Do Ya Lyrics - Electric Light Orchestra

Electric Light Orchestra - Do Ya: An In-Depth Analysis

• Album: A New World Record


• Released: September 18, 1976


• Producer: Jeff Lynne


• Writer: Jeff Lynne


• Recorded At: Musicland Studios, Munich, Bavaria, West Germany; De Lane Lea Studios, Soho, City of Westminster, Greater London, England; Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles, California (July 1976)

Annotations and Meaning

The song Do Ya by Electric Light Orchestra is addressed to an unknown woman. The link to the colorful and occasionally scary images in the song becomes obvious by the last stanza. The songwriter appears to juxtapose the harsh reality, or possibly terrifying illusions, with her ability to overcome them via love. To back up his claim of seeing everything in life, he paints himself as a prophetic person who sees scenes that others do not. This prepares the woman to address the chorus' probing inquiries about love, face, and mind.

The song "The Move" is a hauntingly beautiful tale about a mysterious woman who is difficult to discern from the images and disturbing pictures brought up by the lyricist. The lyricist uses various images to establish his initial claim, "in this life I've seen everything I can see," and to gain the woman's trust. Each of the first three verses includes a central line describing a different time of the day, which helps stress the unreal images he creates.

The lyricist moves from personal to general, "the crowd", suggesting that he is inserting a political message. The song also references Auld Lang Syne, a traditional Scottish holiday celebrated on New Year's Eve. This line is missing in the original version, suggesting that Lynne added it to make a strong political statement.

The song's pace changes, with a string section and orchestral backing establishing a transition to the slow pace central part of the song. The order of the endings of each question is different than in the original Move's version, which was "life", "love", "face", and "mind".

The lyricist assumes that the woman has received his message, but the sudden caveat or step backwards may be a tacit explanation. The outro line, "Lookout baby, a plane's coming!", may be a tacit explanation. The song explores themes of love, religion, and the relationship between love and death.

Each stanza contains a primary line related to different times of the day, most notably employing the term "Midnight Sun," which is an oxymoron outside of polar regions, heightening the surreal character of the imagery. The shift from personal experiences to a more collective narrative—crowds singing, preachers drumming, and cops toying with guns—could indicate political criticism. This implies that the woman might represent a venerated person, suggesting parallels between religious and political passion.

The passage about "Auld Lang Syne," which is often performed on New Year's Eve, provides a temporal marker for the narrative. This part was missing in The Move's original version and may have been added by Lynne to underline a political remark relating religious zealotry and tyranny.

The symphonic transition in the bridge, which features a cello and choir, slows the song's speed and establishes a reflective mood. The changed order of the chorus questions in this version—from "life, love, face, mind" to "love, face, mind, love"—softens the accusing tone. The lyricist's declaration to save the woman for a rainy day implies that she is viewed as a backup alternative rather than a priority one, raising doubts about his sincerity.

The concluding lyric "Look out baby, a plane's coming!" in The Move's version provides a feeling of urgency and impending change that is slightly eased in ELO's version. This shift in tone reflects the song's overall progression from its initial form to its reworking by the Electric Light Orchestra.