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Secret Messages
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Secret Messages
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Secret Messages
Front cover of the album sleeve
Studio album by
Electric Light Orchestra
Released24 June 1983
RecordedDecember 1982 – February 1983
StudioWisseloord, Hilversum, Netherlands
Genre
Length
  • 42:47 (Original release)
  • 71:30 (2018 double album)
Label
ProducerJeff Lynne
Electric Light Orchestra chronology
Time
(1981) 		Secret Messages
(1983) 		Balance of Power
(1986)
Singles from Secret Messages
  1. "Rock 'n' Roll Is King"
    Released: June 1983
  2. "Secret Messages"
    Released: August 1983[1]
  3. "Four Little Diamonds"
    Released: September 1983 (US)
  4. "Stranger"
    Released: November 1983
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStar[2]
Encyclopedia of Popular MusicStarStar[3]
MusicHoundwoof![4]
The Philadelphia InquirerStarStarStarStar[5]
PopMatters(favourable)[6]
QStarStar[7]
The Rolling Stone Album GuideStarStar[8]
Record MirrorStarStarStarStar[9]

Secret Messages is the tenth studio album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released in 1983 on Jet Records. It was the last ELO album with bass guitarist Kelly Groucutt, conductor Louis Clark and a full orchestra, and the last ELO album to be released on the Jet label. It was also the final ELO studio album to become a worldwide top 40 hit upon release.

Original concept

[edit]

Secret Messages, as its title suggests, is littered with hidden messages in the form of backmasking, some obvious and others less so. This was Jeff Lynne's second tongue-in-cheek response to allegations of hidden Satanic messages in earlier Electric Light Orchestra LPs by Christian fundamentalists, which led to American congressional hearings in the early 1980s (a similar response had been made by Lynne on the Face the Music album, during the intro to the "Fire on High" track).[10]

Louis Clark returned to conduct the strings once more and the violinist Mik Kaminski appeared on an ELO recording for the first time since Out of the Blue in 1977, playing a violin solo on the track "Rock 'n' Roll Is King". On completion of this album, Lynne dismissed bass guitarist Groucutt after Groucutt sued for alleged lost royalties and later received a settlement out of court.[citation needed]

Artwork

[edit]

The cover was designed by David Costa created by the photographer Hag[11] and hand-tinted by Kim Harris. It was the original from which Hag created "The Future's a Bit Fishy. We've Got a Hand in It."[12] The cover's foreground contains figures from various classical paintings. In the building on the right of the cover, the band is featured in the first-floor windows.[12]

In Britain, the back cover of Secret Messages has the mock notice "Warning: Contains Secret Backward Messages". Word of the album's impending release in the United States caused enough of a furor to cause CBS Records to delete the cover blurb there.[13]

The back cover of the record jacket (made to look like the back of a picture frame) also contains "Secret Messages" in the form of three aged and weathered stickers. One is the track listing and the other two contain mock names of the retailer and manufacturer of the frame. These names are anagrams of the four band members: T.D. Ryan (R. Tandy), F.Y.J. Fennel (Jeff Lynne), G.U. Ruttock (K. Groucutt) and E.V. Nabbe (Bev Bevan). The inner record sleeve also contains a "Secret Message". The front and back has a string of dots and dashes that is actually Morse code and repeats "E L O": E (one dot), L (dot dash dot dot) and O (dash dash dash).

Release

[edit]

The record was originally going to be a double album,[14] but this plan was thwarted by Jet's distributor, CBS Records,[15] who claimed that producing a double vinyl album would be too expensive; as a result, leader Jeff Lynne would have to reduce it to a single album.

Three singles were released from the album in the UK: "Rock 'n' Roll Is King", the title track and "Four Little Diamonds". In the US, "Rock 'n' Roll Is King", "Four Little Diamonds" and "Stranger" were issued. "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" became the band's last UK Top 20 hit.

