Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky
"Mr. Blue Sky" is a quintessential song by the British rock group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), prominently featured on their seventh studio album, Out of the Blue (1977) . Penned and produced by the band's frontman, Jeff Lynne, the track serves as the fourth and concluding piece of the "Concerto for a Rainy Day" suite, which occupies side three of the original double album . Released as the second single from Out of the Blue, it achieved considerable commercial success, reaching number 6 on the UK Singles Chart and number 35 on the US Billboard Hot 100 . Its enduring popularity and frequent appearances in various television shows and films have led many to consider it the band's signature song .
The genesis of "Mr. Blue Sky" is rooted in a period of creative struggle and subsequent inspiration experienced by Jeff Lynne. He recounted in a BBC Radio interview that he had sequestered himself in a Swiss chalet, endeavoring to compose material for ELO's follow-up album to A New World Record . For two weeks, the weather remained persistently dark and misty, hindering his creative flow. However, a sudden and dramatic shift occurred when the sun emerged, revealing the breathtaking beauty of the Alps. This moment of clarity and joy proved to be a catalyst, inspiring Lynne to write "Mr. Blue Sky" and 13 other songs within the subsequent two weeks .
The song's arrangement is notable for its intricate layering and distinctive sonic elements. A prominent, cowbell-like sound, credited to percussionist Bev Bevan, was uniquely produced using a fire extinguisher . Dominic King, in a description for the BBC, highlighted the song's rich tapestry of influences, noting vocal inflections reminiscent of the Gibb Brothers and various Beatles' arrangement quotes, such as the bell from "Penny Lane," the panting from "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," and the arpeggio guitars from "Abbey Road" . King further praised the
song's "bendy guitar solo, funky cello stop-chorus, and the most freakatastic vocoder since Sparky's Magic Piano." He described the overall effect as "Kitsch, yet truly exhilarating," particularly noting the "musical ambush on 'way' at 2.51" and the "Swingle Singers/RKO Tarzan movie/Rachmaninoff symphonic finale" . A heavily vocoded voice singing "Mr. Blue Sky" and the phrase "please turn me over" at the end (instructing listeners to flip the LP) are also distinctive features .
Critics have widely lauded "Mr. Blue Sky" for its innovative composition and homage to pop and rock influences. Donald A. Guarisco of AllMusic characterized it as a "miniature pop symphony" and a "multi-layered pop treat that was a pure Beatles pastiche." He drew parallels between the song's two-note hypnotic verses and "I Am the Walrus," and its effervescent chorus, also noting the staccato bassline reminiscent of "Hello Goodbye" and the pounding piano lines and panting background vocals akin to "A Day in the Life" . Music critic Nick DeRiso also identified several Beatles references, including "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" .
Billboard praised the song's "catchy" beat and its progression from a "thumping intro" to a "harmonic operatic" ending . Cash Box highlighted its "characteristically full sound and effective use of breaks," along with its "fast pace, airy singing and strings" that provide "musical dramatics" . Record World affirmed Jeff Lynne's legend as a writer and producer, emphasizing ELO's unique sound .
In contemporary assessments, Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci ranked it as ELO's best song, while Classic Rock History critic Brian Kachejian placed it as the second best, specifically commending the "bouncing piano groove at the beginning of the song" . Stereogum contributor Ryan Reed also rated it as ELO's second best, describing it as a "stand-alone art-pop epic, a sort of engorged 'Penny Lane' – built on stomping pianos, manic cowbell...and an octave-spanning choral vocal arrangement" . Jeff Lynne himself included "Mr. Blue Sky" among his nine favorite ELO songs in 2022 .
Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky Lyrics
Sun is shinin' in the sky
There ain't a cloud in sight
It's stopped rainin', everybody's in the play
And don't you know
It's a beautiful new day? Hey
Runnin' down the avenue
See how the sun shines brightly in the city
On the streets where once was pity
Mr. Blue Sky is living here today, hey
Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why
You had to hide away for so long (so long)
Where did we go wrong?
Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why
You had to hide away for so long (so long)
Where did we go wrong?
Hey you with the pretty face
Welcome to the human race
A celebration, Mr. Blue Sky's up there waitin'
And today is the day we've waited for
Oh, Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why
You had to hide away for so long (so long)
Where did we go wrong?
Hey there, Mr. Blue
We're so pleased to be with you
Look around, see what you do
Everybody smiles at you
Hey there, Mr. Blue
We're so pleased to be with you
Look around, see what you do
Everybody smiles at you
Mr. Blue, you did it right
But soon comes Mr. Night creepin' over
Now his hand is on your shoulder
Never mind, I'll remember you this
I'll remember you this way
Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why
You had to hide away for so long (so long)
Where did we go wrong?
Hey there Mr. Blue (sky)
We're so pleased to be with you (sky)
Look around see what you do (blue)
Everybody smiles at you