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Look at Me Now (Electric Light Orchestra song)

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"Look at Me Now"
Song by the Electric Light Orchestra
from the album The Electric Light Orchestra
Released1971
Recorded31 December 1970–June 1971
StudioPhilips, London
GenreBaroque and roll
Length3:17
LabelHarvest
Songwriter(s)Jeff Lynne
Producer(s)

"Look at Me Now" is a 1971 song by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), featured on the band's debut album The Electric Light Orchestra (1971). It was written by singer-songwriter Roy Wood and was the second track on the album. Wood plays all the instruments in the song.[1]

Background

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The song takes large inspiration from The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby", a fact that several critics note.[2][3]

Composition and lyrics

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"Look at Me Now" is follows a grim, dark narrative about the murder of a former lover, which leads to several ghostly presences.[4] The instrumentation includes woodwind instruments such as clarinets, flutes,[4] oboes, and recorders, while also having string instruments like the guitar and the cello,[5] the song having a strong reliance on the latter. A french horn on the track is tuned to sound more like a medieval instrument such as crumhorn or a shawm.[1]

Critical reception

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Bruce Eder of AllMusic described the track as a "sweet, melodic follow-up" to The Move's "Beautiful Daughter" (also written by Wood).[6]

Personnel

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Electric Light Orchestra

  • Roy Wood – french horn,[1] vocals, cello, clarinet, oboe, guitar, recorder,[5] flute[4]

Additional personnel

  • Roger Wake - engineering
  • Pete Cliff - engineering

References

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  1. ^ a b c Delve, Barry (4 August 2022). Electric Light Orchestra on Track. Sonicbond Publishing Ltd. pp. 9–10. ISBN 978-1-78952-224-2.
  2. ^ Kiste, John Van der (19 August 2017). Electric Light Orchestra: Song by Song. Fonthill Media. pp. 54–55.
  3. ^ "The History of Rock Music. Electric Light Orchestra: biography, discography, reviews, ratings, best albums". Scaruffi. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Altrockchick (27 September 2016). "The Electric Light Orchestra – No Answer – Classic Music Review". Altrockchick. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  5. ^ a b Porter, Robert. "Electric Light Orchestra - Look at Me Now". Jeff Lynne Songs. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  6. ^ Bogdanov, Vladimir; Woodstra, Chris; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2002). All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 978-0-87930-653-3.