The songs "After All" and "Buildings Have Eyes" from the original intended double album were released as B-sides to "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" and "Secret Messages" respectively. The song "Endless Lies" was later re-recorded with a different pre-chorus for the band’s subsequently released Balance of Power album. Three additional songs, "Hello My Old Friend", a string-laden eight-minute long tribute to the band's home town Birmingham, "Mandalay" and "No Way Out" (along with aforementioned "Buildings Have Eyes") appeared on the Afterglow box set released in 1990.

The song "Letter from Spain" was used as backing music in commercials for the Games of the XXV Olympiad, held in 1992 in Barcelona.

In 2001, Secret Messages was remastered and reissued on CD with bonus tracks including the previously unreleased original 1983 version of "Endless Lies".

A 35th anniversary edition was released by Legacy Recordings on double LP and via streaming services on 3 August 2018. It closely matched the format and length originally conceived by Jeff Lynne for the 1983 release, though one track remains unreleased ("Beatles Forever").[16][17] Other alterations from the original 1983 release include the album's outro being moved from the end of "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" to "Hello My Old Friend" and an edit of "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" B-side "After All". Updated liner notes read:

"Secret Messages" was the first and last time I ever used a digital multi-track tape recorder. We tried out a different place to record. It was Wisseloord Studios in Hilversum, Holland. The sound of the room was just how I liked it. I enjoyed recording there so much, I wrote enough tunes for a double album! Anyway, this will be the first time "Secret Messages" has escaped intact. Thanks to all you great fans who've been asking to hear the original double album for a very long time.

— Jeff Lynne

Track listing

[edit]

All songs written by Jeff Lynne.

Original LP track listing

[edit]
Side One
No.TitleLength
1."Secret Messages"4:44
2."Loser Gone Wild"5:27
3."Bluebird"4:13
4."Take Me On and On"4:57
Total length:19:23
Side Two
No.TitleLength
1."Four Little Diamonds"4:05
2."Stranger"4:27
3."Danger Ahead"3:52
4."Letter from Spain"2:51
5."Train of Gold"4:20
6."Rock 'n' Roll Is King"3:49
Total length:23:24

CD track listing

[edit]
Original CD Track Listing
No.TitleLength
1."Secret Messages"4:44
2."Loser Gone Wild"5:27
3."Bluebird"4:13
4."Take Me On and On"4:57
5."Time After Time" (A)4:01
6."Four Little Diamonds"4:05
7."Stranger"4:27
8."Danger Ahead"3:52
9."Letter From Spain"2:51
10."Train of Gold"4:20
11."Rock 'n' Roll Is King"3:49
Total length:46:56
Bonus tracks on the 2001 edition
No.TitleLength
12."No Way Out"3:28
13."Endless Lies"3:26
14."After All"2:23
Total length:56:13
  • A ^ "Time After Time" was originally included on cassette tape format and on CD. Available on the vinyl format on the "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" maxi single and the Japan Digital Master of the album.

2018 double album track listing

[edit]
Side One
No.TitleLength
1."Secret Messages"4:43
2."Loser Gone Wild"5:27
3."Bluebird"4:13
4."Take Me On and On"4:59
Total length:19:22
Side Two
No.TitleLength
1."Stranger"4:27
2."No Way Out"3:23
3."Letter From Spain"2:51
4."Danger Ahead"3:52
Total length:14:33
Side Three
No.TitleLength
1."Four Little Diamonds"4:05
2."Train of Gold"4:20
3."Endless Lies"3:24
4."Buildings Have Eyes"4:04
5."Rock 'n' Roll Is King"3:10
Total length:19:03
Side Four
No.TitleLength
1."Mandalay"5:20
2."Time After Time"4:01
3."After All"0:41
4."Hello My Old Friend" (on the LP edition the duration of the track is listed as 7:50)8:30
Total length:18:32
Additional planned track on side two of the original double album[18]
No.TitleLength
3."Beatles Forever"4:30

