Xanadu soundtrack on CD (pt2)

I'm curious. Did he ever perform any of the Xanadu songs live?

 

Not to my knowledge, though I can imagine Don't Walk Away working in the same basic arrangement as the recent "Bungalow Palace" special where he tackled other songs from his past...

 

I always found it odd that I never seen him perform those songs. Easy medley to do in concert if nothing else.

 

I had read that somewhere a long time ago that he distanced himself from the soundtrack. I always found that weird, because for me, I always loved all the ELO tracks on Xanadu and now that I've heard a lot of there studio albums, the ELO stuff on Xanadu really had that classic ELO sound...at least that I fell in love with. I wonder if somewhere back then he just had bad feeling about the whole project, he did say in that short interview above that it took 8 months to complete the Xanadu tracks, and considering how some of his studio albums for ELO came about within weeks to write...8 months must have seemed like an eternity.

It's sad to think that it took, 9 years for the Xanadu soundtrack to made it to CD (for Australia) then 10 years for it to make it to CD in Japan, then it took 18 years to make it to CD for the US & UK countries. For the US & UK, that's just crazy. Olivia joked about it in her concerts even back to 82/83 with Physical tour when she says.."I made another movie...(audience starts cheering cause they know she talking about Xanadu) then she says...you mean you saw it...at least half dozen people out there" she continued to use that joke even in her recent concerts when she goes to start her Xanadu tracks. It seems every concert I have attended of her's the reception on the Xanadu tracks in tremendous..the audience is so into it, singing, chanting and using glow sticks and holding them up to make the famous X when she singing "we are in Xanadu" it's really a site to see. I think she underestimated the impact these songs from Xanadu had on her fan base.

 

Oh wow...let's hope...I'd love to hear his solo version of "All Over The World" I would buy a collection just for that alone.

 

I think a lot of Jeff's resentment came from having to continue overdubbing to his original demo tracks or early studio recordings because the producers synchonised the choreographed sequences to these early sources, meaning that the final songs weren't quite to his own levels of perfection. If you listen really carefully, the tempo of a certain track varies quite obviously throughout, and the leaked home demo of The Fall confirms just how much of this made it into the end version. Despite a lot of elements being significantly reworked, All Over The World needed to fit the time of the preliminary take heard on the film's production reel, while many present at the shooting of the Xanadu segment have claimed they only heard a very preliminary backing with some kind of ad-lib in place of the title vocals. I can imagine that Jeff having to slave over the same six songs for months would have driven him crazy, and even though the soundtrack was hugely successful I think he took that particular sound to its limit. The overall style of Time was certainly a deliberate reaction, plus it started the "less is more" trend he would later continue into his solo work and then back under the ELO name again.

 

I think that's definitely true of the first few years after the film came out. It would have been a real disappointment after the unprecedented success of 'Grease' and despite the warning signs I don't imagine anyone involved with 'Xanadu' expected it to receive the reviews it did (let's be honest, the plot makes no sense but it's hardly the most offensively bad, or bland, movie musical of its time). In recent years, Olivia seems to have acknowledged its place in her own career as well as its cult status with pride. What's more, she has never said a bad word about the music, regardless of what she thinks about the film or her acting in it. She has sung every one of her songs from the soundtrack on her tours in the past 10 years bar 'Whenever You're Away From Me' which is fairly impressive. No other album in her catalogue receives that strong a showing in her setlists, other than 'Grease'.


x

 

I'm certainly no expert on the subject, but to me the whole Xanadu project should be analysed in the future as a case of producers throwing a million different ideas at the wall and hoping for the best. The likes of Grease and Saturday Night Fever proved that movies featuring prominent music were huge box office draws, Olivia was still a major star after the former's success plus I'm sure the idea of having Gene Kelly on board seemed good on paper as well. However, the combination of roller skating and disco elements was perhaps a bit too late an exercise in bandwagon jumping. Despite being absolutely fantastic as a standalone EP, I never really warmed to the non-ELO side of the soundtrack, which even Jeff Lynne himself quickly came to regard as being too slick, hence the sudden (and quite drastic) leap from this material to the following year's Time album. The appearance of rather diverse special guests on Olivia's songs always gave me the impression someone didn't think she had what it took as a solo act, even if John Farrar was at his peak as her collaborator around this point - I might not be her biggest fan, yet even I can't deny just how potent this pairing was for a while. Although I found the sequence directed by Don Bluth a fantastic highlight, it's further evidence of my belief those in control were desperate to try literally anything in order to create a hit at the end of the day... and I've still not covered the point about the whole thing being constructed around a very loose remake that experienced so many alterations it's a miracle the final script even has a coherent plot. Add to all of this uncertain mix a lead actor who seemed completely out of his comfort zone and there's no way Xanadu should have succeeded, but somehow it endures as a cult favourite. For me, it's that beautiful animated portion along with those five tracks written and produced by Jeff that hold up the most, though I must admit they're very much the best guilty pleasures out there! Considering my screen name here, wouldn't it be a little hypocritical if I didn't like All Over The World?

