"Hold on Tight" by ELO

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  0687
Date:  07/25/1981
Debut:  67
Peak:  10
Weeks:  19
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  Now primarily billing themselves as ELO instead of the full Electric Light Orchestra, the group returned with a new album after the great success of their contributions to the "Xanadu" soundtrack. The shortened name was not the only new thing about the LP "Time." It also marked their return to a full concept album and, with minor exceptions, they replaced their orchestrated sound with a wall of synthesizers. This first single was a hit but unfortunately it would be their last Top 10 entry in the US. The album went gold in the US, but it was a far cry from the platinum levels their previous albums reached. However, the LP was a success in many other countries and it would be one of the worldwide top-sellers of the year.

ReduxReview:  I actually didn't like this song when it first came out. Perhaps a year later, I saw the album in a cut-out bin and was intrigued by the cover and concept. I bought it and totally fell in love with the LP. It began my addiction to ELO. Once I understood the group better, I got into this song and it eventually won me over. These days I probably wouldn't put "Time" high on my all-time favorite albums list, but I still love it and if I'd kept a running tally over the years on how many time I played an album, I would venture that this one would still rank in the top 10.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  The sound and concept of "Time" (in which a man gets transported to the year 2095) would be very influential with many other artists. The Christian rock band Brave Saint Saturn was heavily influenced by the album and coined the term "astro-rock" to describe their music. The Flaming Lips, Steve Winwood, and Ladyhawke have also mentioned the LP when discussing influences.

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