Personnel

[edit]

ELO

[edit]

Additional personnel

[edit]

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[35] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[36] Gold 100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Secret Messages

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia

Secret Messages is the tenth studio album by the British rock band (ELO), released in June 1983 by Jet Records. Produced entirely by principal songwriter , the record features his multi-instrumental contributions alongside band members including drummer and bassist , marking Groucutt's final ELO album until a 2001 reunion. Originally planned as a encompassing 27 tracks, it was truncated to a single disc of 15 songs due to constraints imposed by the label's distributor, CBS Records. The album's thematic focus on concealed communications is embodied in its title track, which incorporates backmasked phrases and overt messages critiquing accusations of subliminal satanism leveled at ELO's prior work, such as the 1975 track "Fire on High." Commercially, Secret Messages peaked at number 4 on the UK Albums Chart and number 36 on the US Billboard 200, supported by singles including "Rock 'n' Roll Is King," which reached number 13 in the UK. Despite critical mixed reception for its ornate production amid the era's synth-pop shift, the album underscored ELO's orchestral pop style before lineup changes and Lynne's pivot toward solo projects.

Development

Original Concept and Intentions

The album Secret Messages originated as Jeff Lynne's satirical response to persistent claims by fundamentalist Christian groups in the United States that rock records, including prior ELO releases such as Face the Music (1975), contained subliminal Satanic messages via —audio played in reverse to reveal hidden phrases. These accusations, which dated back to the and targeted bands like Led Zeppelin and , prompted Lynne to incorporate deliberate, innocuous "secret messages" throughout the album, including reversed vocals, , and embedded phrases, as a humorous rather than endorsement of the theories. Lynne viewed such elements as playful experimentation, later stating that "backwards messages can be fun," drawing from his admiration for innovative recording techniques in albums. Lynne initially envisioned Secret Messages as a comprising 18 tracks, blending new studio recordings with experimental sounds like influences, new wave, and , to fulfill ELO's remaining contractual obligations to Jet Records while signaling a potential end to the band's original lineup era. All tracks were completed by early 1983, but Jet's distributor, CBS Records, rejected the format citing prohibitive production costs for a double vinyl LP amid declining sales for elaborate rock packages. This forced Lynne to condense it to a single disc, excising songs such as "Hello My Old Friend" and "Endless Lies," which were later released on compilations. The resulting album retained the core theme of concealed communications, with overt examples like spelling "This is Yerffej Ennyl [Lynne spelled backwards] calling you from planet Earth" in the title track, underscoring Lynne's intent to engage listeners in decoding rather than promoting occultism. The concept also reflected Lynne's ambivalence toward continuing ELO, as he sought to innovate beyond the band's orchestral rock formula while addressing external pressures from moral panics over music's influence. By embedding silly, self-aware hidden content—such as whispers of "secret" and "welcome to the show" in reverse—Lynne aimed to deflate the hysteria, prioritizing artistic mischief over commercial conformity, though the truncated release somewhat diluted the ambitious scope.

Recording and Production Challenges

The production of Secret Messages encountered primary obstacles related to financial pressures from Jet Records, as ELO's commercial momentum had waned following the 1980 Xanadu soundtrack success. Originally planned as a with 18 fully recorded tracks, the project was reduced to a single LP late in the process to control costs amid the label's concerns over potential sales. This truncation included the exclusion of tracks like "Beatles Forever," a song laden with Beatles homages that risked legal issues over similarities to the original Fab Four material, further complicating sequencing decisions. , handling production duties solo, relied on multilayered overdubs to replicate orchestral textures without live ensembles, a technique that strained studio resources and timelines but aligned with his established method of achieving dense, self-contained arrangements. Internal band dynamics exacerbated these issues, with bassist departing post-release amid royalty payment disputes, effectively halting any tour plans and marking the end of ELO's classic lineup era. The sessions, conducted primarily at Munich's , reflected Lynne's perfectionist tendencies, yet the enforced edits disrupted the intended conceptual flow, contributing to perceptions of an uneven final product.

