"Kuiama" is a song written by

Jeff Lynne Jeffrey Lynne (born 30 December 1947) is an English musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the co-founder of the rock music, rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), which was formed in 1970. As a songwriter, h ...

and performed by

Electric Light Orchestra The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1970 by songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood with drummer Bev Bevan. Their music is characterised by a fusion of pop, classical a ...

. Singer Jeff Lynne pronounces it 'Ki-ama'. The song is the last track of the ''

ELO 2 ''ELO 2'' is the second studio album by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released in 1973. In the US, the album was released as ''Electric Light Orchestra II''. It was the band's last album to be released by the Harvest label, the last (in t ...

'' LP. At 11:19, it is the longest track on the album, and the longest song ever recorded by Electric Light Orchestra. It tells the tale of a soldier and an orphan girl. The soldier is trying to comfort the girl and also to explain how he was the one who killed her parents. Although not released as a

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

, the song has been included on

compilation albums A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...

, such as '' Olé ELO'', ''

Afterglow An afterglow in meteorology consists of several atmospheric optical phenomena, with a general definition as a broad arch of whitish or pinkish sunlight in the twilight sky, consisting of the bright segment and the purple light. Purple light mainl ...

'' and '' The Light Shines On Vol 2'', and has been performed live. It was also a favourite of the ELO band members at the time. "This one, without doubt, is the favourite of all the band. It's a sad story about a war orphan with a soldier explaining to her all about the war—and that it was he that killed her parents. The most sensitive thing we do."—

Bev Bevan Beverley Bevan (born 25 November 1944) is an English rock musician, who was the drummer and one of the original members of The Move and Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). After the end of ELO in 1986, he founded ELO Part II. Bevan also was drumm ...

(1973, Birmingham Post & Mail article entitled: Chart Boost Coming For Brum And E.L.O.) "I like Kuiama even though the opening reminds me of the opening of You Only Live Twice."—

Wilfred Gibson Wilfred Gibson (28 February 1942 — 21 October 2014) was an English violinist, session musician, and early member of the Electric Light Orchestra. Early life Wilfred Gibson was born on 28 February 1942 in Dilston, Northumberland. He received ...

. "That aside, however, we still have only a tenuously connected group of songs, as opposed to anything on the order of 'Kuiama,' on the last album, which used its length and the group's unique approach to music to achieve real emotional impact."—Greg Shaw

References

{{authority control Electric Light Orchestra songs Song recordings produced by Jeff Lynne Anti-war songs Songs written by Jeff Lynne 1973 songs