 

Xanadu was meant to be a hodge podge of cinema magic, sort of a best of old fashioned Hollywood films blended with modern day tastes. They just didn't nail it from either side and I'm sure the budget didn't help matters.

The male lead is a weak link. I'd rather see an older Gene Kelly get the girl. They would have been better off eliminating that character all together and have Gene's character getting a second chance years later with his favorite muse. And I've stated in the first part of this thread that I would have been much happier if Jeff Lynne himself had the lead male role instead of the Warrior guy. It would have felt more authentic if nothing else.

I have always felt that there was also no real antagonist which is what I feel is the weak link to the story. The Broadway show wisely cleared that up. Some more humor would have helped too.

I'll completely disagree with you about the ONJ side of the music. It should be slick for a film musical like this. Jeff's side is just as slick. And the ONJ side is just as brilliant as the ELO side.

And the animation is a highlight for me too, though a lot of people tend to groan when it comes on. I had the fortune to interview Don Bluth a few years after this film and I just gushed about this scene to him.

 

I totally forgot about the Broadway show adding an antagonist... it's too bad we're unlikely to ever get a cinematic remake, as this well-needed plot element could be added! Also, can you imagine how great the ending would have been if Gene Kelly got the girl and Olivia somehow transformed him into a younger version of himself (played by Jeff Lynne for the inevitable closing musical number, of course)?

 

Great idea, but would Jeff have been able to lose that thick accent of his???

The decision to cast Michael as the male lead was a poor choice. If you look at him even in that "making of xanadu" he looks completely out of his element and at the interview scene with Gene and Olivia, Michael just looks stone faced. There were so many other good choices and could have ended in a higher rating.

Gene Kelly brought the movie up a few notches and saved it from utter failure.

 

Not only did he not play any of the songs live, he also tried to, most of the times succesfully, delete any contenders for compilation albums. When he made his own "Xanadu" version in 2000 it seemed he finally had softened up to those songs.

The reason for avoiding the album was not really about the songs themselves but had more to do with the disappointment with the movie. He has stated in interviews quite a few times that he has yet to see the movie!!

 

Got an idea!!!

Olivia reprises her role as Kira....

Xanadu II

We learn that Kira and Michael married and had a child. However the marriage didn't last and soon after Sonny is killed in a freak carnival ride accident. Her sisters return to comfort and abide in the healing process...insert new music by Olivia. Her sisters head back to Mt Helicon and plead with the powers to be to return Kira as a full fledged muse...insert more music special effects..laser beams and light show with graphics that would put the original opening number to shame. Jeff Lynne has agreed to write new scores and another 5 songs to the movie soundtrack. I'm alive gets a new twist as Kira is transported back.

Olivia hears from her sisters that under the circumstances the wish has been granted. Olivia leaves her daughter in good hands of a well known pop singer Kylie Minogue (that scene is to die for...with new music by Kylie and a special duet with her and Kira when the heartbreaking scene arrives when Kira must leave but promises to be back for her daughter. John Farrar has agreed to write the additional tracks to complete the album and the duet with Kira and Kylie tops the charts worldwide its written by John Farrar and radio stations are getting requests to play this hit song. The duet is exclusive to the CD release so sales for the CD set new sales records. The CD is mastered perfectly...no loudness wars and no extreme brightness. Some to appreciate this even more...hint hint...

Kira arrives at the mural scene (no skates here folks) the mural scene is still visible worn and faded but takes you back to the original movie, suddenly the colors change and the fading becomes new you can feel the electricity in the air and a new wind is blowing...the skies are opening and we are alive....

Oh wow...suddenly I'm getting writers block...can anyone help me with the next scene and how the story line plays out???

