# Afterglow (Electric Light Orchestra album)

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| MusicHound | 3/5 |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
Afterglow is the third box set compilation by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released in 1990 with liner notes by music critic and editor Ira Robbins of Trouser Press. A different two-CD compilation with identical artwork was issued simultaneously under the title The Very Best of The Electric Light Orchestra.

## Overview: Afterglow

The box set mixes the usual hit singles with lesser known album tracks and non-album B-sides, and is most notable for including most of the Secret Messages (1983) tracks that were not released when the intended album was reduced from a double to a single LP as well as B-sides from Balance of Power (1986) singles.
The discs of the box set were labelled with letters "E", "L" and "O", each covering a different compilation set of albums:
* Disc "E" – The Electric Light Orchestra (1971; tracks 1–2), ELO 2 (1973; tracks 3–6), On the Third Day (1973; tracks 7–9) and Eldorado (1974; tracks 10–11) (with the exception of "One Summer Dream" from Face the Music (1975))
* Disc "L" – Face the Music (tracks 1, 3, 5–6), A New World Record (1976; tracks 2, 4, 7–10), Out of the Blue (1977; tracks 11–15) and Discovery (1979; tracks 16–17)
* Disc "O" – Time (1981; tracks 1–2, 6 & 9), Secret Messages (1983; tracks 10 & 18) and Balance of Power (1986; tracks 13 & 16) (with the exception of "Shine a Little Love" from Discovery)
The songs from soundtrack album Xanadu (1980) were not included.
The song "Destination Unknown", which was previously released as a B-side to "Calling America" single, was issued as promo only CD single.

## Track listing: Afterglow

All tracks written by Jeff Lynne, except "Roll Over Beethoven" by Chuck Berry and Ludwig van Beethoven.

### Disc E (Disc 1)

* "10538 Overture" – 5:32
* "Mr. Radio" – 5:04
* "Kuiama" – 11:19
* "In Old England Town (Boogie No. 2)" – 6:54
* "Mama" – 7:03
* "Roll Over Beethoven" – 8:08
* "Bluebird Is Dead" – 4:24
* "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" – 3:52
* "Showdown" – 4:07
* "Can't Get It Out of My Head" – 4:25
* "Boy Blue" – 5:20
* "One Summer Dream" – 5:47

### Disc L (Disc 2)

* "Evil Woman" – 4:18
* "Tightrope" – 5:03
* "Strange Magic" – 4:29
* "Do Ya" – 3:44
* "Nightrider" – 4:22
* "Waterfall" – 4:10
* "Rockaria!" – 3:14
* "Telephone Line" – 4:39
* "So Fine" – 3:54
* "Livin' Thing" – 3:31
* "Mr. Blue Sky" (Japanese 7" edit) – 3:44
* "Sweet Is the Night" – 3:27
* "Turn to Stone" – 3:48
* "Sweet Talkin' Woman" – 3:48
* "Steppin' Out" – 4:38
* "Midnight Blue" – 4:17
* "Don't Bring Me Down" – 4:03

### Disc O (Disc 3)

* "Prologue" – 1:16
* "Twilight" – 3:33
* "Julie Don't Live Here" – 3:40
** B-side to the "Twilight" single, 1981
* "Shine a Little Love" – 4:39
* "When Time Stood Still" – 3:33
** B-side to the "Hold on Tight" single, 1981
* "Rain Is Falling" – 3:57
* "The Bouncer" – 3:13
** B-side to the "Four Little Diamonds" single, 1983; Previously unreleased in the US
* "Hello My Old Friend" – 7:51
** Previously unreleased
* "Hold on Tight" – 3:06
* "Four Little Diamonds" – 4:08
** features a slightly longer intro than the album version
* "Mandalay" – 5:19
** Previously unreleased
* "Buildings Have Eyes" – 3:55
** B-side to "Secret Messages" single; Previously unreleased in the US
* "So Serious" – 2:39
* "A Matter of Fact" – 3:58
** B-side to "So Serious" single; Previously unreleased in the US
* "No Way Out" – 3:23
** Previously unreleased
* "Getting to the Point" – 4:28
* "Destination Unknown" – 4:05
** B-side to "Calling America" 12 inch UK single; Previously unreleased in the US
* "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" (Single edit) – 3:07

## Track listing: The Very Best Of The Electric Light Orchestra

All tracks written by Jeff Lynne, except "Roll Over Beethoven" by Chuck Berry.

### Disc 1

* "Evil Woman" – 4:18
* "Livin' Thing" – 3:31
* "Turn to Stone" – 3:48
* "Can't Get It Out of My Head" – 4:25
* "Rockaria!" – 3:14
* "Telephone Line" – 4:39
* "Mr. Blue Sky" (Japanese 7" edit) – 3:44
* "Sweet Talkin' Woman" – 3:48
* "Confusion" – 3:42
* "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" (Album version) – 3:43
* "Strange Magic" – 4:05
* "Calling America" – 4:05

### Disc 2

* "Don't Bring Me Down" – 4:03
* "So Serious" – 2:41
* "Getting to the Point" – 4:28
* "Do Ya" – 3:45
* "Hold on Tight" – 3:06
* "Secret Messages" (Album version) – 4:47
* "Wild West Hero" – 4:40
* "Here Is the News" – 3:49
* "Shine a Little Love" – 4:40
* "I'm Alive" – 3:45
* "All Over the World" – 4:01
* "Roll Over Beethoven" (Single edit) – 4:32

## Personnel

* Jeff Lynne – vocals, guitars
* Bev Bevan – drums, percussion
* Richard Tandy – keyboards, guitar
* Kelly Groucutt – bass, vocals (1974 onwards)
* Mike de Albuquerque – bass (to 1974)
* Bill Hunt – French horn, hunting horn (tracks 1 & 2 on Disc E)
* Mik Kaminski – violin
* Wilfred Gibson – violin (tracks 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 & 9 on Disc E)
* Steve Woolam – violin (tracks 1 & 2 on Disc E)
* Mike Edwards – cello (to 1974)
* Melvyn Gale – cello (1975 onwards)
* Hugh McDowell – cello
* Colin Walker – cello (tracks 3, 4, 5 & 6 on Disc E)
* Marc Bolan – guitar (on "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle")
* Roy Wood – vocals, guitars, cello, bass, wind instruments (tracks 1, 2 & 4 on Disc E)
* Ira Robbins (Trouser Press) – liner notes (1990)