Electric Light Orchestra -- Evil Woman
An in-depth song analysis
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Initially Released On: Face The Music LP album (1975 September — USA — United Artists UL-LA 546-G) |
Evil Woman was recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany some time in May and/or June 1975. Jeff Lynne wrote the song on a piano in the studio on the last days of recording, writing it very quickly. The band's recording for all of the other songs for the Face The Music album had been completed when Jeff needed another song. One morning, while the rest of the band was out, he sat at the piano and played the opening piano riff, which became the basis of the song. Later that same day, the rest of the band came in and recorded the backing track. The lyrics were written and recorded the next day at Musicland. The string and female choir parts were recorded (and possibly written) later at De Lane Lea Studios in Wembley, U.K.
As originally recorded, the song had an extra fourth verse as evidenced by the stripped down mix that appeared on the 2006 Face The Music remasters. Obviously this extra verse was discarded for the eventual release. This decision was probably made early in the construction of the song as there were no string tracks recorded for this part.
The song was released as a single in England on Jet records, one of the first on the new label, on January 10, 1976 with stock number "Jet 764" and having an edit of 10538 Overture from the The Night The Light Went On In Long Beach recording on the B-side. In the USA, it's the seventh single release and was released in October 1975, on United Artists records with stock number "UA-XW 729-Y" and the same edit of 10538 Overture on the B-side. It was also released as the third track of side 1 on the Face The Music album on September 1975 in the USA and November 1975 in England. Interestingly both single versions are edits of the album version, with the UK version simply editing off the intro and the USA version having several interesting edits. The B-side in many other countries was Nightrider and was Poker in Spain.
Evil Woman is significant as it is ELO's first worldwide hit, making the charts in many countries, including Top Ten in both the UK and USA. It entered the UK chart on January 10, 1976, peaked at #10 on January 31, 1976, and spent 8 weeks in the chart. In the USA, it entered the Billboard Top 100 chart on November 15, 1975, reached #10 for two consecutive weeks on February 14 & 21, 1976, spending 17 weeks in the chart and entered the Cash Box chart on November 15, 1975, reached #9 for two consecutive weeks on February 14 & 21, 1976, spending 19 weeks in the chart. It was ELO's fourth Billboard chart single.
There are two reused string sections in Evil Woman. The most obvious is the short flanged string interlude in the song's instrumental bridge. This is taken from the string section recording for the Electric Light Orchestra song Nightrider. On Evil Woman, it is played backwards and a flange effect is added. A sample demonstrating this can be heard by clicking HERE. This string interlude is sampled and used several times in a song called BEEP by the Pussycat Dolls featuring Will.I.Am from the Black Eyed Peas. Another interesting and not so obvious reused string section is a sample from Evil Woman that is used in Fire On High. A string section that plays over the intro to Evil Woman is reversed and used on the intro to Fire On High, shortly following the "the music is reversible" bit. A sample demonstrating this can be heard by clicking HERE.
It's not entirely clear if the orchestral intro to the song that is heard on the Face The Music album (and which is often excluded on compilations featuring the song), is actually intended to be a part of the song. It is known that the band recorded several orchestral "interludes" for the album to be used between tracks. It was not uncommon for the band to record such interludes, although they were rarely identified as such and simply merged into the intros or ends of other album tracks. Considering how often the intro is left off compilations, it implies that it is not actually an intro to the song, but rather a Face The Music interlude. Then again, Jeff Lynne himself had oversight on the 2000 Flashback project and that one included the intro (although attached to the end of the preceeding song, Tightrope). Until there is further clarity, it is assumed that it's a song intro and not an interlude.
Did Jeff Lynne have a particular woman in mind when he wrote Evil Woman? That's not entirely clear. He has rarely broached the subject and when he has, he certainly won't name names. It's possible it could be about someone he knows. It's also very likely that he didn't have anybody in mind when he wrote it and is only joking that it's about anybody at all. The answer remains unknown.
Structure and Lyrics
Below is the structure of the fullest, most complete version of the originally released song as available on the standard issues of the Face The Music album.