Content and Innovation

Musical Style and Composition

Secret Messages blends with elements, incorporating orchestral flourishes via synthesizers and strings, while diverging into bluesy, jazzy, and rock 'n' roll influences across its tracks. This reflects Electric Light Orchestra's evolution in the early , emphasizing Jeff Lynne's polished production over the fuller live orchestra of prior albums like Out of the Blue, opting instead for a more electric, synth-driven sound. All compositions were penned by Lynne, who multi-tracked vocals and instruments to create dense, layered arrangements characteristic of his Beatles-inspired approach, originally intending an 18-track double album before budget constraints reduced it to 10 core tracks for the LP release on June 5, 1983. Lynne's techniques included far-miking drums for expansive room ambiance, heavy dynamic compression, and integration of acoustic guitars within a "wall of sound" aesthetic, fostering the album's energetic yet moody pop craftsmanship. Instrumentation highlights synthesizers like the as the primary synth voice, paired with piano, guitar, bass, and percussion handled largely by Lynne, alongside contributions from on keyboards and harmonica, on bass, on drums, and on violin, with directing strings. Production at Wisselord Studios in , , emphasized contemporary 1980s synth textures over traditional , yielding a runtime of 42:47 for the original LP. Track styles vary markedly, with the opener "Secret Messages" delivering a driving, fast-paced opener infused with orchestral swells and electronic pop nuances; "Loser Gone Wild" introduces bluesy-jazzy grooves and drum machine-like percussion for tonal contrast; while "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" channels straightforward rock 'n' roll energy with classic ELO trademarks. This , including soulful ballads and funky instrumentals like "Train of Gold," underscores Lynne's skill in weaving diverse moods into cohesive structures.

Backmasked Messages and Associated Controversy

, the technique of recording audio that reveals intelligible messages when played in reverse, features prominently throughout Secret Messages, released on June 10, 1983. leader incorporated numerous intentional backwards messages as a satirical response to and early accusations that , including prior ELO tracks like "" from 1975's Face the Music, contained subliminal Satanic content. In "," a forward-played segment reverses to "The music is reversible, but time is not. Turn back! Turn back! Turn back!", which critics misinterpreted as demonic influence despite its explicit dismissal of reverse playback's significance. Lynne's approach in Secret Messages emphasized playful, non-occult rather than malice, mocking the "Satanic panic" era's claims—often driven by religious groups alleging subconscious manipulation—by making hidden audio overt and whimsical. toward backmasking's psychological effects, including studies showing no reliable subliminal persuasion from reversed speech, underscores the accusations' basis in auditory over evidence. The vinyl edition bore a sticker proclaiming "Warning! Contains secret backwards messages!", absent from the release to sidestep further backlash from conservative audiences amid broader cultural debates, including proposed legislation against undeclared backmasking. Specific examples abound across tracks, verified through reverse playback analysis:
  • In the title track "Secret Messages," whispers of "secret" repeat forward and backward in the intro, followed by "welcome to the show" reversed, with additional "and again" echoes.
  • "Time After Time" includes "listen to the music" backward in the intro, a reversed count of "Hep! Two! Three! Four!" in the bridge, and distorted, sped-up "time after time" near the end, plus Lynne and vocalist Sandi singing the phrase backward in the final chorus.
  • "Stranger" features "you're playing me backwards" sped up and reversed in the intro.
  • "Danger Ahead" has "plant a tree" distorted and backward in the left channel intro, alongside a reversed chorus rendition.
  • "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" contains "thank you for listening" backward in the quiet intro and "secret messages" whispered backward during the guitar fade-out.
  • "Hello My Old Friend" reverses to "backwards messages can be fun/funny" before the breakdown, accompanied by a children's choir rendering "Frère Jacques" forward and repeated.
These elements, absent Satanic themes, reinforced Lynne's denial of prior allegations while highlighting artistic experimentation, with no documented lawsuits or bans tied directly to the despite the era's fervor.

