The song is somewhat reminiscent of their earlier output, featuring grand piano and more strings than their past few singles. Beautiful song by a brilliant band.
"I've got a ticket to the moon, but i'd rather see the sunshine in your eyes"
21 Oct 10 ·Mike: Nice to see this recommendation! Simple song with a pretty post-Beatles melody. I've just dug out my LP of Time and have been playing side 1. It really sparkles! 21 Oct 10 ·Mike: My favourite song on the album is "21st Century Man" on side 2, which I thing rates highly among their overall output and is maybe the last great song they produced. The weakest song on the album has to be the single "Hold on Tight" which sounds as though they were trying to compete with Shakin' Stevens!
Turn the lights down, turn the volume up and just LISTEN!! Whatever mood you're in, this will enhance it. The strings are just brilliant. I've listened to this track AT LEAST once a week for 25 years and will never tire of it. The whole concept of ELO captured my imagination from theearly 70s, and although they got a bit commercialised over the years, who didn't? Some say they copied The Beatles, isn't that the sincerest form of flattery? Other bands copied ELO (Cheap trick, Huey Lewis & The News,etc.). I defy any music lover to not like this!
from Out Of The Blue (Jet JETDP 400), available on CD
23 Mar 06 ·audioadventures: Out of the Blue - one of my favourite albums of all time. From Summer and Lightening to Big Wheels, Concerto for a Rainy Day is just class.
ELO must be the most sampled band at the moment. Maybe they are now cool! 16 Jan 07 ·coercri: I wholeheartedly agree. The Concerto for a Rainy Day is abolutely the best. Even my 14 year old daughter loves it!!! ELO has been an exceptional group over the years. I only regret not seeing them in concert.
Try to remove this from all the boring "classic rock" trappings its acquired over the years. Appreciate what a fascinatingly strange combination of overheated pop, symphonic grandeur, and rock-ish muscle this is. So 1977, yet so timeless. Thank you.
Sweet fuck, what pure morning joy. I get a maximalist bliss-out every time I play this. But then, wait, what's that weird jazzy comeback at the end of the song? It's like an army of ghosts of all the happinesses I've ever had coming back to haunt me. It's too much. Holy cow, it's a beautiful day.