-Orchestral Intro
-Vocal Intro
You made a fool of me
But them broken dreams have got to end
-Piano Intro
Piano Riff #1
Piano Riff #2 with drum start
Piano Riff #3 with drums & guitar
Piano Riff #4 with drums & guitar
-Verse 1
Hey, woman, you got the blues
'Cause you ain't got no one else to use
There's an open road that leads nowhere
So just make some miles between here and there
There's a hole in my head where the rain comes in
You took my body and played to win
Ha ha, woman, it's a cryin' shame with female backing vocals harmonizing the Ha ha
But you ain't got nobody else to blame
-Chorus 1
Evil woman
Evil woman
Evil woman
Evil woman
-Verse 2
Rolled in from another town
Hit some gold too hot to settle down
But a fool and his money soon go separate ways
And you found a fool lyin' in a daze
Ha ha, woman, what you gonna do? with female backing vocals harmonizing the Ha ha
You destroyed all the virtues that the Lord gave you
So good that you're feelin' pain
But you better get your face on board the very next train with female backing vocals singing Hey, hey, hey
-Chorus 2
Evil woman
Evil woman
Evil woman with female backing vocals singing You're an evil woman
Evil woman
-Instrumental Break
Piano/String Riff #1
Piano/String Riff #2
Piano/String Riff #3 with female backing vocals singing Hey, hey, hey, hey
Rising String Part #1
Rising String Part #2 with female backing vocals singing Hey, hey, hey, hey
Descending String Part #1
Rising String Part #3 with female backing vocals singing Hey, hey, hey
-Flanged String Interlude
-Chorus 3
Evil woman
Evil woman
Evil woman with female backing vocals singing You're an evil woman
Evil woman
-Verse 3
Evil woman, how you done me wrong
But now you're tryin' to wail a different song
Ha ha, funny how you broke me up with female backing vocals harmonizing the Ha ha
You made the wine now you drink a cup
Came a'runnin' every time you cried
Thought I saw love smilin' in your eyes
Ha ha, honey, very nice to know with female backing vocals harmonizing the Ha ha
That you ain't got no place left to go
with female backing vocals singing Whoa, whoa, whoa
-Chorus 4
Evil woman
Evil woman
Evil woman with female backing vocals singing You're an evil woman
Evil woman
-Chorus 5
Evil woman
Evil woman with female backing vocals singing You're an evil woman
Evil woman with female backing vocals singing Such an evil woman
Evil woman with female backing vocals singing You're an evil woman
-Chorus 6
Evil woman with female backing vocals singing Such an evil woman
Evil woman with female backing vocals singing You're an evil woman
Evil woman
Variations
There are seven known non-live variations of the original Evil Woman They are:
-Evil Woman (Standard Release)
-Evil Woman (Edited UK Single Version)
-Evil Woman (Edited USA Single Version)
-Evil Woman (Edited USA Mono Single Version)
-Evil Woman (Edited Olé ELO Version)
-Evil Woman (Edited 18 Greatest Hits LP Version)
-Evil Woman (Stripped Down Mix)
The UK single version simply cuts the orchestral intro and fades a couple of lines early. This version is what appears on most compilation albums, not the full album version. The USA single version cuts both the orchestral and vocal intro, as well as two lines from the first verse, one line from the third verse, a large section of the instrumental bridge and a much earlier fade beginning a the end of the fourth chorus. This version has never been released on CD or anything other than the original USA single and the B-side of the 1978 Livin' Thing reissue single. This edited version also has a mono version available on the B-side of the USA issued promotional single. The version that first appeared on the 1976 Olé ELO album is only subtlely different, cutting the orchestral intro from the album like the UK single, but including the full album fade-out, unlike the UK single. The version found on the 1984 Australian 18 Greatest Hits LP cuts the entire instrumental bridge and the third chorus. However, curiously, unlike all other edits, it includes the orchestral intro from the album. The stripped down mix appears to be a raw backing track with added vocals. The arrangement is mostly the same except that there are no strings, no female backing vocals and the piano on the instrumental bridge is different. Also, the orchestral intro is cut (obviously) as well as the fifth chorus and the flanged string interlude. Most notable is the addition of the fourth verse.
Song Section Lyric/Part Evil Woman (Standard Release) Evil Woman (Edited UK Single Version) Evil Woman (Edited USA Single Version)
