I heard Helen was Jeff's favorite singer and he wrote this for her. If you listen to her version it really fits her voice and style! God bless them both!
I love Jeff Lynne and ELO. If my memory serves me correctly he wrote this song specifically for Helen Reddy, which she did great Justice too, especially if you listen to her live in London album version of it.
Love it! Even his demos are gold. Sorta sounds like a Move song - very Beatle-y of course. But freaking awesome. I wonder what he has in his personal collection that we havent heard. Jeff is THE BEST and yes, his music will outlast all of us.
Hi all. This track is taken from a cassette that Jeff Lynne gave to the producers of Helen Reddy's album. I got the recording from one of the producers (he arranged the Reddy version which I think is very good). Great little song.
god what a beautiful song. I am familiar with helen reddy's version and ive always liked the song , but just now I just fell in love with it. it has suddenly become one of my favorite jeff lynne songs. just like a punch in the stomach. myheart breaks with bittersweetness.
I have always thought this had been written during the New World sessions for it has the Telephone Line yearning and a little nick from Mission lyrics. Love him to go back to it one day and finish it off. Helen Reddy god bless her did a great version of it yet it lacked Jeff's production magic.
The first thing I clue on is "Many Days you traveled, and he distant ways don't matter now,", which are nearly the first lines of Jeff Lynne's song on His "New World Record" album with E.L.O. - the song, "Mission - A New World Record". "For many days we've traveled from a distant place in time..." Good song, all the more.
Jeff Lynne song that sounds stripped down like the traveling wilburys production style more guitar less reverb. No matter how it sounds it is still 100 percent perfect. Jeff Lynne is and will always be my favorite artist. New Jeff Lynne album out sometime this year.
I'm constantly on the look-out for rare un-released nuggets of jeff lynne gold and you have made my year. this is remarkable and especially as its a full length song with a more than decent production. Although I love his layered productions, sometimes his stripped down and more acoustic offerings are amazing - Jeff Lynne Lite sort of thing. Thanks.
Lyrics: The many days you traveled And the distant ways don't matter now cus' What can you do Poor little fool You laid your life wide open And you let your heart get broken Never knew What you could do Poor little fool Go slowly through the night You can't give up the fight Tonight You poor little fool Don't let tomorrow bring another day like yesterday Don't let them see me down this way If this is all that's meant to be then I'll be on my way From here to everywhere you scattered everything you ever had Broke all the rules Poor little fool The passing of the days brought you so many different ways to break away Why didn't you Poor little fool Go slowly through the night You can't give up the fight Tonight You poor little fool -3x Don't let tomorrow bring another day like yesterday Don't let them see me down this way If this is all that's meant to be then I'll be on my way
When her "We'll Sing in the Sunshine" album was released in 1978, I read several times that Helen Reddy was Jeff Lynne's favorite singer and he wrote the song specifically for her. Maybe it was just PR hype, but it was all over Billboard, Cashbox, etc.
The demo is probably from 1977 as elodevi has stated. I also heard that it was a potential Out of the Blue track but the reason that there are no strings and synths is that its a demo. The final Helen Reddy version was released in 1978 on here album "We'll Sing in the Sunshine" which was produced by Kim Fowley. As I said in an earlier post I got the track directly from Mark Wirtz (aka Marc Peters) who did the arrangement on the Reddy album.
Dear fans of ELO and Jeff Lynne. Do you know if there is now a cleaned and adapted, perhaps with the help of AI, version of this wonderful and beautiful demo composition? I just remember a time, not so distant, when many music lovers and ELO fans lamented the terrible quality of the song 'Beatles Forever' (then, a rare bonus for the 2-LP edition of Secret Massiges - 1983, which Jeff himself reduced to 1 official record), but 6 years have passed and the 'clean' version can be easily found here on TH-cam. Thank You!
Helen Reddy’s version is SO Beatles-esque to the point it’s almost not a Jeff Lynne song, but this version shows me that Jeff *might* have written it, rather than a combination of John and Paul. It just begs the question of what would the Beatles have been had Jeff Lynne been a member????
HI, I know that Poor Little Fool was a track for Out Of The Blue but at last Jeff decided that Helen Reddy record it. So the song is next to 1976/1977 Excuse me if my english is not very good. Jorge
I know that the songs formed part of the project for Out Of The Blue album but Jeff got it to Helen Reedy for her album. Then the song is from 1977 aproach. Excus eme for my regular english. I live in Argentina.
