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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.