An in-depth look at the USA TV program performances
Comments and Observations
Running from August 19, 1972 to March 27, 1981 and producing 352 episodes, The Midnight Special was a USA produced weekly musical television series that broadcast on late Friday nights on the NBC network. The show was created and produced by Hollywood producer, Burt Sugarman. Each episode featured a celebrity host to introduce the various musical and comedy acts. The Electric Light Orchestra made many appearances on the show, hosting it twice (1975 and 1977), and were the subject of several special tributes.
Although ELO made several appearances on the program, a very limited number of shows are currently available, bootleg or otherwise. There was a series of compilations released on DVD in 2006, under the slight re-title of Burt Sugarman's The Midnight Special (as it was sometimes referred to on the show itself), but none of these compilations include the ELO performances. In October of 2014, TimeLife (under the StarVista label) released several DVD compilations that were "best of" types of compilations featuring select performances from several show and this released did contain several ELO performances. There were several different compilations, all incorporating much of the same material. The 6-DVD, 7-DVD, 11-DVD and 20-DVD collections all contain the March 5, 1976 performances of Evil Woman and Strange Magic on DVD2 and the January 9, 1976 performances of Eldorado Overture and Can't Get It Out Of My Head on DVD3. The performance of Telephone Line from the February 17, 1978 broadcast was only released on DVD7 of the 7-DVD set as it was considered a bonus disc to the 6-DVD set. No other ELO performances were in this release, however it's noted that Jeff Lynne's non-The Midnight Special performances of Handle With Care and While My Guitar Gently Weeps from the 2004 Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame concert were included on DVD12 of the 20-DVD collection.
The Midnight Special was noted for using actual live, stage performances at each broadcast. However, things weren't always as "live" as they were reported to be. It is known that ELO's performance of Roll Over Beethoven actually used a tape backing, with live lead vocals. A performance of Showdown was completely lip-synched. But many other performances were actual live shows, including a mini-version of ELO's live concert set, promoting their latest album. In the last few years of The Midnight Special, when promo videos were becoming more common and
production costs for the show were reduced, the show often aired promo videos for ELO, rather than actual live performances. This is particularly true for the songs from the Discovery album, for which ELO did not tour and no live promotion was done. Many of the shows simply reused footage from earlier episodes, with ELO's Telephone Line from a 1977 performance getting the most reuse.
Due to copyright issues, I cannot provide full versions of any of the videos on this site. However, I have provided YouTube and other links to online content for these performances (under the "Broadcasts" section). As this site and anyone associated with it do not maintain these videos, no guarantee of working, complete or accurate videos or links is made.
!@# above needs to be revised to reflect the official streaming releases on the official YouTube channel starting in 2023.
Original performances used in the show are as follows:
Broadcasts
The table below is all of ELO's known performances on the show, including the particular songs performed at each show. Although there is reasonable confidence that the broadcast dates, hosts and songs performed are accurate, because of limited resources, actual details about the performances (e.g. repeats, lip-synchs, etc.) are sometimes surmised from the known facts. Performances marked with an asterisk (*) have been available for review and are 100% verified or are known airings of promo videos.
Songs marked in RED are original, live performances on the show. Songs marked in BRIGHT BLUE are original, lip-synched performances on the show. All others are either promo videos or repeats of earlier performances.
Although many performances have been bootlegged, there are several that have not. These include Kuiama (presumably live vocals over tape backing), Ma-Ma-Ma Belle (presumably lip-synched), Bluebird Is Dead (presumably lip-synched), In The Hall Of The Mountain King, Great Balls Of Fire, Mik's Violin Solo/Orange Blossom Special, Hugh's Cello Solo/Flight Of The Bumblebee and Roll Over Beethoven (second performance). All are completely live performances unless otherwise stated.
Robert Porter
The source of information for the above details and the table of broadcast information below is taken from available bootleg material, the TV.com website, and recollections from fans. This detail is only as good as the sources and every effort was made to be accurate. There are likely a few errors.
Episode
Number
Broadcast
Date
Show Host
ELO Songs Performed
Comments
23
June 29, 1973
Paul Williams
Roll Over Beethoven
Kuiama
Both songs use a tape backing, with live vocals only by Jeff.
30
August 17, 1973
Richard Pryor
* Roll Over Beethoven
The performance from this episode has been bootlegged. It is assumed to be a
repeat of the June 29, 1973 performance. A YouTube video of this performance can be seen
HERE.
