Jeff Lynne

Jeffrey "Jeff" Lynne (born 30 December 1947) is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer who gained fame in the 1970s as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra. In 1988, under the pseudonyms Otis Wilbury and Clayton Wilbury, he co-founded the supergroup Traveling Wilburys with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty.

After ELO's original disbandment in 1986, Lynne released two solo albums: Armchair Theatre (1990) and Long Wave (2012). In addition, he began producing various artists, with his songwriting and production collaborations with ex-Beatles leading him to co-produce their mid 1990s reunion singles "Free as a Bird" (1995) and "Real Love" (1996).

Musical career

Early life and career

Lynne grew up in the Shard End area of Birmingham, Warwickshire, where he attended Alderlea Boys' Secondary School. His first guitar, an acoustic instrument, was bought for him by his father, for £2. He was still playing it in 2012. In 1963 he formed a group with Robert Reader and David Walsh using little more than Spanish guitars and cheap electrical instruments to produce music. They were originally named "the Rockin' Hellcats" before changing to "the Handicaps" and finally to "the Andicaps". They practiced at Shard End Community Centre and performed weekly. However, in 1964, Robert Reader and David Walsh left the band and Lynne brought in replacements. At the end of 1964, Lynne decided to leave the band to replace Mick Adkins of the local band "the Chads".

Armchair Theatre (album)

Armchair Theatre is the first solo album by Jeff Lynne, released in 1990.

History

"Every Little Thing" and "Lift Me Up" were released as singles. The album also features cover versions of two classics: "September Song" and "Stormy Weather". Lynne wrote and recorded "Now You're Gone" as a tribute to his late mother.

The album reunited Lynne with Electric Light Orchestra's keyboard player Richard Tandy and featured fellow Traveling Wilburys member George Harrison (both Harrison and the Wilburys were signed to Warner Bros. Records, parent of Reprise Records which released this album). Despite positive reviews the album became only a minor hit.

A remaster by Frontiers was released on 19 April 2013 in the UK, and on 23 April 2013 in the US, and included two bonus tracks, one of them being previously unreleased.

Track listing

All songs written by Jeff Lynne, except where noted.

Lift Me Up (Five Finger Death Punch song)

"Lift Me Up" is the first single from The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 1, the fourth studio album from Five Finger Death Punch, and is the fifteenth single overall from the band. The song features Rob Halford, lead vocalist for Judas Priest. Halford joined the band at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards on May 2, 2013 to premiere the tune, with lead singer Ivan L. Moody referring to himself as being "the guest (vocalist)" on the song.

The song was number one in the Internet music app Spotify in its first week of release over pop songs from Mariah Carey, Daft Punk, Fergie, and others. The list represents the most viral tracks on Spotify based on the number of people who shared it divided by the number who listened to it from Monday, May 13, to Sunday, May 19, via Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter and Spotify.

In April 2014, the song won a Revolver Golden Gods Award for "Song of the Year."

Meaning

According to Moody, the composition was about overcoming routine roadblocks and less-than-ideal circumstances in life. He then goes on to say that while most of us weren't born into wealth, if life deals you a bad hand, you still have to play with the cards that life deals you. Moody closes by stating that the song is intended to inspire and that if you play your hand right, you might still come out on top.

Lift Me Up

Lift Me Up may refer to:

Lift Me Up (Yes song)

"Lift Me Up" is a song by the progressive rock band Yes. It was the first single released from their 1991 "reunion" album Union. It reached the number-one spot on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart in May 1991, and stayed at the top for six weeks. It also charted on the Billboard Hot 100, their last single to do so.

Background

Following Yes's 1987–88 tour to support the Big Generator album, singer Jon Anderson left the band and formed a new group with 1970s-era Yes members Steve Howe (guitars), Rick Wakeman (keyboards) and Bill Bruford (drums). As their new band Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, the quartet released a self-titled album and went on tour.

Meanwhile, the remaining members of the "official" Yes, guitarist Trevor Rabin, bassist Chris Squire, drummer Alan White and keyboardist Tony Kaye, continued work on a follow-up to Big Generator. Among the songs recorded was the Rabin- and Squire-penned "Lift Me Up", the lyrics of which allude to homelessness:

The two competing bands had fought for the rights to use the "Yes" name, with the Squire/Rabin/White/Kaye faction filing suit to prevent Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe from using the name "Yes" during their tour promotion. However, once both factions were signed to Arista Records, the record label decided to combine the musicians' efforts and produce an album, Union, featuring songs from each group. "Lift Me Up" was one of four Rabin or Squire songs included on the album; its follow-up single, "Saving My Heart", was another.