Jeff Lynne spent four days learning the bass part to Bobby Darin’s 1959 hit “Beyond the Sea” for his 2012 album Long Wave. The experience showed that, despite his extensive work with ELO and other major artists, even a seemingly light jazz-pop song could present a formidable musical challenge.

Long Wave revisited songs Lynne remembered from long-wave radio and his childhood in Birmingham, reflecting his lifelong focus on strong melodies and vintage sounds. He said “Beyond the Sea” was unusually fast, with a demanding walking bassline and complex chord changes, and recreated its older character using vintage microphone positions and analogue equipment.