Secret Messages (song)

"Secret Messages" is a song recorded by Electric Light Orchestra and is the title track of the 1983 album Secret Messages. Parts of the music video featuring a radio telescope were filmed at Jodrell Bank in Cheshire, England.

Composition

The song begins with strange effects and a backmasked voice followed by a burst of morse code, before the song proper begins with a staccato keyboard part followed by drums and drum machines and guitar. The song and album were recorded in response to the backmasking controversy at the time, in which certain groups were claiming that rock artists were including hidden subliminal messages on their songs and albums.

Reception

Music journalist John Van Der Kiste described the song as "Buggles-like pop." Writer Barry Delve said that the "soft, laid-back vocal contrasts effectively with the brisk performance to create a suitably enigmatic opener ."

Commercial performance

The single peaked at 48 in the UK Singles Chart and at number 14 in the Irish Singles Chart.