Song of the Day 3/4: Electric Light Orchestra, “Showdown”
It’s raining all over the world. From “On the Third Day,” ELO’s third LP and its first without co-founder Roy Wood, released in 1973. The single reached No. 12 in the UK but couldn’t crack the top 40 in the US. Jeff Lynne played the guitar solo on Marc Bolan’s Gibson Firebird.
The song was a favorite of John Lennon’s at the time. When he did a guest DJ stint at WNEW in New York the next year, he heaped praise on the song and the band.
“Showdown” turned up in this year’s Super Bowl, in a commercial for Michelob, which is something I didn’t know when it happened because I never watch the Super Bowl.
The song also appears at a critical point in the Academy Awards snubbed classic “ Kingpin”.
Never saw it. Is that what the commercial was playing off of?
I haven’t seen the commercial.
Can’t believe the Academy didn’t at least nominate Bill Murray for “most realistic hairpiece”!
Alby, you should be glad you missed that one!