‘Mr. Blue Sky’ is a song by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), featured on the band's seventh studio album Out of the Blue (1977). The song was the second single to be taken from Out of the Blue, peaking at number 6 in the UK Singles Chart and number 35 in the US Billboard Charts. However, it has since become ELO's signature song, and has been one of the most downloaded and streamed songs of the 1970s.
Written and produced by frontman Jeff Lynne, the song forms the fourth and final track of the "Concerto for a Rainy Day" suite on side three of the original double album. In a BBC Radio interview, Lynne talked about writing ‘Mr. Blue Sky’ after locking himself away in a Swiss chalet and attempting to write ELO's follow-up to A New World Record. He said “It was dark and misty for 2 weeks, and I didn't come up with a thing. Suddenly the sun shone and it was, 'Wow, look at those beautiful Alps.' I wrote Mr. Blue Sky and 13 other songs in the next 2 weeks.”
The song's arrangement has been called "Beatlesque", bearing similarities to Beatles songs ‘Martha My Dear’ and ‘A Day in the Life’ while harmonically it shares its unusual first four chords and harmonic rhythm with ‘Yesterday’.
Songwriter – Jeff Lynne
Producer – Jeff Lynne
SONG LYRICS
[Intro](Morning! Today's forecast calls for blue skies)
[Verse 1]
The sun is shining in the sky
There ain't a cloud in sight
It's stopped raining, everybody's in the play
And don't you know it's a beautiful new day?
Hey, hey, hey
[Verse 2]
Running down the avenue
See how the sun shines brightly
In the city, on the streets where once was pity
Mr. Blue Sky is living here today
Hey, hey, hey
[Chorus]
Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why
You had to hide away for so long (So long)
Where did we go wrong?
Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why
You had to hide away for so long (So long)
Where did we go wrong?
[Guitar Solo]
[Verse 3]
Hey you with the pretty face
Welcome to the human race
A celebration, Mr. Blue Sky's up there waiting
And today is the day we've waited for
Ah, ah, ah
[Chorus]
Oh, Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why
You had to hide away for so long (So long)
Where did we go wrong?
[Bridge]
Hey there, Mr. Blue
We're so pleased to be with you
Look around, see what you do
Everybody smiles at you
Hey there, Mr. Blue
We're so pleased to be with you
Look around, see what you do
Everybody smiles at you
[Interlude]
(Mr. Blue Sky)
(Mr. Blue Sky)
(Mr. Blue Sky-y)
[Verse 4]
Mr. Blue, you did it right
But soon comes Mr. Night
Creeping over, now his hand is on your shoulder
Never mind, I'll remember you this
I'll remember you this way
[Chorus]
Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why
You had to hide away for so long (So long)
Where did we go wrong?
[Bridge]
Hey there, Mr. Blue (Sky)
We're so pleased to be with you (Sky)
Look around, see what you do (Blue)
Everybody smiles at you
[Outro]
(Please turn me over)