Evil Woman (Edited USA Mono Single Version)Evil Woman (Edited Olé ELO Version) Evil Woman (Edited 18 Greatest Hits LP Version) Evil Woman (Stripped Down Mix) Orchestral Intro Orchestral Intro YES - - - YES - Vocal Intro You made a fool of me YES YES - YES YES YES But them broken dreams have got to end YES YES - YES YES YES Piano Intro Piano Riff #1 YES YES YES YES YES YES Piano Riff #2 with drum start YES YES YES YES YES YES Piano Riff #3 with drums & guitar YES YES YES YES YES YES Piano Riff #4 with drums & guitar YES YES YES YES YES YES Verse 1 Hey, woman, you got the blues YES YES YES YES YES YES 'Cause you ain't got no one else to use YES YES YES YES YES YES There's an open road that leads nowhere YES YES YES YES YES YES So just make some miles between here and there YES YES YES YES YES YES There's a hole in my head where the rain comes in YES YES - YES YES YES You took my body and played to win YES YES - YES YES YES Ha ha, woman, it's a cryin' shame with female backing vocals harmonizing the Ha ha YES YES YES YES YES YES, but Jeff Lynne does the vocal harmonizing on the Ha ha But you ain't got nobody else to blame YES YES YES YES YES YES Chorus 1 Evil woman YES YES YES YES YES YES Evil woman YES YES YES YES YES YES Evil woman YES YES YES YES YES YES Evil woman YES YES YES YES YES YES Verse 2 Rolled in from another town YES YES YES YES YES YES Hit some gold too hot to settle down YES YES YES YES YES YES But a fool and his money soon go separate ways YES YES YES YES YES YES And you found a fool lyin' in a daze YES YES YES YES YES YES Ha ha, woman, what you gonna do? with female backing vocals harmonizing the Ha ha YES YES YES YES YES YES, but Jeff Lynne does the vocal harmonizing on the Ha ha You destroyed all the virtues that the Lord gave you YES YES YES YES YES YES So good that you're feelin' pain YES YES YES YES YES YES But you better get your face on board the very next train with female backing vocals singing Hey, hey, hey YES YES YES YES YES YES, but without the female backing vocals Chorus 2 Evil woman YES YES YES YES YES YES Evil woman YES YES YES YES YES YES Evil woman with female backing vocals singing You're an evil woman YES YES YES YES YES YES, but without the female backing vocals Evil woman YES YES YES YES YES YES Instrumental Break Piano/String Riff #1 YES YES YES YES - YES, but the piano arrangement is different and Jeff shouts Hey! at the beginning Piano/String Riff #2 YES YES YES YES - YES, but the piano arrangement is different Piano/String Riff #3 with female backing vocals singing Hey, hey, hey, hey YES YES - YES - YES, but the piano arrangement is different and no female backing vocals Rising String Part #1 YES YES - YES - YES, but the piano arrangement is different Rising String Part #2 with female backing vocals singing Hey, hey, hey, hey YES YES - YES - YES, but the piano arrangement is different and no female backing vocals Descending String Part #1 YES YES - YES - YES, but the piano arrangement is different Rising String Part #3 with female backing vocals singing Hey, hey, hey YES YES YES YES - YES, but the piano arrangement is different and no female backing vocals Flanged String Interlude Flanged String Interlude YES YES YES YES - - Chorus 3 Evil woman YES YES YES YES - YES Evil woman YES YES YES YES - YES Evil woman with female backing vocals singing You're an evil woman YES YES YES YES - YES, but without the female backing vocals Evil woman YES YES YES YES - YES Verse 3 Evil woman, how you done me wrong YES YES YES YES YES YES But now you're tryin' to wail a different song YES YES YES YES YES YES Ha ha, funny how you broke me up with female backing vocals harmonizing the Ha ha YES YES YES YES YES YES, but Jeff Lynne does the vocal harmonizing on the Ha ha You made the wine now you drink a cup YES YES YES YES YES YES Came a'runnin' every time you cried YES YES - YES YES YES, but the lyric starts as I came a'runnin'... Thought I saw love smilin' in your eyes YES YES YES YES YES YES Ha ha, honey, very nice to know with female backing vocals harmonizing the Ha ha YES YES YES YES YES YES, but Jeff Lynne does the vocal harmonizing on the Ha ha That you ain't got no place left to go with female backing vocals singing Whoa, whoa, whoa YES YES YES YES YES YES, but without the female backing vocals Chorus 4 Evil woman YES YES YES YES YES YES Evil woman YES YES YES YES YES YES Evil woman with female backing vocals singing You're an evil woman YES YES YES YES YES YES, but without the female backing vocals Evil woman YES YES YES, but fade begins YES YES YES Verse 4 Hang down for just a while - - - - - YES And I'll tell you a story that'll make you smile - - - - - YES 'Bout a dark-eyed woman with a Cadillac - - - - - YES But all she had was on her back - - - - - YES Well, a fool rushed in this time and saw - - - - - YES Just the kind of woman that he adored - - - - - YES She lay beside him and turned on her charm - - - - - YES But this devil's woman sure know how to do you harm - - - - - YES Chorus 5 Evil woman YES YES YES YES YES - Evil woman with female backing vocals singing You're an evil woman YES YES YES YES YES - Evil woman with female backing vocals singing Such an evil woman YES YES YES YES YES - Evil woman with female backing vocals singing You're an evil woman YES YES - YES YES - Chorus 6 Evil woman with female backing vocals singing Such an evil woman YES YES - YES YES YES, but without female backing vocals Evil woman with female backing vocals singing You're an evil woman YES - - YES YES YES, but without female backing vocals Evil woman with female backing vocals singing Such an evil woman YES - - YES YES YES, but without female backing vocals Evil woman - - - - - YES
Music Chart
These are the known statistics for the various country's music charts. If you can fill in the missing information or know of charting information in other countries, please let me know at the email address listed at the bottom of this page.
