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Brontosaurus (song)

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Wikipedia article




{{Infobox song

| name = Brontosaurus

| cover = Brontosaurus (song).jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = The Move

| B-side = Lightning Never Strikes Twice

| released =

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

| length =

| label = Regal Zonophone

| writer = Roy Wood

| producer = Roy Wood

| prev_title = Curly

| prev_year = 1969

| next_title = When Alice Comes Back to the Farm

| next_year = 1970

}}

"'Brontosaurus'" is a song by rock group The Move, written, sung and produced by Move guitarist Roy Wood. It reached number 7 in the UK Singles Chart during April 1970, and number 36 in Canada.

Release



Released as a single early in 1970, it was also included on the band's 'Looking On' album near the end of that year. With its aggressive guitar riff and growling vocal, the song marked a major shift in sound compared to their previous, more pop-oriented singles, bearing a much closer resemblance to their most recent album, 'Shazam'.

This song was the first Move recording made after former Idle Race front man Jeff Lynne had joined, and he contributed guitar and piano. Lynne had been recruited into the group with the main aim of developing the embryonic Electric Light Orchestra, though they were contractually required to keep The Move (with their proven track record as a hit singles outfit) functioning in order to help finance the new project. This single (including its B-side, "Lightning Never Strikes Twice") was the only Move production after Lynne's addition that was credited solely to Wood; all subsequent releases (including the first ELO album) were credited to both Wood and Lynne.

When The Move promoted "Brontosaurus" on 'Top of the Pops' on BBC TV, Wood - who had never appeared on television as the group's frontman before - appeared in the makeup that he would use extensively with Wizzard.

Cover versions



*Tim Curry, of 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' fame, recorded a version of this in 1978 on his first solo album, 'Read My Lips'.

*Cheap Trick recorded a cover which was included as a bonus track on the Japanese version of their 1997 self-titled album. It was also released as a B-side to the single "Baby No More".

*The guitar solo from "Brontosaurus" was used in Cheap Trick's cover of another The Move song, "California Man", which appeared on their 1978 album 'Heaven Tonight'.

*The Supernaturals covered the song on their 1997 single 'The Day Before Yesterday's Man'.

References



Category:1970 singles

Category:Song recordings produced by Roy Wood

Category:Song recordings produced by Jeff Lynne

Category:The Move songs

Category:Songs written by Roy Wood

Category:Regal Zonophone Records singles

Category:1970 songs

Category:Songs about dinosaurs

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