Turn to Stone

"Turn to Stone" is a 1977 song by Electric Light Orchestra. The song is the opening track to the double album Out of the Blue. It was the first song released as a single from the LP. According to the Turn To Stone Songfacts, this song has so much complex layering that ELO had to rely on tapes to reproduce the same sound in concert. The single reached #18 in the U.K. charts and stayed there for 12 weeks. Out of four singles from the album, "Turn to Stone" was the only song not to reach the top ten in the U.K. singles charts. The song was more successful across the Atlantic, reaching #13 in the U.S and hitting the top spot in Canada in early-1978. The song was composed in Switzerland during Jeff Lynne's two week writing marathon for his double album. Lynne played the moog bassline of the song. On November 4, 2008, Jeff Lynne was awarded a BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc) Million-Air certificates for "Turn To Stone" for having one million airplays.

[Verse 1] The city streets are empty now (The lights don't shine no more) And so the songs are way down low (Turning, turning, turning) A sound that flows into my mind (The echoes of the daylight) Of everything that is alive (In my blue world) [Chorus] I turn to stone, when you are gone I turn to stone Turn to stone, when you comin' home I can't go on [Verse 2] The dying embers of the night (A fire that slowly fades till dawn) Still glow upon the wall so bright (Turning, turning, turning) The tired streets that hide away (From here to everywhere they go) Roll past my door into the day (In my blue world) [Chorus] I turn to stone, when you are gone I turn to stone Turn to stone, when you comin' home I can't go on Turn to stone, when you are gone I turn to stone [Bridge] Yes, I'm turnin' to stone 'cause you ain't comin' home Why ain't you comin' home if I'm turnin' to stone You've been gone for so long and I can't carry on Yes, I'm turnin', I'm turnin', I'm turnin' to stone [Verse 3] The dancing shadows on the wall (The two-step in the hall) Are all I see since you've been gone (Turning, turning, turning) Through all I sit here and I wait (I turn to stone, I turn to stone) You will return again someday (To my blue world) [Chorus] I turn to stone, when you are gone I turn to stone Turn to stone, when you comin' home I can't go on Turn to stone, when you are gone I turn to stone I turn to stone, when you are gone I turn to stone Turn to stone, when you comin' home I can't go on Turn to stone, when you are gone I turn to stone