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Week 14 Week 15 Week 16 Week 17 Week 18 Week 19 UK Chart Entry Date: January 10, 1976 46 27 14 10
(January 31, 1976)11 11 28 32 USA Billboard Top 100 Chart Entry Date: November 15, 1975 87 77 60 49 40 28 24 20 18 16 15 14 13 10
(February 14, 1976)10
(February 21, 1976)26 44 USA Cash Box Top 100 Chart Entry Date: November 15, 1975 95 79 51 37 32 23 18 16 15 15 13 12 10 9
(February 14, 1976)9
(February 21, 1976)13 28 38 48 USA Record World Top 40 Chart Entry Date: [UNKNOWN] Peak of 9
during a run of an unknown number of weeks on the chartHolland Top 40 Chart Entry Date: December 27, 1975 30 28 20
(January 10, 1976)22 33 Australia Top 100 Chart Entry Date: [DATE UNKNOWN] ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Peak at #23 on February 2, 1976 during a run of 18 weeks on the chart Ireland Top 20 Chart Entry Date: February 19, 1976 ? ? ? Peak at #10 on [DATE UNKNOWN] during a run of 4 weeks on the chart
Releases
Here are all the known USA and UK releases of the song:
Evil Woman (Standard Release)
- Running Time: 4:35
- Released On: Face The Music LP album (1975 September — USA — United Artists UL-LA 546-G)
Face The Music LP album (1975 November — UK — Jet JET LP 11)
Face The Music LP album (1976 — UK — Jet/United Artists UAG 30034)
Face The Music LP album (1978 — UK — Jet JET LP 201)
Three Light Years LP album (1978 — UK — Jet JET BX1)
Face The Music LP album (1978 — USA — Jet JZ 35527)
Face The Music LP album (1980 — USA — Jet PZ 35527)
Face The Music LP album (1985 — UK — Epic EPC 32544)
Face The Music CD album (1987 — USA — ZK 35527)
Face The Music CD album (1991 — UK — UK 982648-2)
Face The Music 24KT Gold CD album (1995 August 15 — USA — Epic/Legacy ZK 57184)
Flashback CD album (2000 November 21 — USA — Epic/Legacy E3K 85123)
Flashback CD album (2000 December 11 — UK — Epic/Legacy 500931 2)
Face The Music Remaster CD album (2006 September 11 — UK — Epic/Legacy 82796942782)
Face The Music Remaster CD album (2006 September 12 — USA — Legacy EK 94271)Evil Woman (Edited UK Single Version)
- Running Time: 4:15
- Released On: Evil Woman 7" single (1976 January 10 — UK — Jet JET 764)
ELO's Greatest Hits LP album (1979 November — UK — Jet JET LX 525)
ELO's Greatest Hits LP album (1979 November — USA — Jet FZ 36310)
Telephone Line Golden Oldies 7" single (1980 December — USA — Jet/CBS ZS8 5151)
ELO's Greatest Hits LP album (1980 — USA — Jet PZ 36310)
ELO's Greatest Hits Half Speed Mastered LP album (1980 — USA — Jet HZ 36310)
ELO's Greatest Hits CD album (1986 — USA — Jet ZK 36310)
ELO's Greatest Hits LP album (1988 — UK — Epic 450357 1)
ELO's Greatest Hits CD album (1988 — UK — Epic 450357 2)
The Very Best Of The Electric Light Orchestra CD album (1989 — UK — Telstar TCD 2370)
ELO Classics CD album (1990 — USA — CBS Special Products A 21583)
Telephone Line Collectables 7" single (1991 — USA — Jet/CBS ZS8 5151)
The Very Best Of The Electric Light Orchestra CD album (1994 — UK — Dino DINCD90)
Light Years: The Very Best Of Electric Light Orchestra CD album (1997 — UK — Epic 489039 2)
The Ultimate Collection CD album (2001 October 22 — UK — Sony Music STVCD126)
The Collection CD album (2003 — UK — Marks & Spencer MS4800Q)
All Over The World: The Very Best Of Electric Light Orchestra CD album (2005 June 6 — UK — Sony 5201292)
All Over The World: The Very Best Of Electric Light Orchestra CD album (2005 August 2 — USA — Epic/Legacy EK 94489)
ELO Classics CD album (2007 October 9 — USA — KRB Music Companies KRB7045-2)Evil Woman (Edited USA Single Version)
- Running Time: 3:12
- Released On: Evil Woman 7" single (1975 October — USA — United Artists UA-XW 729-Y)
Livin' Thing Silver Spotlight Series 7" single (1978 — USA — United Artists US X 1177-Y)Evil Woman (Edited USA Mono Single Version)
- Running Time: 3:12
- Released On: Evil Woman 7" promo single (1975 October — USA — United Artists UA-XW 729-Y)
Evil Woman (Edited Olé ELO Version)
- Running Time: 4:21
- Released On: Face The Music promo banded LP album (1975 September — USA — United Artists UL-LA 546-G)
Olé ELO LP album (1976 June — UK — Jet/Polydor JET LP 19)
Olé ELO LP album (1976 June — USA — United Artists UA-LA 630-G)
The ELO EP EP (1978 December 9 — UK — Jet JET ELO 1)
Olé ELO LP album (1978 — USA — Jet JZ 35528)
Olé ELO LP album (1980 — USA — Jet PZ 35528)
The Best Of ELO LP album (1981 — UK — Tellydisc TELLY 7)
Face The Music CD album (1987 November 17 — USA — ZK 35527) [mistaken release on early issue only]
Olé ELO CD album (1988 — USA — Jet ZK 35528)
Afterglow CD album (1990 June 15 — USA — Epic Associated Z3K 46090)
Strange Magic: The Best Of Electric Light Orchestra CD album (1995 — USA — Legacy/Epic Associated Z2K 64157)
The Essential Electric Light Orchestra CD album (2003 April 1 — USA — Epic/Legacy EK 89072)Evil Woman (Edited 18 Greatest Hits LP Version)
- Running Time: 3:45
- Released On: 18 Greatest Hits LP album (1984 — Australia — K-tel NA 674)
Evil Woman (Stripped Down Mix)
