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Showdown (Electric Light Orchestra song)
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Showdown (Electric Light Orchestra song)
"Showdown" is a 1973 song written by Jeff Lynne and recorded by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was the band's last contemporary recording to be released on the Harvest label. The song was released as a single and reached No 12 in the UK Singles Chart, in the week beginning 28 October, and No 9 on the Norwegian chart VG-lista. The song was used as the closing track in the TV series "Dexter: Resurrection"; season 1 episode 7, "Course Correction"
In the US the song was included on the album On the Third Day (1973), while in the UK the song was omitted from that album but featured a year later on the band's first compilation album, also entitled Showdown. In 2006 the remastered issue of On the Third Day would feature the song on the album in both countries for the first time. [citation needed]
The song showed a change of style for ELO, with a funkier backbeat beneath the band's trademark sweeping strings, and the inclusion of a clavinet. The record was a favourite of John Lennon's at the time, who dubbed the band "Son of Beatles" in a US radio interview. Lennon described the song as "a beautiful combination” of Marvin Gaye’s 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine' and Lou Christie’s 'Lightnin' Strikes,' with a little ['I Am the Walrus'] underneath."
Marc Bolan of T. Rex was at the session where the song was recorded and played on several of the band's tracks at that time, but did not play on "Showdown" itself. Instead, Jeff Lynne borrowed Bolan's Gibson Firebird guitar to play over the instrumental break.
Lynne said "I made the riff up and I was thrilled with it. I knew it was going to be a hit even after I had just done a few notes of it. When we cut it the engineer said, ‘This is a classic.’ I was thrilled to bits."
Cash Box said the song "can almost be termed 'classical blues' and sheds a new light on the group that most folks will immediately be attracted to." Record World called it "a Jeff Lynne original that's bound to click on AM and FM alike."
Stereogum contributor Ryan Reed rated it as ELO's 6th best song. John Lennon rated the song highly and said ""Showdown' I thought was a great record and I was expecting it to be #1 but I don’t think UA [United Artists] got their fingers out and pushed it. And it’s a nice group – I call them 'Son of Beatles' – although they’re doing things we never did, obviously."
In 2022 Lynne listed it as one of his nine favourite ELO songs.
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Showdown (Electric Light Orchestra song)
"Showdown" is a 1973 song written by Jeff Lynne and recorded by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was the band's last contemporary recording to be released on the Harvest label. The song was released as a single and reached No 12 in the UK Singles Chart, in the week beginning 28 October, and No 9 on the Norwegian chart VG-lista. The song was used as the closing track in the TV series "Dexter: Resurrection"; season 1 episode 7, "Course Correction"
In the US the song was included on the album On the Third Day (1973), while in the UK the song was omitted from that album but featured a year later on the band's first compilation album, also entitled Showdown. In 2006 the remastered issue of On the Third Day would feature the song on the album in both countries for the first time. [citation needed]
The song showed a change of style for ELO, with a funkier backbeat beneath the band's trademark sweeping strings, and the inclusion of a clavinet. The record was a favourite of John Lennon's at the time, who dubbed the band "Son of Beatles" in a US radio interview. Lennon described the song as "a beautiful combination” of Marvin Gaye’s 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine' and Lou Christie’s 'Lightnin' Strikes,' with a little ['I Am the Walrus'] underneath."
Marc Bolan of T. Rex was at the session where the song was recorded and played on several of the band's tracks at that time, but did not play on "Showdown" itself. Instead, Jeff Lynne borrowed Bolan's Gibson Firebird guitar to play over the instrumental break.
Lynne said "I made the riff up and I was thrilled with it. I knew it was going to be a hit even after I had just done a few notes of it. When we cut it the engineer said, ‘This is a classic.’ I was thrilled to bits."
Cash Box said the song "can almost be termed 'classical blues' and sheds a new light on the group that most folks will immediately be attracted to." Record World called it "a Jeff Lynne original that's bound to click on AM and FM alike."
Stereogum contributor Ryan Reed rated it as ELO's 6th best song. John Lennon rated the song highly and said ""Showdown' I thought was a great record and I was expecting it to be #1 but I don’t think UA [United Artists] got their fingers out and pushed it. And it’s a nice group – I call them 'Son of Beatles' – although they’re doing things we never did, obviously."
In 2022 Lynne listed it as one of his nine favourite ELO songs.