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ELO
DON'T BRING ME DOWN

Guitar 1: Electric
Format
 

SV-TABS

Intensity
  

BEGINNER

About the Track

Song: Don't Bring Me Down
Artist: ELO
Album: Discovery
Released: June 1, 1979
Writer: Jeff Lynne


Chart Performance

Written and produced by Jeff Lynne, the song was conceived late in the Discovery sessions to add a more forceful, rock‐oriented track to the album 


It became ELO’s highest-charting U.S. single, peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and reached #3 in the UK. It also hit #1 in Canada and performed strongly in other markets like Australia and New Zealand

The Song

This was the very first ELO track to exclude their traditional string section. The band pivoted to a funkier, more direct sound: a drum loop made from the track “On the Run”, layered with guitars, synths, and Jeff Lynne’s piano for dramatic effect.


Critically, it blended rock energy with disco sensibilities—retaining grit for rock fans while still appealing to the dance floor

Songwriting Background
& Meaning

Fans often thought Jeff sang “Bruce” in the refrain, but the actual word is “Groos”, a placeholder Jeff Lynne used, which engineer Reinhold Mack noted sounded like the German "Gruß" (greeting. After feedback, Lynne left it in and even sometimes sang “Bruce” live as a playful nod to listener misconceptions
Patrick Jones - Course author
MEET THE INSTRUCTOR

STAYCE ROBERTS

Electric, Acoustic and 12-String Guitars
With over 40 years of dedication to the instrument, Stayce has taken his love of songwriting, guitar playing and producing that allows him to bring a fresh, professional style to his Online Instructional Videos, making him a top tier instructor in song and lesson tutorials.