 

I've never heard Jeff drop his Birmingham accent when speaking (even though he's lived in Los Angeles for nearly the past 20 years), but when singing it's a different matter entirely... he's clearly quite the vocal chameleon, able to apply various different tones at will - sometimes alternating in the same song! He can even convincingly take on the characteristics of others including Bob Dylan and Roy Orbison, plus at times he's been described as sounding like John Lennon, not to mention the falsetto or shouting he occasionally adopts.

 

Then he should get a bottle of whiskey, man up and finally watch the thing.

 

Wish I had that bottle of whiskey the one and only time I watched it!

 

If I had 1 bottle of whiskey for every time I've seen this movie....I'd have well over 35 bottles of un-opened whiskey!! (free to the next poster)

 

Ok - its been a while since I saw the movie (on some foggy VHS). No doubt a better format would serve the movie better but I still find it hard to believe I would find it on par with the brilliant soundtrack.

 

Watch it a second time with 2 bottles of whiskey! I think we can come up with a drinking game to go with Xanadu, such as every time Kira's and Sonny's names are said you take a shot.

 

Here's four more pages from the Japan Xanadu movie program.

 

That program is a winner. I like the photo of "hey kid, got something to cheer you up...I'd like you to meet my friend" and the last photo must have been a rehearsal photo as Kira never wore that outfit. The ending was so climatic that I always wished they had more scenes that displayed the sci-fi feel...just think if Jeff was the male lead...we'd get all that and more.

 

As requested. These were quickly shot with the phone.

Front


Inside


CD


Released by Festival Mushroom


I hope that helps!

 

Thanks very much for the pics! Now I feel a little better...your copy is exactly the same as mine in every way, except, the only difference is that mine now says Manufactured and distributed by Warner Music Australia, instead of Festival Mushroom Records...otherwise they look like exact copies. Perhaps Festival Records is now a defunct label in AU, or was bought out by Warner Music?

I still need to listen to this disc on my home stereo and in my car stereo to get a good feel for it, but so far, it appears to be a very good sounding single disc compilation and the live tracks are a real treat.

 

FYI, I finally listened to the 2005 ONJ Australian GOLD "best of" CD on my home stereo today and I discovered that IMO, it has the BEST sounding Magic on CD, even better than the XANADU Japan CD! It sounds exactly as if the Xanadu Japan CD was nicely remastered, and brought more upfront in the speakers...it is literally near perfect sounding! Now, this is how the U.K. Xanadu CD should have sounded, but unfortunately, Magic on the U.K. CD (and all of the songs for that matter) is way too bright and sugary, but not on GOLD - take away the brightness, and what you have left on GOLD is a very dynamic, and natural sounding Magic, that sounds just as upfront as it does on the U.K. CD, but without the overly done bright and glossy sound.

When I initially played this GOLD CD last night on my computer in mp3 form, after I ripped the CD, it sounded a little bright to me in mp3 form, but all that went away when I played it on my home stereo...wow, what a difference! IMO, this AU GOLD CD might be the best sounding, single disc comp she has, although it is missing many studio tracks, but does make up for it a little bit by adding 7 rare live tracks, reportedly from a Taj Mahal, Atlantic City concert in 1999.

I also compared the song Magic on the GOLD CD to Magic on the U.S. 2001 Universal MAGIC comp, and the '01 comp actually sounds terrible in comparison...it is very flat and dull.

Now, the XANADU Japan CD is still the best sounding XANADU soundtrack CD, since all of the others have major issues, while the Japan CD still has warmth and a natural audio quality, but as far as the song Magic goes, I believe I have found the best sounding version on CD, which is the 2005 Australian GOLD comp.

 

Just wanted to add a few more comments, as I just did another comparison between Magic on the AU GOLD CD and Magic on the U.K. XANADU CD. I believe I know why I initially thought the GOLD CD sounded bright to me...the hi-hat on Magic is VERY pronounced and crystal clear, and could be mistaken for brightness, but the hi-hat is not as noticeable on all other versions, but the song in general still has a very natural sound quality to it, I really like it. Also, it is a little bit louder than even the U.K. XANADU CD, but it does sound pretty dynamic to me as well, so the loudness doesn't appear to be an issue.

I was just struck at how great Magic sounded on this AU GOLD CD because on every other comp, that song pales in comparison to the versions on all of the XANADU soundtrack CDs, but for some reason, it's nicely done on this '05 Aust. GOLD CD and actually rivals the XANADU Japan and U.K. CD's version of Magic.