- Running Time: 5:00
- Released On: Face The Music Remaster CD album (2006 September 11 — UK — Epic/Legacy 82796942782)
Face The Music Remaster CD album (2006 September 12 — USA — Legacy EK 94271)Evil Woman (Winterland February 14, 1976)
- Running Time: 4:55
- Record Date: 1976
- Record Location: Winterland Arena, San Francisco, USA
- Produced By: Jeff Lynne
- Engineered By: Unknown
- Performed By: Jeff Lynne (guitar, vocals), Bev Bevan (drums, percussion), Richard Tandy (piano, moog synthesizer, guitar, clavinet), Kelly Groucutt (bass, vocals), Mik Kaminski (violin), Hugh McDowell (cello), Melvyn Gale (cello)
- Released On: Live At Winterland '76 CD album (1998 April 13 — UK — Eagle Records EAMCD038)
Live At Winterland '76 CD album (1998 September 29 — USA — Cleopatra CLP0354)
The Complete ELO Live Collection CD album (2000 October 3 — USA — Cleopatra CLP0932)Evil Woman (London June 20, 1976)
- Running Time: 4:30
- Record Date: June 20, 1976
- Record Location: New Victoria Theatre, London, UK
- Produced By: Jeff Lynne
- Engineered By: Unknown
- Performed By: Jeff Lynne (guitar), Bev Bevan (drums, percussion), Richard Tandy (piano, moog synthesizer, guitar, clavinet), Kelly Groucutt (bass), Mik Kaminski (violin), Hugh McDowell (cello), Melvyn Gale (cello)
- Released On: Fusion Concert - Live In London VHS videotape (1990 — UK — Pickwick PTR 2152)
Evil Woman (Portsmouth June 22, 1976)
- Running Time: 5:19
- Record Date: June 22, 1976
- Record Location: The Portsmouth Guildhall, UK
- Produced By: Jeff Lynne
- Engineered By: Unknown
- Performed By: Jeff Lynne (guitar, vocals), Bev Bevan (drums, percussion), Richard Tandy (piano, moog synthesizer, guitar, clavinet), Kelly Groucutt (bass, vocals), Mik Kaminski (violin), Hugh McDowell (cello), Melvyn Gale (cello)
- Released On: Live At The BBC CD album (1999 — UK — Eagle Records EAMCD097)
Evil Woman (A New World Record Tour)
- Running Time: 4:39 (approximate)
- Record Date: January to April 1977
- Record Location: Unknown
- Produced By: Jeff Lynne
- Engineered By: Unknown
- Performed By: Jeff Lynne (vocals, guitar), Bev Bevan (drums, percussion), Richard Tandy (piano, moog synthesizer), Kelly Groucutt (bass), Mik Kaminski (violin), Hugh McDowell (cello), Melvyn Gale (cello)
- Released On: Unreleased (bootlegged)
Evil Woman (Out Of The Blue Tour)
- Running Time: 4:55 (approximate)
- Record Date: 1978
- Record Location: Various
- Produced By: Jeff Lynne
- Engineered By: Unknown
- Performed By: Jeff Lynne (vocals, guitar), Bev Bevan (drums, percussion), Richard Tandy (keyboards), Kelly Groucutt (bass), Mik Kaminski (violin), Hugh McDowell (cello), Melvyn Gale (cello), Jake Commander [hidden on stage] (backing vocals, guitar)
- Released On: Unreleased (bootlegged)
Evil Woman (Time Tour)
- Running Time: 3:18 (approximate)
- Record Date: October 1981 to May 1982
- Record Location: Unknown (live only)
- Produced By: Jeff Lynne
- Engineered By: Unknown
- Performed By: Jeff Lynne (vocals, guitar), Bev Bevan (drums, percussion), Richard Tandy (piano, synthesizer, electric piano), Kelly Groucutt (bass), Mik Kaminski (violin, synthesizer), Louis Clark (string synthesizer), Dave Morgan (acoustic guitar, vocoder)
- Released On: Unreleased (bootlegged)
Evil Woman (Balance Of Power Tour)
- Running Time: 4:21 (approximate)
- Record Date: 1986
- Record Location: Unknown
- Produced By: Jeff Lynne
- Engineered By: Unknown
- Performed By: Jeff Lynne (vocals, guitar), Bev Bevan (drums), Richard Tandy (keyboards), Mik Kaminski (violin), Louis Clark (string keyboards), Dave Morgan (guitar, keyboards), Martin Smith (bass)
- Released On: Unreleased (bootlegged)
Evil Woman (New York City, April 20, 2001)
- Running Time: 5:12 (approximate)
- Record Date: April 20, 2001
- Record Location: New York City, New York
- Written By: Jeff Lynne
- Produced By: Jeff Lynne
- Engineered By: Unknown
- Performed By: Jeff Lynne (lead vocals, guitar), Richard Tandy (keyboards), Rosie Vela (backup vocals), Marc Mann (keyboards, guitar), Gregg Bissonette (drums), Matt Bissonette (bass), Peggy Baldwin (cello), Nancy Stein-Ross (cello)
- Released On: Unreleased (bootlegged)
Evil Woman (May 2001)
- Running Time: 4:27
- Record Date: May 23 or 24, 2001
- Record Location: Stage 36 at CBS Television City, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Produced By: Jeff Lynne
- Engineered By: Unknown
- Performed By: Jeff Lynne (lead vocals, guitar), Richard Tandy (keyboards), Rosie Vela (backup vocals), Marc Mann (keyboards, guitar), Gregg Bissonette (drums), Matt Bissonette (bass), Peggy Baldwin (cello), Sarah O'Brien (cello)
- Released On: Zoom Tour Live VHS videotape (2001 November 5 — UK — Aviva International B00005Q5ME)
Zoom Tour Live DVD (2001 November 13 — USA — Image Entertainment ID1334DDDVD)
Zoom Tour Live VHS videotape (2001 November 13 — USA — Image Entertainment ID1333DD)
Zoom Tour Live DVD (2003 July 28 — UK — Sony BMG 74321 89860 9)
Tours
Evil Woman was played on all tours following its release.
