Getting to the Point

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Getting to the Point" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

"Getting to the Point"

Single by Electric Light Orchestra

from the album Balance of Power

B-side

"Secret Lives"
"ELO Megamix" (12-inch only)

Released

1 August 1986^[1]

Recorded

1985

Studio

Compass Point, Nassau, Bahamas
Hartmann Digital, Untertrubach, Germany

Genre

Length

4:30

Label

CBS Associated (US)
Epic (UK)

Songwriter(s)

Jeff Lynne

Producer(s)

Jeff Lynne

Electric Light Orchestra singles chronology

"So Serious"
(1986)

"Getting to the Point"
(1986)

"Destination Unknown"
(1990)

"Getting to the Point" is a song by the rock group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) from their 1986 album Balance of Power. Released in the UK as the last single from the album in August 1986, it was the last original release from the band for 15 years.

Overview

Due to a strike on Epic's distribution department at the time of its release, the single did not make much of an impression on the singles chart. It peaked at number 97 in the UK. There was no release in the rest of Europe.

The lyrics reflect Lynne's feeling trapped by the "ELO machine" at the time.^[2] Lynne described how he came up with the lyrics:

I'd been working on another song which I couldn't get right at all, and it was driving me mad. I think that is when I came up with the set of words to 'Getting to the Point'; it was probably frustration. I didn't feel good at the time, and it was supposed to be a sad song. But it's nice to have different atmospheres on the songs, and I think that because they were so instant. I didn't have time to go home and brood over the words and say 'Oh, I'll put that in there and this and that'. With being more instant, they're probably more honest.^[2]

ELO writer Barry Delve describes the song as ELO's "last great song" that is "an expertly crafted power ballad that also boasts one of Jeff Lynne's finest vocal performances."^[2]

The B-Side of this single is the 1986 Balance of Power album-track "Secret Lives". It was meant to be a separate single outtake as labelled on the Balance of Power album cover (Dutch pressings with JET or EPIC Label Catno. 26467).

There was also a UK 12 inch Epic 3 track version with the "ELO Megamix" on the B-side. The mix featured the songs from A New World Record, Out of the Blue, Discovery, Time and Balance of Power. It was mixed by Paul Dakeyne for DMC.

Track listing

All songs written by Jeff Lynne.

7-inch single

"Getting to the Point" – 4:28
"Secret Lives" – 3:26

12-inch single

"Getting to the Point" – 4:28
"ELO Megamix" ("Don't Bring Me Down/Sweet Talkin' Woman/Livin' Thing/Calling America/So Serious/Shine a Little Love/Twilight/Turn to Stone/Hold on Tight") – 9:57
"Secret Lives" – 3:26

Chart positions

Chart (1986)	Peak Position
UK Singles (OCC)^[3]	97

References

^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 95.
^ ^a ^b ^c Delve, Barry (2021). Electric Light Orchestra: Every Album, Every Song. Sonicbond. p. 118. ISBN 9781789521528.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 March 2021.