Artwork and Packaging

Cover Design and Symbolism

The cover artwork consists of a hand-tinted photographic featuring elements from obscure classical paintings, arranged as if displayed in an ornate gold frame. Designed by David Costa of Jubilee Graphics (later Wherefore Art), the composition was photographed by , with tinting by Kim Harris. The base image was captured on 6 September 1976 at Royal Street, , ; the black-and-white assembled between 9 and 13 December 1982; tinting completed on 19 January 1983; and the gold frame composited using transparency material by , . Foreground figures derive from picture library slides of lesser-known classical works, selected to evade restrictions. No explicit symbolism has been articulated by the creators, but the eclectic assembly of antique art within a gilded frame suggests themes of concealed historical knowledge, paralleling the album's motif of hidden audio messages. The back sleeve, mimicking a picture frame's reverse, incorporates framing labels bearing company names that serve as anagrams of ELO members' names—"T.D. Ryan" for and "F.Y.J. Fennel" for —constituting an overt covert element in the packaging. This feature required multiple back cover photographs due to evolving track listings.

Release and Promotion

Album Release Details

Secret Messages was released on 5 June 1983 by Jet Records in the United Kingdom, serving as the final Electric Light Orchestra album issued by the label. The initial format was a single vinyl LP in a gatefold sleeve containing 10 tracks, with a total runtime of 47 minutes and 6 seconds. Cassette and later compact disc editions followed, though the original release predated widespread CD adoption. Commercially, the album debuted at number 4 on the UK Albums Chart, where it remained for 15 weeks and received a gold certification from the British Phonographic Industry for over 100,000 units sold. In the United States, Secret Messages entered the Billboard 200 at number 97 on 16 July 1983 and ultimately peaked at number 36. No RIAA certification was awarded in the US, reflecting more modest sales compared to prior ELO releases.

Singles and Commercial Tie-Ins

"Rock 'n' Roll Is King" was released as the lead single from Secret Messages on June 18, 1983, backed with "After All" on Jet Records. It peaked at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart after entering at number 59 and climbing over several weeks. In the United States, the single reached number 19 on the Hot 100. A promotional video directed by featured the band performing amid layered effects, aligning with the album's theme of hidden messages. The title track "Secret Messages" followed as a single in August 1983 in the UK, with "Buildings Have Eyes" as the B-side on a picture disc edition that included a competition for a gold disc prize. It debuted at number 59 on the UK Singles Chart, rose to a peak of number 48, and fell to number 58 before dropping out. No significant US release occurred for this single, though a video was produced showcasing Lynne's production style with whizzing layered sounds. "Four Little Diamonds" served as a promotional single primarily in the US market, released in September 1983. It achieved modest success, peaking at number 86 on the Billboard Hot 100. No major commercial tie-ins, such as licensing for advertisements or product endorsements, were associated with the singles; promotion centered on radio play and video airings amid the era's backmasking controversies, which the album's title ironically referenced.

Track Listing

Original LP and CD Configurations

The original vinyl LP edition of Secret Messages, released in June 1983 by Jet Records in the UK (catalogue JETLP 527) and in the (QZ 38490), featured a single-disc configuration with 10 tracks, as the album was truncated from its intended double-LP format due to label constraints on length and budget. The track sequencing divided into two sides, emphasizing shorter, radio-friendly compositions while omitting "Time After Time" entirely from vinyl pressings.
SideTrackTitleDuration
A1Secret Messages4:43
A2Loser Gone Wild5:25
A34:06
A4Take Me On and On5:02
B5Four Little Diamonds4:05
B6Stranger4:28
B7Danger Ahead3:52
B8Double Life4:02
B9Rock 'n' Roll Is King3:45
B10All Fall Down5:25
The initial edition, issued in by Jet Records (catalogue CD JET 527) and later by , expanded to 11 tracks by inserting "Time After Time" (duration 4:01) as the fifth track, renumbering subsequent songs accordingly and restoring a portion of the intended sequence without altering runtimes or mixes. This configuration totaled approximately 49 minutes, fitting early CD capacity limits while providing vinyl owners an incentive for upgrade, though it still excluded tracks from the planned such as "Buildings Have Eyes" and "."

