Here Is the News

"Here Is the News" is a 1982 song written and performed by Electric Light Orchestra.

It is track ten on the album Time (1981) and was released as a double A-side along with "Ticket to the Moon" in January 1982, reaching #24 in the UK charts. The song makes heavy use of synthesizers but also includes guitar, bass guitar, piano, and a drum kit. The song is in Strophic form, lasts 3 minutes 43 seconds and ends with a fade out. The song is about the news programs of the future, or more accurately the news programs of 2095 and voices from news reports can be heard in the background at some points in the song. A number of news reporters claim that their voices were used for this song, but Lynne said that the snippets featured the voices of band members. Kelly Groucutt can be heard to say, "You'll have to wait and see. I'll call you back later" in the closing montage and Lynne says, "I'd like to say hello to everybody".

Covers

• UK progressive rock band Frost* has recorded a cover of this song. It was featured on their MySpace page.
• The song was covered by the band Brave Saint Saturn on their album Anti-Meridian.
• UK band Scarlet Blonde recorded a cover of "Here is the News" to be the first single from their 2009 album Acerbic.
• Swedish metal band PAIN did a cover on their 2008 album Cynic Paradise bonus disc shipped with the limited edition version of the album.
• Electronic dream pop trio Au Revoir Simone covered this song for Buffetlibre Rewind 2.

Trivia

The Dutch broadcasting company VPRO has been using the opening sequence of "Here Is the News" since 1981 at the start of their radio and television broadcasts. In october 1987, a Maltese radio was also using the intro of "Here Is the News" to introduce the news.

Chart positions

References