Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Do Ya

First recorded by The Move (B-side US #93/UK #7 1972).
Also recorded by Utopia (1975).
Hit version by Electric Light Orchestra (US #24/CAN #13/GER #42 1977).

From the wiki: “‘Do Ya’ was written by Jeff Lynne in 1971 and was first recorded by British Rock band The Move in 1972 when Lynne was a member of the group. The final Move line-up of 1972 that first recorded ‘Do Ya’ was the trio of Lynne, Roy Wood and Bev Bevan; together, they rode the Move’s transition into the Electric Light Orchestra. Released on a maxi single along with ‘California Man’ and ‘Ella James’, ‘Do Ya’ proved to be the Move’s farewell disc, and the only song recorded by the group to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 – albeit as a B-side. (The Move had ten UK Top 20 hits before its breakup.)

“ELO formed during The Move’s latter years to accommodate Wood’s and Lynne’s desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones. ELO’s sixth album, the platinum-selling A New World Record, became their first UK Top 10 album when it was released in 1976. It contained the hit singles ‘Livin’ Thing’, ‘Telephone Line’, ‘Rockaria!’ … and ‘Do Ya’, a re-recording of the Move song, that charted Top 30 in the US in 1977.

“Todd Rundgren’s group, Utopia, covered ‘Do Ya’ in 1975 on the album Another Live, recorded live at Wollman Rink, Central Park, New York City. The album peaked at #66 on the Billboard Hot Album chart.

“The Move/ELO drummer Bev Bevan stated the reason for the 1977 re-recording was that after ELO had added the song to their live performances a music journalist asked the band their opinion of ‘the original version’ by Todd Rundgren.’ Bevan said they decided to re-record it as ELO in order to ‘let everyone know that it’s a Jeff Lynne song.’

“In 2000, Lynne found an unedited alternative mix for the song, also recorded in 1976, that he decided he preferred over the track released on the 1977 album. A digital remaster of the alternative mix was included on the compilation box set Flashback, released in 2000.”

Utopia, “Do Ya” (1975):

Electric Light Orchestra, “Do Ya” (1977):

Electric Light Orchestra, “Do Ya” alternative mix (released 2000):

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