Jeff Lynnes ELO – Evil Woman (Live at Wembley Stadium)

The Song Jeff Lynne Wrote in Minutes That Changed ELO’s Career Forever

When Face the Music was nearly complete in 1975, Jeff Lynne had a problem. Electric Light Orchestra’s fifth album needed a strong lead single, and nothing felt quite right. So he sent the band out to play football and sat down at the piano alone. What happened next took only minutes to create but would become ELO’s first worldwide hit. Released in September 1975 on the album and as a single in October, “Evil Woman” marked the turning point that transformed ELO from a cult favorite into international stars, with its slick R&B-influenced sound and irresistible piano hooks proving that orchestral rock could dominate the pop charts.

The song’s commercial impact was immediate and impressive. After entering the Billboard Hot 100 on November 15, 1975, “Evil Woman” climbed steadily through the winter, reaching number 10 for two consecutive weeks on February 14 and 21, 1976, where it spent a total of 17 weeks on the chart. In the UK, it first appeared on January 10, 1976, peaked at number 10 on January 31, and remained on the chart for 8 weeks. The single also reached number 6 in Canada and number 8 in Australia, giving ELO their first genuine hit on both sides of the Atlantic. This chart performance was particularly significant because it demonstrated that the band’s elaborate studio arrangements could translate into radio-friendly singles that appealed to mainstream audiences.

The creation story of “Evil Woman” has become legendary in rock history. Lynne literally wrote the song in a single morning while the rest of the band was out, with the first three chords coming to him immediately. That same afternoon, the band returned and recorded the backing track at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany. The next day, Lynne wrote and recorded the lyrics. The speed of composition didn’t mean the song was simple, though. String parts were later recorded at De Lane Lea Studios in Wembley, UK, and female backing vocals were added at a studio in New York City, creating the lush, layered sound that became the track’s signature.

Musically, “Evil Woman” represented a departure for ELO. Lynne deliberately kept it slick and cool, modeling it after R&B songs rather than the progressive rock that had defined much of their earlier work. The arrangement features prominent piano solos, sweeping string arrangements, and a particularly clever touch: a reversed string section taken from the ELO song “Nightrider,” used as a flanged interlude in the instrumental bridge. The lyric “There’s a hole in my head where the rain comes in” was Lynne’s tribute to The Beatles’ “Fixing a Hole,” one of many Beatles references that would pepper his songwriting throughout his career. The combination of orchestral grandeur with a danceable groove created something that radio programmers couldn’t resist.

Face the Music became ELO’s first platinum album, and Lynne later described it as the moment when everything changed for the band. Released in September 1975 by United Artists Records in the US and on November 14, 1975, by Jet Records in the UK, the album rode the success of “Evil Woman” to new commercial heights. The single was issued with regional picture sleeves in Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Japan, the Netherlands, and Yugoslavia, reflecting the global reach of ELO’s new sound. While the band had been building a following through albums like Eldorado and El Dorado, “Evil Woman” was the track that broke them into the mainstream and set the template for the massive success that would follow with A New World Record and Out of the Blue.

The song has enjoyed remarkable longevity, appearing on numerous compilation albums and becoming a staple of classic rock radio. It received new attention when Jeff Lynne’s ELO performed it at a sold-out Wembley Stadium show on June 24, 2017, before 60,000 fans, a performance that was captured in the concert film Wembley or Bust released later that year. Critics praised how the band’s live rendition sounded pitch perfect, just like the original recording, demonstrating the song’s enduring power more than four decades after its creation. In 2022, Lynne himself listed “Evil Woman” as one of his nine favorite ELO songs, acknowledging its crucial role in the band’s history.

“Evil Woman” remains essential listening for anyone exploring the golden age of 1970s pop-rock. It’s a masterclass in how sophisticated arrangements and accessible melodies can coexist, proving that you don’t need to choose between artistic ambition and commercial appeal. The song’s influence can be heard in countless artists who’ve attempted to blend rock instrumentation with orchestral flourishes, but few have achieved the effortless grace that Lynne captured on that hurried morning in Munich. For a song written in minutes to solve a last-minute problem, it has certainly stood the test of time, cementing its place as one of the defining tracks of the decade and the moment when ELO truly arrived as global superstars.