v t e Electric Light Orchestra
Jeff Lynne Bev Bevan Roy Wood Richard Tandy Mike Edwards Wilfred Gibson Hugh McDowell Mike de Albuquerque Colin Walker Mik Kaminski Kelly Groucutt Melvyn Gale
Studio albums	The Electric Light Orchestra (No Answer) ELO 2 (Electric Light Orchestra II) On the Third Day Eldorado Face the Music A New World Record Out of the Blue Discovery Time Secret Messages Balance of Power Zoom Alone in the Universe From Out of Nowhere
Live albums	The Night the Light Went On in Long Beach Live at Wembley '78 Live at Winterland '76 The BBC Sessions Live at the BBC Electric Light Orchestra Live Wembley or Bust
Soundtracks	Xanadu
Compilations	Showdown Olé ELO The Light Shines On Three Light Years The Light Shines On Vol 2 ELO's Greatest Hits A Box of Their Best Four Light Years Afterglow ELO's Greatest Hits Vol. 2 The Very Best of the Electric Light Orchestra Strange Magic Light Years Definitive Collection Friends & Relatives Flashback The Ultimate Collection The Essential Electric Light Orchestra All Over the World Ticket to the Moon The Essential Electric Light Orchestra (2 CD Edition) Mr. Blue Sky
Singles	"10538 Overture" "Mr. Radio" (withdrawn) "Roll Over Beethoven" "Showdown" "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" "Can't Get It Out of My Head" / "Illusions in G Major" "Boy Blue" / "Eldorado" "Evil Woman" "Strange Magic" "Nightrider" "Strange Magic" "Livin' Thing" / "Fire On High" "Rockaria!" "Do Ya" "Telephone Line" / "Poor Boy (The Greenwood)" "Turn to Stone" / "Mister Kingdom" "Mr. Blue Sky" / "One Summer Dream" "Sweet Talkin' Woman" "Wild West Hero" "It's Over" "Shine a Little Love" "The Diary of Horace Wimp" "Don't Bring Me Down" "Confusion" "Last Train to London" "I'm Alive" "Xanadu" (with Olivia Newton-John) "All Over the World" "Don't Walk Away" "Hold On Tight" "Twilight" "Here Is the News" / "Ticket to the Moon" "Rain Is Falling" "The Way Life's Meant to Be" "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" "Secret Messages" "Four Little Diamonds" "Stranger" "Calling America" "So Serious" "Getting to the Point"
Videography	Out of the Blue: Live at Wembley (1980) Fusion – Live in London (1990) Zoom Tour Live (2001) ELO – Total Rock Review (2006) Live: The Early Years (2010) Jeff Lynne's ELO: Live in Hyde Park (2015) Wembley or Bust (2017)
Tours	Jeff Lynne's ELO Tour 2019 The Over and Out Tour (2024-25)
Touring members	Louis Clark Dave Morgan Gregg Bissonette Matt Bissonette Marc Mann Rosie Vela
Related articles	Discography Members Song list The Move Wizzard ELO Part II The Orchestra Violinski Earthrise L.E.O. Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO
Category

This 1980s rock song–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Read other articles:

2012 Marina Bay GP2 Series round

2012 Marina Bay GP2 roundRound details Round 12 of 12 rounds in the 2012 GP2 Series Layout of the Marina Bay street circuitLocation Marina Bay Street Circuit, Marina Bay, SingaporeCourse Street circuit 5.073 km (3.152 mi)GP2 SeriesFeature raceDate 22 September 2012Laps 28Pole positionDriver Luca Filippi Scuderia ColoniTime 1:59.444PodiumFirst Max Chilton CarlinSecond Esteban Gutiérrez Lotus GPThird Fabio Leimer Racing EngineeringFastest lapDriver Esteban Gutiérrez Lotus GPTime...

Angkatan Darat India

Angkatan Darat Indiaभारतीय थाल्सेनाBharatiya ThalsenaIndian ArmyLambang dari Angkatan Darat IndiaAktif1 April 1895 (sebagai Angkatan Darat India Britania)26 Januari 1950 (sebagai Angkatan Darat India)Negara IndiaTipe unitAngkatan daratJumlah personel1.237.117 personel aktif960.000 cadangan[1]Bagian dariAngkatan Bersenjata IndiaMarkasNew Delhi, IndiaMotoService Before SelfTugas Sebelum Diri SendiriSitus webindianarmy.nic.inTokohPanglima Tertinggi Presid...

Matthew White Ridley, 1st Viscount Ridley

British politician The Right HonourableThe Viscount RidleyPC DLHome SecretaryIn office29 June 1895 – 12 November 1900MonarchVictoriaPrime MinisterThe Marquess of SalisburyPreceded byH. H. AsquithSucceeded byCharles Ritchie Personal detailsBorn(1842-07-25)25 July 1842London, EnglandDied28 November 1904(1904-11-28) (aged 62)Blagdon Hall, NorthumberlandPolitical partyConservativeSpouse(s)Hon. Mary Georgiana Marjoribanks (1850–1899)Children5Parent(s)Sir Matthew White Ridley, 4th...

Первородный грех

Об экономическом термине см. Первородный грех (экономика). ХристианствоБиблия Ветхий Завет Новый Завет Евангелие Десять заповедей Нагорная проповедь Апокрифы Бог, Троица Бог Отец Иисус Христос Святой Дух История христианства Апостолы Хронология христианства Ран�...

