On the Third Day is the third studio album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), and the first to be recorded without input from Roy Wood.

On The Third Day contains shorter tracks than its predecessor, but the four songs on side one of the album were linked into a continuous suite.

Violinist Mik Kaminski made his debut on side one of this album, replacing Wilfred Gibson, although Gibson plays on side two (plus the bonus tracks).

[citation needed] It was, however, included on the U.S. version of the album, because the band remained on United Artists Records in the U.S.

Although he didn't record on the album, Hugh McDowell did appear on this front cover of the U.S. album seen at right, which was an unusual photograph taken by photographer Richard Avedon that had ELO displaying their navels.