On the Third Day

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title: "On the Third Day" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["electric-light-orchestra-albums", "albums-produced-by-jeff-lynne", "albums-with-cover-art-by-hipgnosis", "warner-records-albums", "united-artists-records-albums", "jet-records-albums", "1973-albums", "albums-recorded-at-air-studios"] description: "1973 Electric Light Orchestra album" topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Third_Day" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 1973 Electric Light Orchestra album ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox album"]

Field	Value
name	On the Third Day
type	studio
artist	Electric Light Orchestra
cover	On the third day uk cover.jpg
released	November 1973
recorded	April–May, August 1973
studio	*De Lane Lea Studios, London
genre	*Progressive rock
length	39:34
label	Warner Bros. (U.K.)
United Artists (U.S.)
producer	Jeff Lynne
prev_title	ELO 2
prev_year	1973
next_title	The Night the Light Went On in Long Beach
next_year	1974
misc	{{Extra chronology
artist	Electric Light Orchestra studio album
type	studio
prev_title	ELO 2
prev_year	1973
title	On the Third Day
year	1973
next_title	Eldorado
next_year	1974
name	On the Third Day
type	studio
single1	Showdown
single1date	14 September 1973
single2	Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
single2date	February 1974
header	US cover
type	studio
cover	On The Third Day US cover.jpg
::

| name = On the Third Day | type = studio | artist = Electric Light Orchestra | cover = On the third day uk cover.jpg | alt = | released = November 1973 | recorded = April–May, August 1973 | venue = | studio = *De Lane Lea Studios, London

• AIR Studios, London | genre = *Progressive rock
• progressive pop | length = 39:34 | label = Warner Bros. (U.K.) United Artists (U.S.) | producer = Jeff Lynne | prev_title = ELO 2 | prev_year = 1973 | next_title = The Night the Light Went On in Long Beach | next_year = 1974 | misc = {{Extra chronology | artist = Electric Light Orchestra studio album | type = studio | prev_title = ELO 2 | prev_year = 1973 | title = On the Third Day | year = 1973 | next_title = Eldorado | next_year = 1974 | name = On the Third Day | type = studio | single1 = Showdown | single1date = 14 September 1973 | single2 = Ma-Ma-Ma Belle | single2date = February 1974 | header = US cover | type = studio | cover = On The Third Day US cover.jpg | border = | alt = | caption =

|rev1 = AllMusic |rev1score = |rev3 = Encyclopedia of Popular Music |rev3Score = |rev4 = The Music Box |rev4score = |rev6 = MusicHound |rev6score = 3/5 |rev7 = Rolling Stone |rev7score = (unfavourable) |rev8 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide |rev8score = |noprose=yes On the Third Day is the third studio album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), and the first to be recorded without input from Roy Wood. It was released in the United States in November 1973 by United Artists Records, and in the United Kingdom on 14 December 1973 by Warner Bros. Records. From this album on, the word The was dropped from the band's name (other than The Night the Light Went On in Long Beach which was one of their live albums). The album was reissued on 12 September 2006.

Release

On the Third Day was released in 1973 and failed to enter the UK charts at the time, although it did reach the US charts at number 52. Side two of the album was recorded during or shortly after the sessions for ELO's second album ELO 2. On The Third Day contains shorter tracks than its predecessor, but the four songs on side one of the album were linked into a continuous suite. Violinist Mik Kaminski made his debut on side one of this album, replacing Wilfred Gibson, although Gibson plays on side two (plus the bonus tracks). Also, cellist Colin Walker left the line up around the same time, leaving Mike Edwards as lone cellist.

"Showdown" was originally intended to be released only as a single, and, because it was on a different label (Harvest) than the UK album, "Showdown" did not appear on the Warner Bros. Records issue. It was, however, included on the U.S. version of the album, because the band remained on United Artists Records in the U.S. Some copies of On the Third Day from this period had "Showdown" as the last track on side one. Although he didn't record on the album, Hugh McDowell did appear on this front cover of the U.S. album seen at right, which was an unusual photograph taken by photographer Richard Avedon that had ELO displaying their navels.

Track listing

Original track listing

| headline = Side one | all_writing = Jeff Lynne, except where noted | title1 = Ocean Breakup / King of the Universe | length1 = 4:05 | title2 = Bluebird Is Dead | length2 = 4:25 | title3 = Oh No Not Susan | length3 = 2:52 | title4 = New World Rising / Ocean Breakup (Reprise) | length4 = 4:40 | title5 = Showdown | note5 = only on the original US release and subsequent reissues | length5 = 4:15 | headline = Side two | title6 = Daybreaker | length6 = 3:50 | title7 = Ma-Ma-Ma Belle | length7 = 3:52 | title8 = Dreaming of 4000 | note8 = listed as "I'm Only Dreaming" on the cassette tape version | length8 = 5:00 | title9 = In the Hall of the Mountain King | writer9 = Edvard Grieg | length9 = 6:35 | total_length = 39:34

| headline = Bonus tracks on 2006 reissue | title10 = Auntie | note10 = Ma-Ma-Ma Belle Take 1 | length10 = 1:19 | title11 = Auntie | note11 = Ma-Ma-Ma Belle Take 2 | length11 = 4:05 | title12 = Mambo | note12 = Dreaming of 4000 Take 1 | length12 = 5:05 | title13 = Everyone's Born to Die | length13 = 3:43 | title14 = Interludes | length14 = 3:40

Personnel

• Jeff Lynne – vocals, guitars
• Bev Bevan – drums, percussion
• Richard Tandy – piano, Moog, clavinet, Wurlitzer electric piano
• Mike de Albuquerque – bass, backing vocals
• Mike Edwards – cello
• Mik Kaminski – violin (on tracks 1–4)
• Ted Blight – cello (credited on the UK pressing, but said to be a figment of Lynne's imagination)

Additional personnel

• Wilf Gibson – violin (on tracks 5–14)
• Colin Walker – cello (on tracks 5–14)
• Marc Bolan – co-lead guitar ("Ma Ma Ma Belle", "Dreaming of 4000", "Everyone's Born to Die")

Charts

::data[format=table] | Chart (1974) | Peak position | Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) | US CashBox | |---|---|---|---| | 46 | | | | | 31 | | | | ::

::data[format=table] | Chart (2006) | Peak position | |---|---| ::

Notes

• A endnote_A**^** Peaked the week of 20 October 2006 when Epic Records Japan released the remastered CD.

References

References

1. "Jeff Lynne Song Database - 1970s Songs".
2. {{allMusic
3. (2011). "The Encyclopedia of Popular Music ''(5th edn)''". Omnibus Press.
4. "Electric Light Orchestra - On the Third Day (Album Review)".
5. (1999). "MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide". Visible Ink Press.
6. "Rolling Stone review".
7. (2004). "The New Rolling Stone Album Guide'' (4th edn)''". Fireside/Simon & Schuster.
8. (2020-07-28). "ACHOF Interview with designer and illustrator John Kehe".
9. "Electric Light Orchestra - On The Third Day".
10. "Electric Light Orchestra - On The Third Day".
11. Kiste, John Van der. (19 August 2017). "Electric Light Orchestra: Song by Song". Fonthill Media.
12. "Jeff Lynne Song Database - Exposing the Secrets!".
13. "On the Third Day - Electric Light Orchestra | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic".
14. Campbell, Irving. (2007). "A Guide to the Outtakes of Marc Bolan". Great Horse.
15. Sinclair, Keith J.. "Everyone's Born To Die".
16. "Australian Album Chart Positions". [[Kent Music Report]].
17. (March 16, 1974). "CashBox Top 100 Albums".

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