concert.
Carol
ANSWER: Hello Carol,
The exact words are unkown since it is sung in a German opera style. But Jeff Lynne has stated that in English the opera part is "Far far away the music is playing"
Jeff said he wrote the song from the prespective of a classical opera singer hearing rock music in the distance and wanting to be a part of it.
The name of the singer on the original album cut is Mary Thomas. She was one of the sigers Jeff had hired to do the album with the orchestra and he asked her to do the cut. On the album you hear her start and go "opps" then stop and start again. For fun Jeff left that in.
When you see The Orchestra or "ELO Part II" in concert the part is sung by Kelly. He may have done it in the original ELO Concerts as well.
I hope this helps,
Christopher...
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Here's my other question. On the album 'Out of the Blue,' at the very end of 'Mr Blue Sky',a vocoder voice sings five notes. I always think it sounds like "Please turn me over", like an invitation to turn the disc over to the next side.
Do you know what the words are?
I know it is completely trivial, but yet again, I have been wondering about it for roughly thirty years (and I still haven't got round to assembling the cardboard space ship!)
Many many thanks for your help.
Carol
Answer Hello Carol,
I have never heard any official word on what the synthesized voice is saying, but the concensus is "Please turn me over" like you have writen. Jeff was always doing fun stuff like that on his songs.
I have listened to it so many times it says nothing I can understand now. At first I thought it was just... "Mis..ter Blue Sky..aye..." But I can hear if I think about it the "Please.." part, Since I can find no credible sources to say one way or another... I will go with the consensus of the people and say you are right.
