The Diary of Horace Wimp

9 tracks
Side one "Shine a Little Love" "Confusion" "Need Her Love" "The Diary of Horace Wimp" Side two "Last Train to London" "Midnight Blue" "On the Run" "Wishing" "Don't Bring Me Down"

"The Diary of Horace Wimp" is the fourth track on the Electric Light Orchestra album Discovery, written by Jeff Lynne.

Released in 1979 as a single, the song is Beatlesque in nature and became a Top Ten hit in the UK and Ireland. The lyrics describe a week in the life of a repressed man who nevertheless overcomes his shy nature with the help of "a voice from above." The day Saturday is omitted – this is because, as explained by Jeff Lynne: "The football match is played on a Saturday".

The music video references Citizen Kane in its ending, showing a closeup of Jeff Lynne saying "Horace Wimp," echoing Orson Welles' character in the film saying "Rosebud" as he dies.^[1]^[2]

“	A song about a lucky lad who somehow defies the odds and gets the girl. Really wild use of the vocoder.	”
	— Jeff Lynne^[3]

B-side

"Down Home Town" first appeared on the band's fifth album Face the Music. It also featured as the flip side to the US single "Confusion".

"Down Home Town" contains an intro with a backmasking message, the backing chorus of the previous track, "Waterfall": "Face the mighty waterfall, face the mighty waterfall." This song includes an orchestral intro (after the "Waterfall" refrain) and a similar ending. These reverse recorded words were only used because of the sound effect, but some fanatical christians [sic] in the USA were sure they heard, as several hysterics put it 'satanic messages' hidden on the record".^[4]

Chart positions

Chart (1979)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[5]	48
Germany (Official German Charts)^[6]	52
Ireland (IRMA)^[7]	10
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)^[8]	8

References

↑ "ELO - The Diary of Horace Wimp". YouTube. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
↑ "CITIZEN KANE – Rosebud". YouTube. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
↑ Lynne, Jeff (2001). Discovery (Media notes). Electric Light Orchestra.
↑ Guttenbacher, Patrik; Haines, Marc; von Petersdorff, Alexander (1996). Unexpected Messages.
↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Electric Light Orchestra – The Diary Of Horace Wimp". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Diary of Horace Whimp". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
↑ "Archive Chart: 1979-08-11" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 22 July 2014.

External links

Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

Electric Light Orchestra singles discography

1970s

1972	"10538 Overture" / "First Movement (Jumping Biz)" "Mr. Radio" (withdrawn)

1973	"Roll Over Beethoven" / "Queen of the Hours" "Showdown" / "In Old England Town (Instrumental)"

1974	"Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" / "Daybreaker" (US) "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" / "Oh No Not Susan" (UK) "Can't Get It Out of My Head" / "Illusions in G Major"

1975	"Boy Blue" / "Eldorado" "Evil Woman" / "10538 Overture (live)"

1976	"Strange Magic" / "New World Rising" (US) "Nightrider" / "Daybreaker (live)" "Strange Magic" / "Showdown (live)" (UK) "Livin' Thing" / "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" (US) "Livin' Thing" / "Fire On High" (UK)

1977	"Rockaria!" / "Poker" "Do Ya" / "Nightrider" "Telephone Line" / "Poor Boy (The Greenwood)" (US) "Telephone Line" / "Poor Boy (The Greenwood)" and "King of the Universe" (UK) "Turn to Stone" / "Mister Kingdom"

1978	"Mr. Blue Sky" / "One Summer Dream" "Sweet Talkin' Woman" / "Fire On High" (US) "Wild West Hero" / "Eldorado" "Sweet Talkin' Woman" / "Bluebird is Dead" (UK) "It's Over" / "The Whale" The ELO EP

1979	"Shine a Little Love" / "Jungle" "The Diary of Horace Wimp" / "Down Home Town" "Don't Bring Me Down" / "Dreaming of 4000" "Confusion"/"Last Train to London" (UK) "Confusion" / "Poker" (US) "Last Train to London" / "Down Home Town" (US)

1980s

1980	"I'm Alive" / "Drum Dreams" "Xanadu" (duet with Olivia Newton-John) / "Fool Country" (Olivia Newton-John) (UK) "Xanadu" (with Olivia Newton-John) / "Whenever You're Away from Me" (Olivia Newton-John) (US) "All Over the World" / "Midnight Blue" (UK) "All Over the World" / "Drum Dreams" (US) "Don't Walk Away" / "Across the Border"

1981	"Hold On Tight" / "When Time Stood Still" "Twilight" / "Julie Don't Live Here"

1982	"Here Is the News"/"Ticket to the Moon" "Rain Is Falling" / "Another Heart Breaks" "The Way Life's Meant to Be" / "Wishing"

1983	"Rock 'n' Roll Is King" / "After All" "Secret Messages" / "Buildings Have Eyes" "Four Little Diamonds" / "Letter from Spain" "Stranger" / "Train of Gold"

1986	"Calling America" / "Caught in a Trap" "So Serious" / "Endless Lies" (US) "So Serious" / "A Matter of Fact" (UK) "Getting to the Point" / "Secret Lives"

1990s

1990	"Destination Unknown" (promo)

2000s

2001	"Alright" / "Love Changes All" / "Do Ya" (Unedited Alternative Mix) "Moment in Paradise" / "Alright" (PBS 2001 Version) / "Mr. Blue Sky" (PBS 2001 Version) / "Livin' Thing" (PBS 2001 Version)

2006	"Surrender"

2007	"Latitude 88 North"

2010s

2015	"When I Was a Boy"

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