Lights Out (UFO album)

Lights Out is the sixth studio album by English rock band UFO, released in 1977. All songs are band originals except for "Alone Again Or" which is a cover of a song by the band Love. Reaching number 23 on the Billboard 200, it remains the band's highest-charting album in the United States. In the UK it hit number 54 and stayed on the chart for two weeks.[6]

Lights Out
Studio album by
UFO
ReleasedMay 1977 (1977-05)[1]
RecordedFebruary–March 1977
StudioAIR (London)
GenreHard rock, heavy metal
Length36:41
LabelChrysalis
ProducerRon Nevison
UFO chronology
No Heavy Petting
(1976)		 Lights Out
(1977)		 Obsession
(1978)
Singles from Lights Out
  1. "Alone Again Or"
    Released: 6 May 1977 (UK) [2]
  2. "Too Hot to Handle"
    Released: June 1977 (US) [3]
  3. "Try Me"
    Released: 1977 (US) [4]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]

The album was UFO's first to feature lush string arrangements alongside more complex song structures than their previous albums. Producer Ron Nevison brought in Alan McMillan to handle the string and horn arrangements. The most notable song to feature the orchestral colouring was "Love to Love". It is also the first UFO album to feature Paul Raymond on keyboards and rhythm guitar.

In 1994, a CD comprising this album and No Heavy Petting was released by BGO Records. 2008 EMI's remastered edition includes four live bonus tracks recorded at The Roundhouse, London. The album cover erroneously states that these tracks were recorded in 1976, but the correct year is 1977. EMI did correct the writing credits, with Paul Raymond finally being credited for his contributions.

The title track and "Love to Love" were featured in the 1999 movie Detroit Rock City. "Love to Love" was also covered by Djali Zwan for the 2002 movie Spun and by Europe for their 2008 live album Almost Unplugged. An instrumental version of "Too Hot to Handle" is used at the beginning of Mark Madden's radio show on WXDX-FM in Pittsburgh, Madden being a longtime fan of UFO.[7]

Kerrang! magazine listed the album at No. 28 among the "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time".[8]

Steve Harris of Iron Maiden called "Love to Love" his favourite song.[9]

Track listing
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Too Hot to Handle"Pete Way, Phil Mogg3:37
2."Just Another Suicide"Paul Raymond, Mogg4:58
3."Try Me"Michael Schenker, Mogg4:49
4."Lights Out"Schenker, Andy Parker, Mogg, Way4:33
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."Gettin' Ready"Schenker, Mogg3:46
6."Alone Again Or" (Love cover)Bryan MacLean3:00
7."Electric Phase"Way, Mogg, Schenker4:20
8."Love to Love"Schenker, Mogg7:38
Total length:36:41
2008 CD reissue bonus tracks - Live at The Roundhouse, London 1976*
No.TitleLength
9."Lights Out"5:14
10."Gettin' Ready"4:03
11."Love to Love"7:15
12."Try Me"4:03
Total length:56:16
  • The date of the live show stated on the album cover and booklet is incorrect. The show was on 2 April 1977,[10] not in 1976.

Personnel
UFO
Production
  • Ron Nevison – producer
  • Alan McMillan – horn arrangements, string arrangements
  • Hipgnosis – cover art

Charts
Chart (1977) Peak
position
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[11] 31
UK Albums (OCC)[12] 54
US Billboard 200[13] 23

References
  1. Strong, Martin Charles (1995). The Great Rock Discography. Canongate Press. p. 853. ISBN 9780862415419.
  2. "UFO singles UK cat no".
  3. "UFO singles US cat no".
  4. "UFO singles US cat no". Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  5. Kantor, Matt. "Lights Out - UFO". Allmusic. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  6. "UFO". Official Charts. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  7. "UFO Won't GO AWAY | 105.9 the X".
  8. Guy, Lyn (21 January 1989). "UFO 'Lights Out'". Kerrang!. Vol. 222. London, UK: Spotlight Publications Ltd.
  9. "Bruce Dickinson, Steve Harris, Adrian Smith and Dave Murray Interview". Maidenfans.com. 2013. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  10. UFO - Lights Out, 2 April 2006, retrieved 30 December 2022
  11. "Swedishcharts.com – UFO – Lights Out". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  12. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  13. "Billboard 200 - 1 October 1977". Billboard. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
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