44
November 23, 1973
Peter Noone
Showdown
Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
Showdown is completely lip-synched, but it is unclear if Ma-Ma-Ma Belle was
lip-synched. A performance of Bluebird Is Dead was also recorded but not broadcast
until February 8, 1974.
55
February 8, 1974
Ike and Tina Turner
Showdown
Bluebird Is Dead
This is a rebroadcast of Showdown from November 23, 1973 and although
Bluebird Is Dead was recorded at the earlier performance along with Showdown,
this is the first broadcast of that performance.
72
June 7, 1974
The Kinks
Showdown
Bluebird Is Dead
100
January 17, 1975
Electric Light Orchestra
In The Hall Of The Mountain King
Great Balls Of Fire
* Eldorado Overture
* Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Mik's Violin Solo/Orange Blossom Special
* Laredo Tornado
Hugh's Cello Solo/Flight Of The Bumblebee
Roll Over Beethoven
This performance is completely live. Select performances have been bootlegged,
available from foreign rebroadcasts only. A YouTube video of this performance can be
seen at the following links: Eldorado Overture + Can't
Get It Out Of My Head and Laredo
Tornado
110
March 28, 1975
Wolfman Jack
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Great Balls Of Fire
This episode was billed as an "International Acts" episode.
146
January 9, 1976
Helen Reddy, Joan Baez and Electric Light Orchestra
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Laredo Tornado
153
March 5, 1976
Helen Reddy
Evil Woman
* Nightrider
Strange Magic
158
April 23, 1976
Janis Ian
Strange Magic
Nightrider
Evil Woman
YouTube videos of Evil Woman and Nightrider from this performance can
be seen HERE and HERE and .
164
June 25, 1976
Natalie Cole
* Strange Magic
* Evil Woman
The performance from this episode has been bootlegged. A YouTube video of this
performance of Evil Woman can be seen HERE.
175
September 17, 1976
The Spinners
* Showdown
The performance from this episode has been bootlegged. A YouTube video of this
performance can be seen HERE.
193
February 18, 1977
Electric Light Orchestra
* Livin' Thing
* Do Ya
* Telephone Line
* Rockaria!
* Livin' Thing repeat
The performance from this episode has been bootlegged. ELO opened the show with
four songs and closed with a repeat of Livin' Thing over the closing credits.
Theoretically the band members introduced the other acts in the show, but those parts are
not available for review or confirmation. Rumors exist that the band acted "like
school children" backstage and guest Mary MacGregor claimed she was uncomfortable
with the band's behavior. A YouTube video of this performance can be seen at the
following links: Livin' Thing,
Do Ya and Telephone Line
198
April 1, 1977
George Carlin
Do Ya
201
April 29, 1977
Wolfman Jack
Do Ya
Rockaria!
Telephone Line
212
August 12, 1977
The Bay City Rollers
Telephone Line
218
October 21, 1977
Elvin Bishop
Telephone Line
Rockaria!
219
October 28, 1977
David Soul
Unknown
This episode is described as a "Midnight Special Salute to Electric Light
Orchestra" special.
225
December 16, 1977
Lou Rawls
Unknown
This episode is described as a "Midnight Special Salute to Electric Light
Orchestra" special.
233
February 17, 1978
Wolfman Jack
Telephone Line
This episode is billed as a "Million Sellers of 1977" special.
238
March 24, 1978
Tom Jones
* Nightrider
* Rockaria!
* Do Ya
* Telephone Line
* Turn To Stone
* Livin' Thing
This episode is described as a "Midnight Special Salute to Electric Light Orchestra" special. This special features music videos (Rockaria! (first version), Telephone Line and Livin' Thing) and excerts from the 1976 Fusion concert in London (Nightrider and Do Ya) as well as a disc play of Turn To Stone while various press photos of the band are flashed across the screen. During the tribute section, Wolfman Jack talks about the band's successes and introduces each song. Other artists featured in the episode are The Emotions and Dan Hill, with additional songs by Tom Jones.
291
September 14, 1979
Bob Welch
* Don't Bring Me Down
This is a broadcast of the promo video only.
291
February 22, 1980
Bonnie Pointer
* Last Train To London
This is a broadcast of the promo video only.
309
May 30, 1980
The Temptations
Telephone Line
This page is intended to be a complete record of information on the Electric Light Orchestra's The Midnight Special performances. If you notice any errors or omissions (which there are many), please contact me at jefflynnesongs@gmail.com and let me know. I strive for accuracy.
February 2024