Format 7" single, 12" single Length 2:42 | Genre Pop rock | |
B-side "Endless Lies" (US)
"A Matter of Fact" (UK)
"A Matter of Fact" (Alternate Lyrics) (12" only) (UK) Released 18 April 1986 (US)
2 May 1986 (UK) Recorded 1985 at Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas and Hartmann Digital Untertrubach, Germany | ||
"So Serious" is a song by the rock music group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) from their 1986 album Balance of Power released in the UK as the second single from the album in 1986.
Contents
Overview
The songs lyrics hint at Jeff Lynne's growing disenchantment with his involvement with ELO at this point; much like the majority of the songs from the album the lyrical content was in sharp contrast to the upbeat synthpop of the album.
There was also a UK 12 inch EPIC 3 Track version with the "A Matter of Fact (Alternate Lyrics)" on the B-Side.
"On this heavy-hearted record [Balance of Power] with an ironically cheerful musical sound and no strings whatsoever, songs like So Serious and Getting To The Point could be ruing the loss of a romance, but both are indicative of Lynne's feelings about the group that had been the focus of his musical life for so many years. 'I guess we've really been out of touch,' he sings in the former, the latter he mourns, 'It's getting to the point of no return/And all that I can do is stand and watch it burn.'" - Ira Robbins (1995 liner notes for Strange Magic: The Best Of Electric Light Orchestra)
Track listing
All songs written by Jeff Lynne.
- "So Serious" – 2:38
- "A Matter of Fact" – 4:04
- "So Serious" – 2:38
- "A Matter of Fact" – 4:04
- "A Matter of Fact" (alternate lyrics) – 3:49
- "So Serious" - 2:38
- "A Matter of Fact" - 4:04
- "Destination Unknown" - 4:10