2018 Double Album Edition

The 2018 double album edition of Secret Messages was issued on August 3, 2018, by as a two-LP 140-gram vinyl set in a sleeve, accompanied by a digital download option. This release marked the 35th anniversary of the original album and fulfilled Jeff Lynne's initial conception of a with 17 tracks, rather than the truncated 10-track single disc compelled by CBS Records' concerns over double-vinyl production expenses in 1983. The edition restores seven tracks previously scattered across B-sides, singles, and later compilations from 1983 to 2001, sequenced according to the final known test pressing to approximate Lynne's intended flow. These reinstated tracks—"Endless Lies" (B-side to "Rock 'n' Roll Is King," 1983), "Buildings Have Eyes" (B-side to "Secret Messages," 1983), "Mandalay" (from the Afterglow compilation, 1990), "Time After Time" (instrumental originally on the "Balance of Power" single B-side, 1986), "After All" (shorter edit from the "Stranger" B-side, 1983), "Hello My Old Friend" (from the Flashback box set, 2000), and a brief "Motor Factory" interlude—expand the album's thematic emphasis on cryptic messaging and orchestral pop-rock without altering the core recordings. The configuration omits one track from Lynne's 18-song blueprint, preserving the album's brevity while enhancing its density. The track listing adheres to the expanded sequence:
  • Side A: "Secret Messages" (4:44), "Loser Gone Wild" (5:27), "Bluebird" (4:13), "Take Me On and On" (4:59)
  • Side B: "Stranger" (4:28), "No Way Out" (3:38), "Four Little Diamonds" (4:05), "Train of Gold" (4:20)
  • Side C: "Endless Lies" (3:24), "Buildings Have Eyes" (4:04), "Motor Factory" / "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" (4:23)
  • Side D: "Mandalay" (5:12), "Time After Time" (3:05), "After All" (shorter version, 2:42), "Hello My Old Friend" (1:12), "Letter from Spain" (2:51)
This format has been praised by collectors for its fidelity to archival intent, though some critics note the bonus material's variable quality integration compared to the streamlined original.

Personnel

Core ELO Members

, the founder and creative force behind (ELO), led the band during the recording of Secret Messages in 1982–1983, serving as lead and , , , , percussionist, and player, while also producing the and writing all original material. His multi-instrumental approach minimized reliance on session players for core instrumentation, reflecting the band's contraction to a tighter unit amid lineup changes. Bev Bevan, ELO's original drummer since 1971, handled all drum and percussion duties on the album, providing the rhythmic foundation for tracks like "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" and contributing to the backmasked spoken-word elements in the title track. His steady presence anchored the sessions at Musicland Studios in Munich, where much of the album was tracked. Richard Tandy, the longtime keyboardist and a member since ELO's early days, played synthesizers, grand piano, and provided backing vocals, enhancing the orchestral textures with layers of keyboards on songs such as "Loser Gone Wild" and the Beatles cover "Take It Away." Tandy's contributions were integral to the album's symphonic pop sound, drawing from his role in prior ELO works, and he remained a consistent collaborator with Lynne through this period of reduced band size. By Secret Messages, the trio of Lynne, Bevan, and Tandy formed the essential core, handling primary performances without the fuller string sections of earlier albums.

