 The song showed a change of style for ELO, with a funkier backbeat beneath the band's trademark sweeping strings, and the inclusion of a clavinet.The record was a favourite of John Lennon at the time, who dubbed the band ""Son of Beatles"" in a US radio interview.Marc Bolan of T. Rex was at the session where the song was recorded and played on several of the band's tracks at that time, but did not play on Showdown itself.