My Top 2000 Songs #1087: Do Ya
After a few years as a 60s British pop act (which had some great singles but didn't get much play here in the US), The Move added guitarist Jeff Lynne and started to pivot in a harder rock direction. The biggest stand-out track from this period, "Do Ya," written by Lynne (but still sung by Move frontman Roy Wood) was somehow relegated to a 1972 b-side (though was later added to CD reissues of that year's Message From The Country). It's largely a Who-styled 3-chord rocker with added T. Rex-ish glam bombast, big and boomy and exploding with testosterone-fueled energy, with the ultimate sing-along chorus. Plus cowbell!
Once Lynne took over the reins of Electric Light Orchestra (which Wood & Lynne had created as a Move side project), he re-recorded the song (for 1976's A New World Record). It's not changed too dramatically, Lynne singing but emulating Wood's roughness, though it comes across as a little slicker with the addition of ELO's trademark strings (and, for better or worse, cutting the cowbell). Still great, though.
The Move's original:
ELO remake:Matthew Sweet cover:
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