Additional Contributors

Dave Morgan provided additional backing vocals on the album. , a former ELO violinist, contributed a solo performance on the track "Rock 'n' Roll Is King". served as conductor and arranger for the orchestral strings, featured on multiple tracks including "Time After Time", "Loser Gone Wild", and "Rock 'n' Roll Is King". Bill Bottrell engineered the recordings, with assistance from Langdon Page; Geoff Calver handled mastering.

Reception

Critical Reviews at Release

Record Mirror awarded Secret Messages four stars in its September 1, 1983, review, but critiqued the album's motivations amid ELO's contractual obligations for three more records after the underwhelming reception of Time, stating the band "needed to pick themselves up from beside the swimming pool and head for the studio to top up those numbered Swiss bank accounts." The review acknowledged a reversion to orchestral elements and pop hooks reminiscent of earlier successes like Out of the Blue, yet implied a lack of fresh inspiration, with singles such as "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" seen as competent but derivative efforts to recapture past commercial glory. Other UK outlets like NME and Melody Maker provided limited coverage, focusing more on the album's backmasked "secret messages" gimmick—a response to persistent accusations of subliminal content—rather than musical innovation, reflecting broader critical fatigue with Jeff Lynne's Beatles-influenced formula amid shifting tastes toward new wave and synth-driven acts. In the US, trade publications such as Cash Box listed the album in rotation adds and hot picks without substantive praise, signaling modest industry interest rather than acclaim. Overall, reviewers noted strengths in polished production and tracks like "Four Little Diamonds" but faulted the record for relying on synthesizers and orchestral swells without advancing ELO's sound, contributing to its perception as a contractual filler rather than a creative peak.

Fan and Retrospective Assessments

Fan assessments of Secret Messages have generally been positive, with aggregate user ratings averaging 3.27 out of 5 on based on 1,666 reviews, placing it as a mid-tier entry in ELO's discography for its release year. On , multiple vinyl editions garner averages around 4.0 to 4.1 out of 5 from over 2,000 combined user ratings, reflecting appreciation for its melodies, choruses, and production despite perceived lacks in innovation compared to earlier works. Fans often praise tracks like "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" and "Loser Gone Wild" for their catchy hooks and orchestral flourishes, viewing the as a polished synthesis of ELO's pop-rock style with synth elements. Criticisms among fans center on inconsistency and tonal shifts, with some describing it as a "disappointment" relative to peaks like Out of the Blue due to weaker tracks and a perceived loss of the band's earlier momentum. Forum discussions highlight debates over the original single-disc sequencing versus the expanded double-album intent, leading a subset of enthusiasts to resequence it as a for improved cohesion. User reviews on platforms like Album of the Year note a "noticeable fall off" in song quality from prior albums, though not deeming it outright poor. Retrospective evaluations have elevated Secret Messages as an underrated or "hidden gem" in ELO's catalog, with analyses crediting its successful blend of classic and era-specific production values that bridged the band's heyday to electronic influences. Recent fan reflections, including blog revisits, emphasize standout tracks' enduring appeal and defend it against contemporary dismissal, positioning it on par with Time for polish and electric energy despite the absence of live strings. This shift contrasts initial fan ambivalence, with online communities increasingly advocating for its strengths in melody and Jeff Lynne's songcraft amid the album's commercial context.

Commercial Performance

Chart Positions

Secret Messages peaked at number 4 on the upon its release in June 1983. In the United States, the album reached number 36 on the chart, with its highest position recorded on August 20, 1983, after entering the chart earlier that month. The release marked ELO's final studio album to achieve top 40 status across multiple international markets during its initial run, reflecting a decline from the band's peak commercial years in the late .
Chart (1983)Peak Position
UK Albums (Official Charts Company)4
US Billboard 20036

Sales Certifications and Metrics

Secret Messages did not receive gold or platinum certification from the (RIAA), making it the first studio album without such an accolade despite the group's history of commercial with prior releases. In contrast, the album was certified gold by the (BPI) in the , denoting shipments of at least 100,000 units. Specific worldwide sales figures for Secret Messages remain undocumented in official records, though the album's performance aligned with ELO's declining U.S. during the mid-1980s transition to synth-heavy pop and the rise of MTV-driven visuals. No additional certifications from other territories, such as or , have been confirmed.

