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“The Diary of Horace Wimp“ is the fourth track on the Electric Light Orchestra album Discovery, written by Jeff Lynne. Released in 1979 as a single, the song is Beatlesque in nature and became a Top Ten hit in the UK and Ireland. The lyrics describe a week in the life of a repressed man who wants to express his affection towards a woman he meets, and overcomes his shy nature with the help of “a voice from above.“ The day Saturday is omitted – this is because, as explained by Jeff Lynne: “The football match is played on a Saturday“. The music video references Citizen Kane in its ending, showing a closeup of Jeff Lynne saying “Horace Wimp,“ echoing Orson Welles' character in the film saying “Rosebud“ as he dies. “A song about a lucky lad who somehow defies the odds and gets the girl. Really wild use of the vocoder.“ — Jeff Lynne
