Nightrider (song)

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"Nightrider"
Single by Electric Light Orchestra
from the album Face the Music
A-side	"Do Ya"
B-side	"Daybreaker" (Live)
Released	19 March 1976 (UK) February 1977 (US)
Recorded	1975, Musicland Studios, Munich, Germany
Genre	Art rock
Length	4:25 (Album version) 3:45 (UK single edit)
Label	Jet (UK) Jet/United Artists (US)
Songwriter(s)	Jeff Lynne
Producer(s)	Jeff Lynne
Electric Light Orchestra singles chronology
"Strange Magic" (1976) "Nightrider" (1976) "Livin' Thing" (1976)
Face the Music track listing
show 8 tracks Side one "Fire On High" "Waterfall" "Evil Woman" "Nightrider" Side two "Poker" "Strange Magic" "Down Home Town" "One Summer Dream"

"Nightrider" is a song from Electric Light Orchestra's (ELO) album Face the Music.

The song's title is a titular tip of the hat to Lynne's first major band, The Nightriders. This was the third single released from the album after "Evil Woman", in 1976. The B-side on the single was a live version of "Daybreaker" taken from the 1974 live album The Night the Light Went On in Long Beach.^[1] Despite ELO's rising popularity, the song failed to chart. The song was also included as the B-side on the US hit single "Do Ya".^[2]

Between 3:16 and 3:19, the song features a string crescendo which was reused (played backwards, from 2:40 to 2:44) on another of the album's tracks, "Evil Woman".

"I took the high string part of Nightrider that climbs up to a climax, and used it backwards in Evil Woman as a big effect. I was amazed when it slotted in seamlessly." - Jeff Lynne (Face the Music remaster liner notes)

During live performances, Jeff Lynne and Kelly Groucutt would swap vocals during the song.

Personnel[]

• Jeff Lynne - lead vocals, guitars
• Bev Bevan - drums, backing vocals
• Richard Tandy - piano, moog synthesizer
• Kelly Groucutt - bass, lead and backing vocals
• Mik Kaminski - violin
• Hugh McDowell - cello
• Melvyn Gale - cello

Additional musicians[]

• Jeff Lynne, Richard Tandy and Louis Clark - orchestral and choral arrangements
• Louis Clark - orchestra conductor

References[]

External links[]

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

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