Eldorado (song)
{{About|the Electric Light Orchestra song|the Iron Maiden song|El Dorado (song)|other uses|El Dorado (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2014}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Eldorado
| cover = Eldorado single.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Electric Light Orchestra
| album = Eldorado
| A-side = {{ubl|"Boy Blue" (US)|"Wild West Hero" (UK)}}
| released = April 1975 (US) B-side
May 1978 (UK) B-side
| format =
| recorded = February–August 1974
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Progressive rock, symphonic rock
| length = 5:17 (album)
4:50 (single)
| label = Jet, United Artists
| writer = Jeff Lynne
| producer = Jeff Lynne
| prev_title = Can't Get It Out of My Head
| prev_year = 1974
| next_title = Evil Woman
| next_year = 1975
| misc = {{Extra track listing
| album = Eldorado
| type = studio
| tracks = {{Eldorado tracks}}
}}
}}
"Eldorado" is the title track from the 1974 album of the same name by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO).
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.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Electric-Light-Orchestra-Wild-West-Hero/release/475279 |title=Electric Light Orchestra - Wild West Hero (Vinyl) at Discogs |publisher=Discogs.com |date=17 June 2010 |access-date=3 March 2013}}
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."{{Cite AV media
|url = https://www.discogs.com/release/4420570-Electric-Light-Orchestra-Eldorado-A-Symphony-By-The-Electric-Light-Orchestra/image/SW1hZ2U6NDM2MjUwMjg=
|type = liner notes
|title= Eldorado - A Symphony By The Electric Light Orchestra
|year = 2001
}}
Reception
Rolling Stone critic Ken Barnes remarked that although it is "embarrassingly rotund in spots" it "is a tuneful Bee Gees-like ballad."{{cite magazine|magazine=Rolling Stone|title=Eldorado|date=January 2, 1975|author=Barnes, Ken|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080216080625/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/electriclightorchestra/albums/album/122346/review/5944334/eldorado|accessdate=2024-12-11}} Phonograph Record critic Michael Davis similarly noted that it "displays a feel for melody...that would make a Bee Gee blush in envy."{{cite magazine|magazine=Phonograph Record|author=Davis, Michael|date=November 1974|title=Eldorado}}
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.{{cite news
|url=https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20141003-the-hidden-messages-in-songs
|title= The hidden messages in songs
|work = BBC
|date= 21 October 2014
|first=Fiona|last=Macdonald
|access-date=8 December 2021
}}
Fleming & John version
The song was covered by Fleming & John on the tribute album Lynne Me Your Ears.{{cite web|last=Damas |first=Jason |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/lynne-me-your-ears-a-tribute-to-the-music-of-jeff-lynne-mw0000519779 |title=Lynne Me Your Ears: A Tribute to the Music of Jeff Lynne - Lynne Me Your Ears : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=7 March 2013}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Electric Light Orchestra singles}}
Category:Electric Light Orchestra songs
Category:Songs written by Jeff Lynne