Mr. Blue Sky !exclusive!

This is the story of the anthem of the summer of 1977 and why, decades later, the sun is still shining in the musical world of Jeff Lynne.

In the pantheon of pop music, there are songs that make you cry, songs that make you dance, and then there is "Mr. Blue Sky." It is a rarity in the modern musical landscape: a track of such unbridled, chemically pure optimism that it is almost impossible to listen to without a smile cracking across your face. Released in 1977 by the Birmingham-based symphonic rockers Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), the song has transcended its era to become a cultural monolith. Mr. Blue Sky

: It features a driving 178 bpm tempo and a distinct "staccato" piano groove [8, 23]. This is the story of the anthem of

It features a distinctive bouncing piano groove, operatic backing vocals, and a heavily vocoded voice [5.6, 5.10]. Hidden Message: Released in 1977 by the Birmingham-based symphonic rockers