Although I too (long) assumed that Reddy's record was made by Jeff & Co, turns out it was an amazing studio tribute treatment by producer (and 60's studio legend) Mark Wirtz
I'm gonna eat my hat! It's funny, because few minutes ago I just played the song MISSION (A WORLD RECORD)... It starts with the line: "For many days we travelled from a distant place and time..." and that's almost the same I hear on this
Yeah. I've searched all over trying to find info about his family. There's never any mention made of it other than his Grandma helping to inspire the name of his band, Idle Race.
wmschroeder I’ll help his mom hated the falsetto on his songs .His dad had a huge collection and vast knowledge of classical music .His mom and aunt hated Roy Orbison cause they thought his voice was to sexy
Thanks for sharing this. I've been an ELO fan for 35+ years but have never heard this one before. I especially like the Ovation 12-string leading the mix. I've got a guitar just like his that he played in the late 70's. What is the history of the track?
Thank you. It´s a bit difficult to believe. This demo lacks strings and moog- syntetisators which dominated on Out of the Blue. The beginning is very similar to Mission from A New World Record. In the same way the beginning of Steppin´out reminds Shangri- La.
Any idea who's doing the backup vocals? They're lovely. ELO used female voices quite rarely. Alas that ELO also rarely made use of Jeff's deeply melancholy side. The songs on Discovery are about as bluesy as it got, but that's nothing compared to songs like "Birthday", "Sea of Dreams", or "Lady Who Said She Could Fly". Well, okay, there's "Mr. Radio" and "Mama" from the early years.... Then again maybe it's the production here that's key. Reddy's version isn't nearly so plaintive.
Great pictures, great song....if you like more of this, check out "Let me know if you miss ELO" on TH-cam by Rob Gubbels, also to be found on compingharry dot come....
[parti I:] The song may be "awesome", like the former little fool mentioned, but the sound is...surprise surprise: P O O R (as is the title). Furthermore... why am I allergic to artists, who plagiarize themselves? This song reminds me VERY much of ELO:s "Midnight Blue" (if anyone has heard that one).
[part II:] Listen to the verse of this song and compare it to the verse of "M. B". Thanks beforehand. Personally, I prefer "M. B." Hopefully you discovered (oops: "Discovery" - I subconsciously referred to an E.L.O-album) some similarities. If ou didn't, you're most likely sought after by the Cherry Blossom clinic. (oops: another reference).
The verse reminds strongly on the song "Midnight Blue" on "Discovery". I get connotations to John Lennon too. Is this a joke or what? At parts, it doesn't even sound like Jeff Lynne singing. Is it? Hm... Nice plagiarism. There really is no good reason for not to put this song on an official record. Why wasn't it released?
Jeff should’ve released this himself fantastic song
I heard Helen was Jeff's favorite singer and he wrote this for her. If you listen to her version it really fits her voice and style! God bless them both!
I love the chords of the chorus! Stunning! Soothing!
Awesome i keep finding these gems thanks to you tube thank you ❤
I love Jeff Lynne and ELO. If my memory serves me correctly he wrote this song specifically for Helen Reddy, which she did great Justice too, especially if you listen to her live in London album version of it.
Sad to find the vid is blocked in the Netherlands. What a brilliant composition, Genius Jeff.
Hi I can send the audio. Give me an e mail
Love it! Even his demos are gold. Sorta sounds like a Move song - very Beatle-y of course. But freaking awesome. I wonder what he has in his personal collection that we havent heard. Jeff is THE BEST and yes, his music will outlast all of us.
My first time hearing this. Soooo beautiful!
I agree that he should have released it as one of his own.
I love all of his songs tho!
❤
I hear midnight blue, mission but also new world rising and summer and lightning.
Still a great song.
Hi all. This track is taken from a cassette that Jeff Lynne gave to the producers of Helen Reddy's album. I got the recording from one of the producers (he arranged the Reddy version which I think is very good). Great little song.
Mark Frumento can you share it with us and clean it up
Who did the strings on it
@@nightisright1873 Mark Wirtz (Marc Peters at the time) did the arrangement.
This song has got one of the most beautiful choruses ever in pop music!
It has a 'Midnight Blue' vibe to it, doesn't it.
god what a beautiful song. I am familiar with helen reddy's version and ive always liked the song , but just now I just fell in love with it. it has suddenly become one of my favorite jeff lynne songs. just like a punch in the stomach. myheart breaks with bittersweetness.
Love this song. It does sound a bit like Mission... On further listening it reminds me more of Jeff's Idle Race work. Bit like Girl At The Window.
BRILLIANT Jeff.
Jeff Lynne should have completed this (Demo) song and released it as a single for ELO. It’s a very good song.
I have always thought this had been written during the New World sessions for it has the Telephone Line yearning and a little nick from Mission lyrics. Love him to go back to it one day and finish it off. Helen Reddy god bless her did a great version of it yet it lacked Jeff's production magic.
Increíble, y no me acuerdo haber escuchando esta obra, quizás de niño
Jeffs music will be played forever
this voice soothes my soul ........😎
The first thing I clue on is "Many Days you traveled, and he distant ways don't matter now,", which are nearly the first lines of Jeff Lynne's song on His "New World Record" album with E.L.O. - the song, "Mission - A New World Record".
