Turn To Stone by Electric Light Orchestra

Album: Out Of The Blue (1977)

Charted: 18 13

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Songfacts®:

"Turn To Stone" is the first track on ELO's landmark Out Of The Blue album, released in 1977. Frontman Jeff Lynne wrote it during his marathon two-week song-crafting retreat in Switzerland. He can also be heard playing the moog baseline here.

"'Turn to Stone' is one of my favorites I ever did," he told Rolling Stone. "It's just so primary and simple, but yet very evocative. I love the shuffle beat."
There's a disco groove on this song (it was 1977, after all) along with the keyboards, multi-tracked vocals and strings. The song has so much complex layering that ELO had to rely on tapes to reproduce the same sound in concert.
"Turn To Stone" was the first single from the Out Of The Blue album. It got a lot of airplay and charted around the world, as did their next single, "Mr. Blue Sky." ELO kept the momentum going with a string of hits over the next few years. These songs held up very well and found a home decades later on classic rock radio. These songs add some adventurous variety to playlists - nobody else was using synthesizers, strings and vocal effects like this.
Doctor Who fan alert! "Turn To Stone" was one of the ELO songs featured in the 2006 episode "Love & Monsters," being performed by characters. The song also makes up part of the soundtrack for the 1999 film Detroit Rock City.
Around the 1:50 mark, Jeff Lynne does some speed singing. It's not easy to understand, but here's what he's singing:

Yes, I'm turnin' to stone 'cause you ain't comin' home
Why ain't you comin' home if I'm turnin' to stone?
You've been gone for so long and I can't carry on
Yes, I'm turnin', I'm turnin', I'm turnin' to stone

"I just felt like it needed something simple in the middle of the song," he explained. "I often used to put a funny little piece in a song just in case I get bored with it."
The guy in the song is turning to stone because his girl has left him (a bit of an overreaction, perhaps). He's pulling the old "I can't live without you" bit.

It's not the first ELO song from the perspective of a guy who is lonely and desperate. A year earlier they released "Telephone Line," which has a similar sentiment.

Comments: 4

Silverphoenix~222~plasmamoon from Tx@Paul Osman Checked out the Four Tops version. I definitely hear similarities in the chorus, not a direct rip, but um yea. Thanks for the nfo! Good on Ya!
Paul Osman from Liverpool, EnglandThere was a song called (I'll) Turn To Stone recorded by the Four Tops in 1966. The E L O song is totally different ,both songs stand out in their own right.
Jodie from Xxxxx, MdGreat Song. Love this band.
Zabadak from London, EnglandBlue vinyl single in the UK! :-)

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