Paspor Indonesia

Paspor Indonesia (lengkapnya Paspor Republik Indonesia) adalah dokumen perjalanan yang diterbitkan oleh Direktorat Jenderal Imigrasi, Kementerian Hukum dan Hak Asasi Manusia, dan perwakilan Indonesia di luar negeri. Paspor Indonesia memuat identitas pemegangnya dan berlaku untuk melakukan perjalanan antarnegara. Paspor Indonesia berfungsi sebagai tanda pengenal atau identitas dari warga negara Indonesia di luar negeri, oleh karena itu paspor ini hanya diberikan pada warga negara Indonesia saj...

FA Cup 2010-2011

FA Cup 2010-2011 Competizione FA Cup Sport Calcio Edizione 130ª Organizzatore Federazione calcistica dell'Inghilterra Luogo Inghilterra Galles Partecipanti 759 Risultati Vincitore Manchester City(5° titolo) Secondo Stoke City Semi-finalisti Bolton Manchester Utd La parata dei Citizens dopo il trionfo Cronologia della competizione 2009-2010 2011-2012 Manuale La FA Cup 2010-2011 è stata la centotrentesima edizione della competizione calcistica più antica d...

Oberlin College

Private college in Oberlin, Ohio, US Oberlin CollegeFormer namesOberlin Collegiate Institute(1833–1864)MottoLearning and LaborTypePrivate liberal arts collegeEstablishedSeptember 2, 1833; 190 years ago (1833-09-02)Academic affiliationsAnnapolis GroupCICCLACCOFHEFive Colleges of OhioGLCANAICU[1]Oberlin GroupEndowment$1.09 billion (2021)[2]PresidentCarmen Twillie AmbarAcademic staff327 (2017)[3]Students2,785 (2019)[3]LocationOberlin, Ohio, U.S...

Alessandro Magnoli Bocchi

Alessandro Magnoli BocchiSpeaking at World Economic Forum, 2011Born (1968-04-25) 25 April 1968 (age 56)Cremona, ItalyNationalityItalianAcademic careerInstitutionsWorld Bank, 2001-2012Harvard University, 1998-2001Inter-American Development Bank, 1995-1998Pirelli, 1993-1995ESADE, 1993-1995FieldInternational economicsMacroeconomicsBusiness economicsInvestment strategyAsset managementAlma materBocconi UniversityESADE Business SchoolUniversity of ParmaDoctoraladvisorRob VosInformation at...

National Bird (film)

2016 filmNational BirdTheatrical release posterDirected bySonia KennebeckProduced by Sonia Kennebeck Ines Hoffmann Kanna CinematographyTorsten LappEdited byMaxine GoedickeMusic byInsa RudolphProductioncompanies Ten Forward Films ITVS Corporation for Public Broadcasting NDR Deutscher Filmförderfonds Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein Kuratorium Junger Deutscher Film Distributed byFilmRiseRelease dates February 14, 2016 (2016-02-14) (Berlinale) November 11, ...

Saar (river)

River in France and Germany For the river in Switzerland, see Saar (Rhine). SaarSaar loop at MettlachLocationCountriesFrance and GermanyPhysical characteristicsSourceSarre Blanche • locationVosges mountains, Bas-Rhin • coordinates48°31′37″N 7°09′45″E / 48.52694°N 7.16250°E / 48.52694; 7.16250 (Sarre Blanche) • elevation±800 m (2,600 ft) 2nd sourceSarre Rouge • locationVo...

Bezalel

Biblical figure For other uses, see Bezalel (disambiguation). The Goldsmith, gouache on board, c. 1896-1902, by James Tissot (The Jewish Museum, NY) Bezalel, Oholiab and an assistant produce vessels for the tabernacle (engraving by Pieter Jacopsz Paets, 1645) In Exodus 31:1-6 and chapters 36 to 39, Bezalel, Bezaleel, or Betzalel (Hebrew: בְּצַלְאֵל, Bəṣalʼēl), was the chief artisan of the Tabernacle[1] and was in charge of building the Ark of the Covenant, assisted by O...