The live performances that have seen official release are three versions from the Face The Music tour (Winterland, London and Portsmouth) and one version from the PBS performance for the aborted Zoom tour. Performances of Evil Woman from the A New World Record, Out Of The Blue, Time and Balance Of Power tours have not been officially released, although they have been bootlegged from various sources.
The Time tour performance was a different performance, with Jeff and Kelly Groucutt alternating lyric lines over the first two verses and the third verse completely cut from the performance. Also of interest is that at almost every live performance, just before the instrumental bridge, Jeff shouts "Take it, Richard!" to Richard Tandy.
Pictures
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UK vinyl single * Jet * Jet 764
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
USA vinyl single * United Artists * UA-XW 729-Y | USA Face The Music album * United Artists * UA-LA546-G | UK The ELO EP EP * Jet * Jet ELO 1 | USA vinyl single * United Artists * US X 1177-Y |
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| USA vinyl single * Golden Oldies Jet * CBS ZS8 5151 | USA vinyl single * Collectibles Jet * CBS ZS8 5151 |
Australia vinyl single * Polydor * 2001 620
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
Belgium vinyl single * Jet Polydor * 2001 620
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
Brazil vinyl EP * Polydor * 2229 187
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
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Canada vinyl single * United Artists * UA-XW729-Y
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
Canada vinyl single * United Artists * XW1132 | Canada vinyl single * Columbia * C4-1028 |
France vinyl single * Jet Polydor * 2001 608
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
Germany vinyl single * Jet Polydor * 2001622
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
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Greece vinyl single * Jet Polydor * 2001 622
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
Holland vinyl single * Polydor * 2001 608 |
Republic of Ireland vinyl single * Jet Polydor * 764
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
Italy vinyl single * Jet Polydor * 2001 625
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
Italy vinyl promo single * Jet Polydor * 2001 625
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
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Italy vinyl Jukebox single * Jet Polydor * AS 5000 340
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
Japan vinyl single * Jet Polydor * DP 4020
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
Japan vinyl single * Jet * CM-114
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
Japan vinyl single * Jet * 06SP370 |
Mexico vinyl promo single * Jet Polydor * 629
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
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New Zealand vinyl single * Polydor * 2001 622
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
Peru vinyl single * Polydor * 2001608
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
Philippines vinyl single * Polydor * PRO-3452
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
Spain vinyl single * Polydor * 20 01 632
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
Thailand vinyl single * Royalsound * TKR 349 |
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| Thailand vinyl single * Express Song * EXP-172 |
Uraguay vinyl single * United Artists * 300.017
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
Yugoslavia vinyl single * Polydor * RTB S 53 938
Image used with kind permission of Jon Lock |
Cover Versions
Use in Movies and TV programs
Sheet Music
Sheet music as published in the UK.
Please note that because this is published and copyrighted material, the full sheet music cannot be shown here.
Promotional Videos and TV Performances
There was a promotional video made of Evil Woman that features the band playing on a small stage. Jeff is wearing a hat and sunglasses. This video was a lip synched performance of the UK single version of the song. The video has never been commercially released.
Televised performances of the song will be documented at length at a future date. Performances are known to include a performance on the UK's Top Of The Pops program broadcast on January 8, 1976 with Noel Edmonds hosting, Germany's Pop '75 program broadcast some time in 1975, and a rather amusing performance on the USA's Midnight Special program broadcast some time in 1976 where Jeff gets the giggles during the instrumental break because the fog machine overwhelms cellist Hugh McDowell's stage performance.
Quotations
This page is intended to be a complete record of information on the Electric Light Orchestra song Evil Woman. If you notice any errors or omissions, please contact me at elofan@juno.com and let me know. I strive for accuracy.Evil Woman (Standard Release)
Evil Woman was used in the film Austin Powers In Goldmember, using the original Electric Light Orchestra version, however it did not show up on the officially released soundtrack. Instead, the soundtrack featured a cover version by Soul Hooligan featuring Diana King.Note also that on the Flashback set, the orchestral intro to this song was improperly placed at the end of the previous song, Tightrope.
