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In the midst of the 1980s ‘Satanic Panic’, Jeff Lynne cracked a secret joke
During the 1980s Satanic Panic, some critics and campaigners claimed that rock music contained hidden messages that could influence listeners. Electric Light Orchestra’s Jeff Lynne responded with humour on the band’s 1983 album *Secret Messages*, turning the accusations into a joke.
The album includes backmasked one-liners, a cover warning about secret backward messages and the song “Stranger”, which opens with “You’re playing me backwards”. The article places Lynne’s response against wider disputes over music and censorship, including a 1990 court case in which Judas Priest was cleared of responsibility for alleged subliminal messages.
In short
- Jeff Lynne mocked claims of sinister messages in music.
- ELO’s 1983 album hid playful lines played backwards.
- The article links the joke to wider censorship fears.
Explained simply
In the 1980s, a wave of concern known as the “Satanic Panic” led some campaigners to accuse rock musicians of hiding satanic or harmful messages in their recordings. One focus was backmasking: recording speech backwards so it could be heard when a record was played in reverse.
Jeff Lynne was the songwriter and producer behind Electric Light Orchestra, a British rock band. Their album Secret Messages played with the claims through backward recordings and lyrics that referred to the idea, making the subject part of the music’s humour.
The row reflected wider questions about who should be held responsible for the effects of music and whether it should be censored. In 1990, Judas Priest faced a court case over alleged subliminal messages; the band was cleared of responsibility.