Jeff's old lyrics

[tl77]

Is there any way to contact Jeff and ask for lyrics to his pre-ELO songs? There are certain Idle Race lyrics and certainly some The Move lyrics that one can't be 100% sure about just by listening. "What?" is one of my all time favorite songs and it really bothers me that I don't know what he really sings. The Message From The Country is hard to hear too. I'm sure that Jeff doesn't care for these "wacky" songs anymore, but is there a way to reach him and ask for the lyrics??

Or would it be possible to have Jeff do what Jon Anderson and Keith Reid have done, for example. Jon Anderson once checked the lyrics on some website (although I still don't think they were correct after that!), and Keith Reid has co-operated with the Beyond The Pale website on lyrics.

Or is the "What?" lyric going to be a mystery forever?

[queenofthehours]

I didn’t think Jeff held much value on the words he sang. After reading a number of interviews I got the impression that lyrics were difficult for him to come up with after the relative ease of writing the music. However, after hearing what Jeff recently said about the songwords taking on new meaning these days it seems he does take notice of the lyrics he sings.

I can’t comment on Jon Anderson but I think Keith Reid’s co-operation in checking his lyrics at the Beyond the Pale site had a lot to do with the status of the site as the main, most comprehensive and respected Procol Harum site on the net and there just isn’t the equivalent for ELO/Jeff.

Sure, we’re lucky to have the wondrous Discovery site and the Jeff Lynne Song Database to name but two; any band would be envious of those websites. One could visit them and be lost for hours in ELO-ness. However, neither covers *all* aspects of the band or Jeff and, as far as I know, there’s no site with a dedicated lyrics section. If there were maybe we’d get closer to the truth of what the heck Jeff’s singing about half the time! It may even tempt him to clear up a few things.

I have great doubt that Jeff would check the words, though. He’s not known for his personal internet presence or his interest in anything more than his music. I don’t think he even imagines that there are people out there who value his lyrics like we do and he’d be surprised to learn there are people like us who take a much deeper interest in his work than simply listening to it!

[Rob 2095]

tl77,

There are many lyric focused websites where the words to material your asking about can be found.

An example: click there, no here

[tl77]

Nov 9, 2014 16:01:30 GMT Rob 2095 said:

tl77,

There are many lyric focused websites where the words to material your asking about can be found.

An example: click there, no here

Yes, but those are based on somebody sitting down, listening to the albums and transcribing what he/she hears. It's the same with sheet music. If the original album didn't contain a lyric sheet, it's very likely that we'll never get 100% correct lyrics - only more and less likely suggestions. I've always found this sad.

Here are Roy's Looking On "lyrics" from such website. I certainly wouldn't use this source if I did a cover version! In fact I couldn't do a cover version, because I have no idea what Roy sings.


Standing up in someone's place looking down on me

Now I may behold your face as it's supposed to be



Get you in but tried enough to keep you be

Give you in to take a...that you will be



Oh may it not be so

See me looking down

I'm just looking on



Standing with their heads...

Closing 'round on me

There's a pain inside my chest

Where my soul should be



Give you in but see you as they all smile down

Get you in that meet you as they all cry now



Oh may it not be so

See me looking down

I'm just looking on



Standing up in someone's place looking down on me

Now I may behold your face as it's supposed to be



Get you in but tried enough to keep you be

Give you in to take a...that you will be

[queenofthehours]

The only lyrics I trust are those written on the album sleeves and they aren't always right.