IC 5250

هذه المقالة تحتاج للمزيد من الوصلات للمقالات الأخرى للمساعدة في ترابط مقالات الموسوعة. فضلًا ساعد في تحسين هذه المقالة بإضافة وصلات إلى المقالات المتعلقة بها الموجودة في النص الحالي. (أكتوبر 2019) هذه المقالة يتيمة إذ تصل إليها مقالات أخرى قليلة جدًا. فضلًا، ساعد بإضافة وصلة...

Dixie Alley

Nickname for areas of the southern United States which has strong or violent tornadoes This article needs attention from an expert in Severe weather. The specific problem is: It's not a distinct area so much as has regional character among same broad tornadic region as Tornado Alley, both are colloquial and not scientific terms. WikiProject Severe weather may be able to help recruit an expert. (October 2022) Dixie Alley is a colloquial term sometimes used for areas of the southern United Stat...

Assignment (law)

In property law, the transfer of ownership of a thing from one person to another Assignee redirects here. For the racehorse, see Assignee (horse). This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources:&#...

Dick and Jane

Series of children's early reading books For the 1977 film, see Fun with Dick and Jane (1977 film). For the 2005 film remake, see Fun with Dick and Jane (2005 film). Fun With Dick and Jane Dick and Jane are the two main characters created by Zerna Sharp for a series of basal readers written by William S. Gray to teach children to read. The characters first appeared in the Elson-Gray Readers in 1930 and continued in a subsequent series of books through the final version in 1965. These readers ...

ستوك-أون-ترينت الجنوبية (دائرة انتخابية في المملكة المتحدة)

ستوك-أون-ترينت الجنوبيةالبلد المملكة المتحدة المنطقة ميدلاند الغربية المساحة 32٫84 كم²[1] الدائرة الانتخابيةتأسست في 23 فبراير 1950 عدد المقاعد 1 مجلس العموم تعديل - تعديل مصدري - تعديل ويكي بيانات 52°59′N 2°9′W / 52.983°N 2.150°W / 52.983; -2.150 ستوك-أون-ترينت الجنوبية (بال�...

Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Daerah Kabupaten Barito Selatan

Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Daerah Kabupaten Barito SelatanDewan Perwakilan Rakyat Kabupaten Barito Selatan 2019-2024JenisJenisUnikameral Jangka waktu5 tahunSejarahSesi baru dimulai14 Agustus 2019PimpinanKetuaMuhammad Farid Yusran (PDI-P) sejak 23 September 2019 Wakil Ketua IMoch. Yusuf Kalem (Golkar) sejak 23 September 2019 Wakil Ketua IIEnung Irawati (PKB) sejak 23 September 2019 KomposisiAnggota25Partai & kursi PDI-P (7) NasDem (2) PKB (3) ...

Spirit duplicator

Obsolete printing technology This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: Spirit duplicator – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message) A spirit duplicator machine Part of a series on theHistory of printing TechniquesWoodblock printing200Movable typ...

Presidente della Repubblica Slovacca

Presidente della Repubblica SlovaccaStendardo presidenziale Peter Pellegrini, attuale Presidente della Repubblica Nome originale(SK) Prezident Slovenskej republiky Stato Slovacchia Tipocapo di Stato In caricaPeter Pellegrini (ind., area HLAS-SD) da15 giugno 2024 Istituito1° ottobre 1992 daCostituzione slovacca Operativo dal1° gennaio 1993 Riforme1999 (introduzione dell'elezione diretta) Presidenza ad interimall'occorrenza: Presidente del Governo e Presidente del Consiglio nazionale (co...

Hugo Sinzheimer

German academic and author Hugo SinzheimerSinzheimer in 1919Born(1875-04-12)12 April 1875Worms, Hesse, GermanyDied16 September 1945(1945-09-16) (aged 70)Bloemendaal, NetherlandsNationalityGermanAcademic backgroundAlma materHeidelberg UniversityAcademic workDisciplineLawSub-disciplineLabour lawsociology of lawInstitutionsGoethe University FrankfurtInfluencedFranz Neumann Hugo Sinzheimer (12 April 1875 – 16 September 1945)[1] was a German legal scholar and contributed to the...