The string interlude is sampled heavily in a song called BEEP by the Pussycat Dolls featuring Will.I.Am from the Black Eyed Peas.
"Evil Woman though, is the classic. It fuels perfectly the soul direction so crassly assimilated on Showdown, an explosion of flickering rhythm guitars, clarinet and surging strings, a rich vein of hooks and melodies that seem instantly familiar. If it isn't a huge hit we are in a worse shape than we think."
John Ingham (1975 - from a transcribed UK Face The Music album review of unknown origin)"Funny enough, when we did the LP... We never do singles as a thing, we just go in and make an LP. I write all the songs and [Evil Woman] just sounded like a single straight away, we did it. Y'know, it had a good feel to it. And, uh, that's what everybody chose to release. The record company, Jet, which is David's label and Don's label, we all agreed on it and it came out. And it's a hit in England as well."
Jeff Lynne (1976 - Innerview with Jim Ladd)"Now we're home! ELO has its first real hit single. From Face The Music, it delivers ELO the stature they deserve..."
Author Unknown (June 1976 - liner notes for Olé ELO album)"I wrote Evil Woman in the studio and it came to me quicker than any other song I have written."
Jeff Lynne (November 1979 ELO's Greatest Hits)"It was out of a different song, that string bit that comes in backwards. It was out of something... Nightrider, the string tracks off that. And, uh, I played it backwards and it was in the right key."
Jeff Lynne (August 8, 1980 - The ELO Story radio show)"Face The Music also gave Jeff his fastest-ever [produced] song. We were short a track on the last day of recording in Munich and Jeff went in early. By the time the rest of us arrived at 2 P.M. he had Evil Woman ready for us to play. It made the top ten in both Britain and America as a single release in later months."
Bev Bevan (1980 - The Electric Light Orchestra Story)"Yeah, Evil Woman, actually [still gives me a thrill]. It sounds like a complete... song. I wrote that in about fifteen minutes. It was really weird because I needed one more song for the album and all the rest of the group were hanging about and I said, 'You all go do something and I'll just write this song on the piano in the studio.' And I had it done like... kinda like 'bout half an hour later it was almost ready to record. Y'know, just showed everybody how it went. And it... I made the record in probably a day, wrote the words the next day. It was very, very quick. Some take months to make, y'know. Some just come easy."
Jeff Lynne (June 23, 1990 - Timothy White's Rock Stars: Jeff Lynne's Musical Chairs)"Sparked by the controversially discofied sound of Evil Woman and the soothing slow-dance charms of Strange Magic, the [Face The Music] album out-sold Eldorado."
Ira Robbins (1995 liner notes for Strange Magic: The Best Of Electric Light Orchestra)"Almost at the end of the recording sessions [for Face The Music] one more song was needed so Jeff walked into the studio, sat on the piano [sic] and wrote Evil Woman very quickly. When the band came in as usual the song was finished!"
Patrik Guttenbacher, Marc Haines, & Alexander von Petersdorff (1996 Unexpected Messages)"Probably the fastest song I ever wrote was on [the Face The Music] session-- Evil Woman which took about six minutes to write the basic tune. I was always planning on changing the chorus a bit but I couldn't come up with anything better. [...] Me second go at an R&B style song. [...] I took the high string crescendo from [Nightrider] and over dubbed it backwards onto Evil Woman where it's prominently featured."
Jeff Lynne (2000 - Flashback)"They all went out for like half an hour and I just walked up to the piano and played these three chords. And it was Evil Woman immediately. I never even changed it. It was just... that's the verse of Evil Woman. It was just, uh, A minor, E minor, D minor, built into C and then goes: 'dow, dow, dow.' Right back into them chord changes. And it was just done instantly. And, uh, so I got all that and said, 'This is how it goes.' And then, it was recorded in that afternoon and then, I probably did the words at the end, as usual. And I was gonna change the actual chorus. [Sings 'Evil Woman.'] I was gonna change that bit. One day, I was gonna change that at the last minute. But I could never come up with anything better, so I left it like that."
Jeff Lynne (June 2 & 9, 2001 - Mr. Blue Sky: The Jeff Lynne Story 2001 BBC 2 Radio show)"Yeah, [I wrote Evil Woman very quickly]. I actually walked up to the piano and wrote the first three chords and it just went through just like that. And, uh, it took me a lot longer to do the words... probably it took me six weeks to do the words, but the actual tune... the track... [...] Well this is a little innovative idea that I had. You see, the two songs-- We'd just done the two string sessions, like, probably three strings sessions in a session. So I'd just been overdubbing orchestra and I noticed that where that crescendo went off, I turned it 'round backwards and listened to it and thought, 'That'll fit right in Evil Woman in this beat that I'm really bored [with].' And, I tried it out on, y'know, just took a little copy of it. Snip it in; snip it out. And put this thing in backwards. And it fit perfectly. It never missed a beat and it just whizzed through like nothing ever happened and here it was backwards. "
Jeff Lynne (June 24, 2001 - Off The Record interview with Uncle Joe Benson)"Face The Music's single, Evil Woman, written hurriedly as a filler, was the first to make the Top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic, but it was the third album in a row not to chart in Britain. In front of his first audience since 1986, Jeff goes into Evil Woman and notes ruefully that 'it came true recently'. Acrimoniously divorced from his second wife, Jeff now lives in LA with singer Rosie Vela, who joins him in the new line-up."
