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Can't Get It Out of My Head

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Not to be confused with Can't Get You Out of My Head.
"Can't Get It Out of My Head"
Single by Electric Light Orchestra
from the album Eldorado
B-side"Illusions in G Major"
ReleasedNovember 1974 (US)[1]
January 1975 (UK)[1]
Recorded1974 De Lane Lea Studios
GenreSoft rock[2]
Length4:23 (Album version)
3:07 (Single edit)
LabelWarner Bros. (UK)
United Artists (US)
Songwriter(s)Jeff Lynne
Producer(s)Jeff Lynne
Electric Light Orchestra singles chronology
"Ma-Ma-Ma Belle"
(1974) 		"Can't Get It Out of My Head"
(1974) 		"Boy Blue"
(1975)
Eldorado track listing
10 tracks
Side one
  1. "Eldorado Overture"
  2. "Can't Get It Out of My Head"
  3. "Boy Blue"
  4. "Laredo Tornado"
  5. "Poor Boy (The Greenwood)"
Side two
  2. "Mister Kingdom"
  3. "Nobody's Child"
  4. "Illusions in G Major"
  5. "Eldorado"
  6. "Eldorado Finale"
Music video
"Can't Get It Out of My Head" on YouTube

"Can't Get It Out of My Head" is a song written by Jeff Lynne and originally recorded by Electric Light Orchestra (also known as ELO).

First released on the band's fourth album Eldorado in September 1974, the song is the second track on the album and follows "Eldorado Overture". The song was released in November the same year as a single.

The song became the band's first top 10 single in the United States, reaching number 9,[3] and helped boost public awareness of the band in the U.S., although the single and LP failed to chart in the UK. In 1978, it was included as the lead song on the four-track The ELO EP (UK release), reaching number 34 on the UK charts. The song has appeared on many ELO compilation albums.

Background

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Lynne wrote "Can't Get It Out of My Head" partially in response to his father's criticism that the previous songs he wrote didn't have any tune, [4][5][6] wanting to show that he could write a song with a beautiful melody.[4][5]

Lynne has stated that the lyrics "were about a man who was dreaming, sees this vision of loveliness and wakes up and finds that he's actually a clerk working in a bank" and so will not be able to act on this dream.[4][7]

Critical reception

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Record World said that "Jeff Lynne and company brew up a brilliant batch of hook melody strains from the last decade of ballads into one fresh triumph."[8]

AllMusic's Mike DeGagne said the song would become "one of Electric Light Orchestra's most beautiful ballads" thanks to "the rich backdrop of strings (especially cello) and the steady, delicate cymbal taps that enhance the song's charm", adding: "there's an honest simplicity built around the dynamics of the relaxed rhythm and it's this enchanting air, mixed with the storybook lyrics and poetic wonderment of the song that carries the listener away, even if they're indecipherable at times", considering the song as "the band's best example of this recipe implemented toward a slower style".[9]

Classic Rock History critic Brian Kachejian rated it as ELO's 10th best song, calling it a "sentimental grooving ballad."[10] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci rated it as ELO's 9th best song.[11] Stereogum contributor Ryan Reed rated it as ELO's 4th best song.[6]

Personnel

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Credits adapted from "Can't Get It Out of My Head" liner notes.[12][13][14]

Electric Light Orchestra

Additional musicians

Production

  • Jeff Lynne – production
  • Dick Plant – engineering
  • Mike Pela – engineering
  • Kenny Denton – engineering assistance
  • John Richards – engineering assistance

Recording

Chart performance

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Jeff Lynne versions

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"Can't Get It Out of My Head"
Song by Electric Light Orchestra
from the album Mr. Blue Sky: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra
Released8 October 2012 (UK)
9 October 2012 (US)
Recorded2001–2012 Bungalow Palace
Length4:35
LabelFrontiers
Songwriter(s)Jeff Lynne
Producer(s)Jeff Lynne
Mr. Blue Sky: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra track listing
12 tracks
  1. "Mr. Blue Sky"
  2. "Evil Woman"
  3. "Strange Magic"
  4. "Don't Bring Me Down"
  5. "Turn to Stone"
  6. "Showdown"
  7. "Telephone Line"
  8. "Livin' Thing"
  9. "Do Ya"
  10. "Can't Get It Out of My Head"
  11. "10538 Overture"
  12. "Point of No Return"

Jeff Lynne re-recorded the song in his own home studio. It was released in a compilation album with other re-recorded ELO songs under the ELO name.[24]

In 2012, as part of the concert from his home studio, Live From Bungalow Palace, Lynne performed an acoustic version of the song with longtime ELO pianist Richard Tandy.[25]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Jeff Lynne Song Database - Electric Light Orchestra - Can't Get It Out Of My Head song analysis". Jefflynnesongs.com. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  2. ^ Farley, Keith. "Various Artists – Songs You Know by Heart: Songs of Love". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Chart History - Can't Get It Out Of My Head". Billboard. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Van Der Kiste, John (2017). Electric Light Orchestra: Song by Song. Fonthill. pp. 34−35. ISBN 9781781556009.
  5. ^ a b Delve, Barry (2021). Electric Light Orchestra: Every album, every song. Sonicbond. p. 45. ISBN 9781789521528.
  6. ^ a b Reed, Ryan (7 January 2016). "The 10 Best ELO Songs". Stereogum. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  7. ^ Potter, Jordan (8 October 2023). "The ELO song Jeff Lynne wrote in response to an argument with his father". Far Out. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 16 November 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  9. ^ DeGagne, Mike. "Can't Get It Out of My Head - Electric Light Orchestra | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  10. ^ Kachejian, Brian. "Top 10 Electric Light Orchestra Songs". Classic Rock History. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  11. ^ Gallucci, Michael (30 December 2014). "Top 10 Electric Light Orchestra Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  12. ^ "Can't Get It Out of My Head" (single liner notes). Electric Light Orchestra. United Artists Records. 1974. Back cover.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ "Electric Light Orchestra - Can't Get It Out Of My Head". Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  14. ^ "Jeff Lynne Song Database - Electric Light Orchestra - Can't Get It Out Of My Head song analysis". www.jefflynnesongs.com. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  15. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  16. ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - February 22, 1975" (PDF).
  17. ^ Hung, Steffen. "Discografie Electric Light Orchestra". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  18. ^ Cash Box Top 100. 22 March 1975. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  19. ^ Hawtin, Steve. "Song artist 171 - Electric Light Orchestra". Tsort.info. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  20. ^ "ELO". Wweb.uta.edu. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  21. ^ "Charts". Wweb.uta.edu. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  22. ^ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 6 October 2016. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  23. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1975/Top 100 Songs of 1975". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  24. ^ "Releases : elo - Mr. Blue Sky - The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra". Elo.biz. 5 October 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  25. ^ Can't Get It Out Of My Head - Jeff Lynne (Acoustic), 28 November 2012, archived from the original on 19 December 2021, retrieved 19 October 2021
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