Legacy

Reissues and Remasters

In 2001, Secret Messages was remastered and reissued on CD by , featuring the original 10 tracks alongside three bonus tracks: "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" (initially released as a single), "After All" (B-side to "Rock 'n' Roll Is King"), and "No Way Out." This edition addressed audio quality issues from the original 1983 pressing while expanding the tracklist to reflect outtakes from the album's sessions. Subsequent remasters appeared in the mid-2000s, with expanded CD editions around 2007–2008 retaining the bonus tracks and applying further digital enhancements for improved dynamic range and clarity, though these were primarily targeted at collectors and not widely re-released. The most significant reissue occurred in 2018 for the album's 35th anniversary, when Legacy Recordings released a double 150-gram vinyl edition restoring it to a near-original double-album format with 17 tracks, including six previously omitted songs such as "Buildings," "Letter from Spain," and "Stranger," but excluding the controversial "Beatles Forever" due to legal concerns over its lyrical content. This version, pressed at 33⅓ RPM and sequenced per Jeff Lynne's original vision, was also made available digitally on platforms like Spotify and iTunes, though no accompanying CD edition was produced. The reissue emphasized the album's intended scope, which had been truncated from 18 tracks to 10 for the 1983 single-LP release amid label pressures. A limited-edition remastered Blu-spec reissue followed in in , featuring stereo remixing in a paper-sleeve format replicating the original LP artwork, aimed at audiophiles seeking high-fidelity playback. These efforts highlight ongoing interest in Lynne's expansive production, with vinyl and digital formats prioritizing the expanded tracklist over further bonus material.

Cultural Impact and Enduring Relevance

Secret Messages engaged directly with the 1980s cultural phenomenon of backmasking controversies, where rock albums were scrutinized for alleged subliminal satanic messages played in reverse. The album's title and content served as Jeff Lynne's ironic response to accusations leveled against Electric Light Orchestra since their 1974 album Eldorado, including claims of hidden demonic content that prompted warnings like the backmasked phrase "The music is reversible but time is not. Turn back!" in the 1975 track "Fire on High" from Face the Music. By incorporating deliberate backmasked elements—such as "Welcome to the show" in the final track—and Morse code spelling "E.L.O." on the album sleeve and within tracks, Secret Messages satirized the hysteria while showcasing Lynne's production ingenuity. This approach positioned the album within broader debates on media influence and moral panics, exemplified by the Satanic Panic that targeted heavy metal and progressive rock acts. The record's playful hidden messages, including reversed vocals throughout and keyboard at the start of the title track, highlighted ELO's affinity for audio experimentation amid accusations from religious groups. Released on June 5, 1983, it bridged ELO's orchestral rock roots with emerging synthesizer-driven sounds, influencing niche discussions on production techniques rather than spawning widespread emulation. While not achieving the commercial zenith of prior works like Out of the Blue (1977), tracks such as "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" evoked rock homage, resonating in retrospective analyses of Lynne's Beatles-inspired songcraft. Enduringly, Secret Messages maintains relevance in examinations of backmasking's role in cultural anxieties, cited in media explorations of subliminal audio myths as late as 2024. Among enthusiasts, it exemplifies Lynne's transitional phase toward , with its unreleased double-album intent underscoring creative ambition curtailed by budget constraints—18 tracks were recorded, but only 10 issued initially. Fan communities continue to dissect its layered audio secrets, affirming its niche legacy in music production history over mass cultural permeation.

References

  1. https://www.allmusic.com/album/secret-messages-mw0000650114
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  8. https://www.theingroove.com/products/electric-light-orchestra-secret-messages-lp
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  60. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20141003-the-hidden-messages-in-songs
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