Jim Irvin (August, 2001 - The Bullring Variations article in Mojo)"Face The Music gave Lynne his first worldwide smash with the single Evil Woman, the fastest song he ever wrote. "
Author Unknown (March 31, 2003 - website only expanded liner notes for ELO 2 remaster CD)"Face The Music... was an immediate hit and also gave Lynne his first worldwide smash hit, Evil Woman."
Rob Caiger (2003 liner notes for The Collection)"Face The Music also wrought... the soulful Evil Woman, an infectious tune built around a dynamic string riff, which Lynne was said to have penned in only 30 minutes."
Jaan Uhelszki (April 1 2003 liner notes for The Essential Electric Light Orchestra)
Editor's Note: The song was built around the piano riff, not a string riff."Well, actually it turns out [the evil woman in Evil Woman is] somebody I know. [Laughs] So I can't talk about it really."
Jeff Lynne (July 5, 2005 - Face The Music: The Story of the Electric Light Orchestra BBC 2 Radio show)"There's songs such as Evil Woman that were presented to the band complete for them to learn to play..."
Rob Caiger (July 20, 2005 - Showdown mailing list)"ELO's Jeff Lynne made three of the most over-the-top enjoyable radio hits of the 1970s: Evil Woman, Don't Bring Me Down and Turn to Stone."
Peter Relic and Brian Hiatt (November 17, 2005 - Rolling Stone issue #967)"...a lot of songs are edited - its just that the edited version that makes it to the album is the only one you've heard. Evil Woman for example is an edited track - the full-length version has an additional verse and chorus."
Rob Caiger (February 4, 2006 - Showdown mailing list)"Check out the stripped down version of Evil Woman; I think it's a better mix than the original 1975 one. 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 (September 11 2006 - Face The Music remaster liner notes)"[Face The Music] also included one song composed in record time. Short of a final track for the album, Lynne created the classic Evil Woman in six minutes, the fastest song he ever wrote. J.L.: 'Now, when I say I wrote the song in six minutes, I didn't write the words in six minutes! I wrote the actual structure of the song, the chords and the melody and the little twiddly bits and then invited the group back in, showed everybody what to play and then laid it down. It was all done in a couple of hours in the afternoon and then I went back and worked on the arrangement and on the lyrics.' Evil Woman gave Lynne his first worldwide top 10 hit single, including a no.10 chart placing in the U.K."
Rob Caiger (September 11 2006 - Face The Music remaster liner notes)
Evil Woman (Edited UK Single Version)
The difference between this version and the standard Face The Music album version is that it edits off the orchestral intro and fades a few seconds early.
Evil Woman (Edited USA Single Version)
The difference between this version and the Face The Music version is that it cuts both the orchestral and vocal intro, as well as two lines from the first verse, one line from the third verse, a large section of the intrumental bridge and a much earlier fade beginning a the end of the fourth chorus.
Evil Woman (Edited USA Mono Single Version)
This is a mono version of the USA single version of Evil Woman.
Evil Woman (Edited Olé ELO Version)
This is subtlety different in that it excludes the orchestral intro from the album, but includes the full album fade-out.
Evil Woman (Edited 18 Greatest Hits LP Version)
This version, found on the Australian 18 Greatest Hits LP from 1984, differs from the original Face The Music version in that it cuts the entire instrumental bridge and the third chorus. Curiously, for an edit, it includes the orchestral intro as well.
Evil Woman (Stripped Down Mix)
The stripped down mix appears to be a raw backing track with added vocals. The arrangement is mostly the same except that there are no strings, no female backing vocals and the piano on the instrumental bridge is different. Also, the orchestral intro is cut (obviously) as well as the fifth chorus and the flanged string interlude. Most notable is the addition of the fourth verse."...a lot of songs are edited - its just that the edited version that makes it to the album is the only one you've heard. Evil Woman for example is an edited track - the full-length version has an additional verse and chorus."
Rob Caiger (February 4, 2006 - Showdown mailing list)"Check out the stripped down version of Evil Woman; I think it's a better mix than the original 1975 one."
Jeff Lynne (September 11 2006 - Face The Music remaster liner notes)
Evil Woman (Winterland 1976)
Evil Woman (London June 20, 1976)
Evil Woman (Portsmouth June 22, 1976)
Evil Woman (A New World Record Tour)
Evil Woman (Out Of The Blue Tour)
"A brilliant performance of Evil Woman didn't even make the TV broadcast [of the Wembley concert] as during the string break, the [strings] went completely out of tune. It was so painful that sliding fingernails down a chalk board wouldn't even come close...."
Rob Caiger (July 20, 2003 - Showdown mailing list)Evil Woman (Time Tour)
Evil Woman (Balance Of Power Tour)
Evil Woman (New York City, April 20, 2001)
Evil Woman (May 2001)
Robert Porter
July 2008