Light Years, The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra
Greatest hits album by
Electric Light Orchestra
ReleasedNovember 1997
RecordedJuly 1970–January 1986
GenreRock
Length148:04
LabelEpic Records
ProducerJeff Lynne
Electric Light Orchestra chronology
Strange Magic: The Best of Electric Light Orchestra
(1995) 		Light Years, The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra
(1997) 		Live at Wembley '78
(1998)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[2]

Light Years, The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra is a two CD compilation album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released in 1997.

The album celebrates the band's 25th Anniversary singles career starting in 1972 and contains all of ELO's 29 UK hit singles plus other single edits that either didn't chart or were hits in other countries.

All the songs included are reputed to be the edited 7" single versions; analysis of the vinyl 7" singles contradicts the claim. For example, the intro/count-in of "Four Little Diamonds" was trimmed from the original 7", but included here; the intro of "Strange Magic" was shorter on the 7".

It is also the first ELO compilation to feature the song "Across the Border" which was scheduled to be released as an EP track in 1980 but was withdrawn. Although not in chronological order, it is however the most comprehensive assemblage of the band's hits of the many compilations available.

The album reached 60 in the UK Album Charts.[3] The album was also released in Europe with an identical track order under the titles, The Swedish Collection and The Danish Collection released in 2000.

Track listing

Disc one
No.TitleOriginal albumLength
1."Turn to Stone"Out of the Blue, 19773:47
2."Evil Woman"Face the Music, 19754:15
3."Livin' Thing"A New World Record, 19763:32
4."Twilight"Time, 19813:37
5."Telephone Line"A New World Record4:41
6."Four Little Diamonds"Secret Messages, 19834:06
7."Xanadu" (with Olivia Newton-John)Xanadu soundtrack, 19803:27
8."Last Train to London"Discovery, 19794:32
9."Strange Magic" (7" edit)Face the Music4:06
10."Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" (7" edit)On the Third Day, 19733:11
11."Confusion"Discovery3:40
12."Rock 'n' Roll Is King"Secret Messages3:05
13."The Way Life's Meant to Be"Time4:39
14."Can't Get It Out of My Head" (7" edit)Eldorado, 19743:07
15."Secret Messages" (Special version from the LP)Secret Messages3:34
16."Calling America"Balance of Power, 19863:28
17."Don't Walk Away"Xanadu soundtrack4:39
18."Don't Bring Me Down"Discovery4:03
19."Mr. Blue Sky"Out of the Blue5:03
Disc two
No.TitleOriginal albumLength
1."Sweet Talkin' Woman"Out of the Blue3:47
2."I'm Alive"Xanadu soundtrack3:43
3."Shine a Little Love"Discovery4:10
4."Ticket to the Moon"Time4:07
5."Illusions in G Major"Eldorado2:38
6."So Serious"Balance of Power2:41
7."Nightrider" (7" edit)Face the Music3:43
8."All Over the World"Xanadu soundtrack4:01
9."Here Is the News"Time3:44
10."The Diary of Horace Wimp"Discovery4:17
11."Across the Border" (EP version)Out of the Blue3:51
12."Showdown"On the Third Day (U.S.); Showdown, 19744:10
13."Hold on Tight"Time3:07
14."Wild West Hero"Out of the Blue4:40
15."Do Ya"A New World Record3:45
16."10538 Overture" (7" edit)The Electric Light Orchestra/No Answer, 19713:56
17."Getting to the Point"Balance of Power4:29
18."Rockaria!"A New World Record3:14
19."Roll Over Beethoven" (7" edit)ELO 2, 19734:34
Total length:148:04

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1997-1999) Peak
position
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[4] 10
Scottish Albums (OCC)[5] 81
Spanish Albums (AFYVE)[6] 41
UK Albums (OCC)[7] 60

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Norway (IFPI Norway)[8] Gold 25,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[9] Gold 100,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Light Years, The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra at AllMusic
  2. ^ Larkin, Colin, ed. (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th edn). London: Omnibus Press. p. 916. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
  3. ^ "Electric Light Orchestra". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  4. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Electric Light Orchestra – Light Years - The Very Best Of". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  5. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  6. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  7. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  8. ^ "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway.
  9. ^ "British album certifications – ELO – Light Years - The Very Best Of". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
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