"For many days we've traveled from a distant place in time..."
Good song, all the more.
Better than most recordings but a demo. Similar to later John Lennon
Jeff Lynne is nobodys fool
Jeff Lynne song that sounds stripped down like the traveling wilburys production style more guitar less reverb. No matter how it sounds it is still 100 percent perfect. Jeff Lynne is and will always be my favorite artist. New Jeff Lynne album out sometime this year.
I'm constantly on the look-out for rare un-released nuggets of jeff lynne gold and you have made my year. this is remarkable and especially as its a full length song with a more than decent production. Although I love his layered productions, sometimes his stripped down and more acoustic offerings are amazing - Jeff Lynne Lite sort of thing. Thanks.
Jeff is the GOD of Music, and MUSIC is the GOD of all arts!... so JEFF IS GOD... C’EST LYNNE!
Lyrics:
The many days you traveled
And the distant ways don't matter now cus'
What can you do
Poor little fool
You laid your life wide open
And you let your heart get broken
Never knew
What you could do
Poor little fool
Go slowly through the night
You can't give up the fight
Tonight
You poor little fool
Don't let tomorrow bring another day like yesterday
Don't let them see me down this way
If this is all that's meant to be then I'll be on my way
From here to everywhere you scattered everything you ever had
Broke all the rules
Poor little fool
The passing of the days brought you so many different ways to break away
Why didn't you
Poor little fool
Go slowly through the night
You can't give up the fight
Tonight
You poor little fool
-3x
Don't let tomorrow bring another day like yesterday
Don't let them see me down this way
If this is all that's meant to be then I'll be on my way
When her "We'll Sing in the Sunshine" album was released in 1978, I read several times that Helen Reddy was Jeff Lynne's favorite singer and he wrote the song specifically for her. Maybe it was just PR hype, but it was all over Billboard, Cashbox, etc.
THX so much, elodevi! I've never heard this before!
Have tears in my eyes and goosebumps...Awesome!
Thanks to you for visit and listen it. is a pleasure.
I agree with Shelly. I think this idea was worked out and finally became "Midnight Blue".
The demo is probably from 1977 as elodevi has stated. I also heard that it was a potential Out of the Blue track but the reason that there are no strings and synths is that its a demo. The final Helen Reddy version was released in 1978 on here album "We'll Sing in the Sunshine" which was produced by Kim Fowley.
As I said in an earlier post I got the track directly from Mark Wirtz (aka Marc Peters) who did the arrangement on the Reddy album.
This is beautiful!
Spectacular!!! It gives me the chills....thank's elodevi for sharing with us.
There are many chord progressions that remind me of many of his other songs.
Dear fans of ELO and Jeff Lynne. Do you know if there is now a cleaned and adapted, perhaps with the help of AI, version of this wonderful and beautiful demo composition? I just remember a time, not so distant, when many music lovers and ELO fans lamented the terrible quality of the song 'Beatles Forever' (then, a rare bonus for the 2-LP edition of Secret Massiges - 1983, which Jeff himself reduced to 1 official record), but 6 years have passed and the 'clean' version can be easily found here on TH-cam. Thank You!
Jeff lynne es extraordinario
wow this is terrific - thanks for sharing
Great Jeff, great, great!!
I want this song in stereo, please!!
Great song! Thanks for sharing.
Helen Reddy’s version is SO Beatles-esque to the point it’s almost not a Jeff Lynne song, but this version shows me that Jeff *might* have written it, rather than a combination of John and Paul.
It just begs the question of what would the Beatles have been had Jeff Lynne been a member????
Instantly, I love this song.
HI, I know that Poor Little Fool was a track for Out Of The Blue but at last Jeff decided that Helen Reddy record it. So the song is next to 1976/1977 Excuse me if my english is not very good. Jorge
There is a special charm to these raw unfinished songs, but I would nonetheless love a more polished version of this one. It is really good.
❤
Sounds like an outtake from Discovery...thanks for posting!
Awesome! Thanks!
I know that the songs formed part of the project for Out Of The Blue album but Jeff got it to Helen Reedy for her album.
Then the song is from 1977 aproach.
Excus eme for my regular english. I live in Argentina.
Thanks for posting this song. Awesome!
Awesome Jorge! Thanks for the slide show and tune!!!
Thats right, but it reminds me more at the aera of Idle Race :)
Sorry for my english, i'm from Germany ;)
Yeah. For sure! I heard that right away too.
It sounds like Midnight Blue
True! Very catchy song.
It´s like a puzzle of ELO- songs
that were released later. When this
demo was made ?
It´s Elo like without orchestra. A very nice song. Thanx master Lynne!
