Shine a Little Love

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"Shine a Little Love"
Single by Electric Light Orchestra
from the album Discovery
B-side"Jungle"
Released11 May 1979 (1979-05-11)[1]
StudioMusicland (Munich, Germany)
Genre
Length
LabelJet
Songwriter(s)Jeff Lynne
Producer(s)Jeff Lynne
Electric Light Orchestra singles chronology
"The ELO EP"
(1978) 		"Shine a Little Love"
(1979) 		"The Diary of Horace Wimp"
(1979)
Discovery track listing
9 tracks
Side one
  1. "Shine a Little Love"
  2. "Confusion"
  3. "Need Her Love"
  4. "The Diary of Horace Wimp"
Side two
  2. "Last Train to London"
  3. "Midnight Blue"
  4. "On the Run"
  5. "Wishing"
  6. "Don't Bring Me Down"
Music video
"Shine a Little Love" on YouTube

"Shine a Little Love" is a song by English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released as a single in the US and UK in 1979.

Summary[edit]

The song is the first track on their 1979 album Discovery. This was one of the band's most commercially successful singles, peaking at no. 4 in Canada, no. 6 in the UK Singles Chart[2] and no. 8 in the US Billboard Hot 100.[3] The song subsequently became one of their biggest worldwide hits as well. The 12" release was also available in white vinyl. Two different promotional videos were filmed for the single, a recording studio version shot on 35mm film, minus the band's three string players and a video-taped version made for the Discovery video album, featuring the full touring line-up.

A bit of a disco beat on this one, and quite a lot of things going on, forty-piece string section and all. It's very jolly and bouncy and I must have been in a very good mood when I wrote it!

— Discovery remaster (2001), Jeff Lynne

Reception[edit]

Billboard praised the song's "catchy melody," "intricate musical techniques, special effects and its "tight, cohesive sound."[4] Cash Box said that it has "seamless production, pinpoint harmonies and Jeff Lynne's smooth, mid-range vocals."[5] Record World said that it "mixes progressive rock falsetto harmonies and synthesizer swirls with a thumping bass line."[6]

Something Else! critic S. Victor Aaron said that "it's very disco" with "a mirror ball bass pulse, a galloping guitar, exuberant shouts of 'wooo!'…and of course, string accoutrements" but also has "Beatle-esque pop hooks and craftsmanship."[7]

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[1] Silver 250,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

B-side[edit]

"Jungle" is a song written by Jeff Lynne which first appeared as an album track from the 1977 album Out of the Blue. According to the band members' opinions, recording Jungle was a lot of fun owing to the various types of sound effects, the upbeat tune, and the jungle animal noises provided by Lynne, Bev Bevan, and Kelly Groucutt. Like most songs from the LP, the song starts with a fade in sequence by Tandy then continues in a different tune.

On 'Jungle', I was inspired by an old Hollywood movie 42nd Street by Busby Berkeley. I liked the sound of the tap dancers so we re-created this dance in the corridor of Musicland.

— 26 February 2007 – Out of the Blue remaster liner notes, Jeff Lynne

Great fun recording this song with our imitations of bird calls, elephants, Tarzan and even a tap dance sequence performed by Jeff, Kelly and myself.

— 1977 – Japanese Out of the Blue LP liner notes (United Artists GXG 25/26), Bev Bevan

For Jungle, Jeff, Richard, Kelly and Bev provided their own effects and ably imitated the sound of animals, Tarzan and a dubiously named dance troupe in full swing.

— 26 February 2007 – Out of the Blue remaster liner notes, Rob Caiger

Lovefreekz version[edit]

"Shine"
Single by Lovefreekz
Released24 January 2005 (2005-01-24)
Length3:11
LabelPositiva
Songwriter(s)Jeff Lynne
Producer(s)Hal Ritson[30]

English electronic music producer Mark Hadfield, under the alias of Lovefreekz, sampled the chorus lyric for his version of the song, "Shine". This version was a commercial success in the United Kingdom, debuting and peaking at No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart in January 2005, matching the peak of the original version. It additionally charted within the top 50 in Australia, Belgium (Flanders), and Ireland. In the United States, it reached No. 22 on the Billboard Hot Dance Radio Airplay chart.

Charts[edit]

Weekly charts[edit]

Chart (2005) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[30] 45
Australia Club Chart (ARIA)[31] 2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[32] 32
Ireland (IRMA)[33] 16
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[34] 73
Scotland (OCC)[35] 10
UK Dance (OCC)[36] 3
UK Singles (OCC)[37] 6
US Hot Dance Radio Airplay (Billboard)[38] 22

Year-end charts[edit]

Chart (2005) Rank
Australia Club Chart (ARIA)[39] 48

Release history[edit]

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 24 January 2005 (2005-01-24)
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
 Positiva [40]
Australia 14 February 2005 (2005-02-14) CD Sony Music Australia [41]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "British single certifications – ELO – Shine a Little Love". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Electric Light Orchestra – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  4. ^ "Billboard's Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. 12 May 1979. p. 79. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  5. ^ "Singles Reviews > Feature Picks" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XL, no. 52. 12 May 1979. p. 17. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 12 May 1979. p. 1. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  7. ^ Aaron, S. Victor (14 February 2011). "Guilty pleasures: Jeff Lynne and the Electric Light Orchestra". Something Else!. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  8. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. ^ "Electric Light Orchestra – Shine A Little Love" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  10. ^ "Electric Light Orchestra – Shine A Little Love" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  11. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 4407." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  12. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4497a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  13. ^ "European Top 50 Singles – compiled by Europarade – Week Ending 16.06.79". World Charts. Archived from the original on 13 June 2014.
  14. ^ "Electric Light Orchestra – Shine A Little Love" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  15. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Shine a Little Love". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  16. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 25, 1979" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  17. ^ "Electric Light Orchestra – Shine A Little Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  18. ^ "Electric Light Orchestra – Shine A Little Love". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  19. ^ "Electric Light Orchestra – Shine A Little Love". VG-lista. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  20. ^ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (E)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  21. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  22. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 79.
  23. ^ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending JULY 21, 1979". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 20 August 2011.
  24. ^ "Record World Singles" (PDF). Record World. 14 July 1979. p. 31. ISSN 0034-1622. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  25. ^ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1970s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  26. ^ "1979 Top 200 Singles". RPM. Vol. 32, no. 13. 22 December 1979. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  27. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1979" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  28. ^ "Top 100 Hits for 1979". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  29. ^ "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1979". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 25 August 2012.
  30. ^ a b "The Lovefreekz – Shine". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  31. ^ "The ARIA Report – ARIA Club Tracks – Week Commencing 31st January 2005" (PDF). ARIA. 31 January 2005. p. 17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2008. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  32. ^ "The Lovefreekz – Shine" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  33. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Lovefreekz". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  34. ^ "Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 10, saptamina 14.03 – 19.03, 2005" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 14 May 2005. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  35. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  36. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  37. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  38. ^ "Hot Dance Radio Airplay" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 14. 2 April 2005. p. 25. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  39. ^ "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Club Chart 2005". ARIA. Archived from the original on 15 April 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  40. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 22 January 2005. p. 39.
  41. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 14th February 2005" (PDF). ARIA. 14 February 2005. p. 28. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 February 2005. Retrieved 10 October 2021.

External links[edit]

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