BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1980
“I’m Alive” is a song by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released as a single in May 1980. It is featured in a sequence near the beginning of the feature film Xanadu. The song also appears on the soundtrack album Xanadu. In the UK the single peaked at#20 in the US #16.
In the film the song is heard as the Muses emerge from a graffiti-like portrait; Olivia Newton-John, playing Kira (Terpsichore), emerges last. The film’s version of the song contains a fairly lengthy instrumental introduction, a small segment of which is used for the album version.
The song has been recently updated in the version of Xanadu on Broadway.
Included in the song’s closing coda is Morse code which spells out “E.L.O.”, they did something similar to this on two of their other songs, “Ocean Breakup” from 1973’s On the Third Day and 1983’s “Secret Messages”.
The b-side “Drum Dreams” is also featured in the film “Xanadu” in a slightly different version and is played during a skating sequnce with Gene Kelly during the film’s finale, although the song is featured in the film it does not appear on the soundtrack LP or CD.
SIDE A:
I’m Alive 3:46
SIDE B:
Drum Dreams 3:00
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
U.S. CHART HISTORY:
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | I’m Alive | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | #16 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: MCA Records – MCA-41246
Format: Vinyl, 7″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: 1980
Genre: Electronic
Style: Rock, Synth-pop
CREDITS:
Producer – Jeff Lynne
Written-By – Jeff Lynne
NOTES:
From the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack “XANADU”
Recorded in Europe
Find the 7″ on DISCOGS
EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube: Tung-Sol 12AX7ECC803-S Gold Electron Tube
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner
SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
Any chance of a repost? Really trying to find Drum Dreams.
Thanks for this one. Really great sounding rip of this 7″!
We really reed a expanded edition of the Xanadu soundtrack. There is lots of bonus material to add to the original LP. Thanks for this 7 inch. Great!
Jeff Lynne is the greatest. Thanks!
Finding a pristine quality rip of “Drum Dreams” had been a holy grail wish of mine for many many years. Thank you for finally filling that void. Truly appreciated beyond words.
Thanks!!
Very nice to have “Drum Dreams” in pristine quality. “I’m Alive” is one of my favourite ELO singles.
Thanks Paul 🙂
Has it really been 35 years? I remember sitting (back when you could do it) through “Xanadu” three time the day it hit the local theatre! Ah,to be 11 again. In a way,the movie also made me an E L O fan,too. Thanks for posting these singles!
Thanks for this! One of my first ELO songs, along with their other Xanadu tracks. As Andre said, Jeff Lynne has never warmed to Xanadu in any way. When he did his own ELO retrospective(Flashback), he elected to re-record Xanadu as a laid-back acoustic guitar sort of thing (blecchhh!), rather than include the brilliant original. It’s been suggested that the film / soundtrack ruined his reputation with critics, which is why he doesn’t remember it fondly. But I never got the impression he cared what critics thought of his work. Anyway – a recommendation for those that like I’m Alive:… Read more »
Time also contains “Here is the News,” maybe the best post Xanadu track ELO ever recorded. The best thing to do with Time is to start it, forget where your stop button is, and emerge about 45 minutes later, a changed person. Absolutely and truly a brilliant piece of work. It can be cranked loud, or be listened to at a more reflective volume. It works equally well on both levels.
Hey, Paul? Just a heads-up… the ID3 tags on the MP3 files are incorrect; both of them have the title “Drum Dreams”, even though track #1 is indeed “I’m Alive”. 🙂
Thanks Doctor for the heads up 🙂 I re-uploaded all three formats they should all be correct now.
THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!!! I Have been wanting to hear this w/o the hiss and pops for YEARS. Now I just need the Alt. Lyrics version of “Matter of Fact” and my ELO collection will be complete (sans “Beatles Forever” ofc) Thanks again DJPaul!
You’re very welcome AJensen 🙂
As usual, a superior effort, Paul. Xanadu was the first ‘pop’ LP I bought as a ten year old when it came out in 1980. I played the record to death yet never tired of it. I cannot believe that it has not been remastered yet, but then I hear it is one of Jeff Lynne’s least-favourite projects. Not sure why as I think it is one of his finest productions. Once again, you bring to life the old sounds and the memories come flooding back. With your remastered rips, I am compiling my own expanded special deluxe edition of… Read more »
I agree André one of ELO’s best projects and successful too 🙂
Great week of posts so far. Love ELO, ONJ & Xanadu! Only one I’m lukewarm about is Mr. Richard. Oh well! I still appreciate you putting the records out there for all those (majority probably) who dig him. Peace!
Thank you Mothloop 🙂
Again Paul, you ALWAYS come to the rescue when you bring back tracks that touch upon one’s sense of nostalgia!! I haven’t heard “Drum Dreams” from this seven inch, since I played it at my College radio station back in the early eighties! I always thought that it was such a superior track and was so sad it was never included on the soundtrack album. Even today, why is there no expanded soundtrack? It is beyond gratitude that I tip my hat to you and all the hard work you do bringing us the songs we love. You make, not… Read more »
Thank you Jeff as always I appreciate you so much 🙂 Hugs