You listen to ELO on Hellen Reddy album, only lacks Jeff's voice. I always loved this one and it's great the Jeff demo. Thanks elodevi.
Although I too (long) assumed that Reddy's record was made by Jeff & Co, turns out it was an amazing studio tribute treatment by producer (and 60's studio legend) Mark Wirtz
Imagine this is recorded on his b and o tape machine . Kind of cool if there was a compilation of these
Thank you so much for sharing and the nice slides! Jeff's voice sounds similar like on 'face the music', Maybe it's from that era?
I'm gonna eat my hat!
It's funny, because few minutes ago I just played the song MISSION (A WORLD RECORD)...
It starts with the line:
"For many days we travelled from a distant place and time..." and that's almost the same I hear on this
Jeff doing his own 'Calling Occupants'?
very cool
El Maestro
beautiful song, it's true that echoes jeff's song with idle race.
Yeah. I've searched all over trying to find info about his family. There's never any mention made of it other than his Grandma helping to inspire the name of his band, Idle Race.
wmschroeder I’ll help his mom hated the falsetto on his songs .His dad had a huge collection and vast knowledge of classical music .His mom and aunt hated Roy Orbison cause they thought his voice was to sexy
Thanks for sharing this. I've been an ELO fan for 35+ years but have never heard this one before. I especially like the Ovation 12-string leading the mix. I've got a guitar just like his that he played in the late 70's. What is the history of the track?
pretty cool
great song
A nod to 'Midnight Blue' in verses.
1:00 on - first time I've ever seen pics of his family.
I have read elsewhere Jeff's voice being compared to Maccas, but it is definitely more Lennonesque.
I would have said George Harrison.
OMG...this sounds like Idle Race's times...
Helen Reddy’s version is good but it would have been a hit if she would have just had Jeff Produce it.
Thank you.
It´s a bit difficult to believe. This demo
lacks strings and moog- syntetisators which
dominated on Out of the Blue.
The beginning is very similar to Mission from
A New World Record. In the same way the beginning of Steppin´out reminds Shangri- La.
A me, questa canzone, piace molto di più cantata da Jeff Lynne ❤️
where did you get the pictures?? D:
Any idea who's doing the backup vocals? They're lovely. ELO used female voices quite rarely.
Alas that ELO also rarely made use of Jeff's deeply melancholy side. The songs on Discovery are about as bluesy as it got, but that's nothing compared to songs like "Birthday", "Sea of Dreams", or "Lady Who Said She Could Fly".
Well, okay, there's "Mr. Radio" and "Mama" from the early years....
Then again maybe it's the production here that's key. Reddy's version isn't nearly so plaintive.
no.. this song is composed in 1977, in the Out Of The Blue era..
where do you get this things. ?
thanks for share.
just got to echo the above
great song! sounds like it should've been on Eldorado or On the Third Day1;
Great pictures, great song....if you like more of this, check out "Let me know if you miss ELO" on TH-cam by Rob Gubbels, also to be found on compingharry dot come....
Is this demo before or after he buggered men? Thanks!
This has such a John Lennon flavour
Pitty it is only a demo, got hit potential, very nice...
There is a good reasons some great songs remain demos.
What video are the two shots around 0:30 from? It looks around the same time as Showdown.
🎶📼👍
@ericlouet44 so true..............
Hi Steve, it sounds like Kelly but not to sure
Peace
@bassplayeroceanside I'm not sure about that,but I'm sorry if I offended your boyfriend!You answered my question Thanks!
[parti I:]
The song may be "awesome", like the former little fool mentioned, but the sound is...surprise surprise:
P O O R (as is the title).
Furthermore...
why am I allergic to artists, who plagiarize themselves?
This song reminds me VERY much of ELO:s "Midnight Blue" (if anyone has heard that one).
OMG you are an pompous ass. Lots of artist repeat sounds and melodies. Plagiarizing oneself is impossble. Get over yourself.
[part II:]
Listen to the verse of this song and compare it to the verse of "M. B".
Thanks beforehand.
Personally, I prefer "M. B."
Hopefully you discovered (oops: "Discovery" - I subconsciously referred to an E.L.O-album) some
similarities.
If ou didn't, you're most likely sought after by the Cherry Blossom clinic.
(oops: another reference).
It sounds like it could have been sung by the Beatles!
Jeff Lynne is the Beatle that never was!
@gahloot who cares. Either way he's a better musician than you. Thanks!
The verse reminds strongly on the song "Midnight Blue" on "Discovery".
I get connotations to John Lennon too.
Is this a joke or what?
At parts, it doesn't even sound like Jeff Lynne singing.
Is it?
Hm...
Nice plagiarism.
There really is no good reason for not to put this song on an official record.
Why wasn't it released?