[citation needed] 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.

[1] Lennon described the song as "a beautiful combination” of Marvin Gaye’s 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine' and Lou Christie’s 'Lightnin' Strikes,' with a little ['I Am the Walrus'] underneath.

[2] John Lennon rated the song highly and said ""Showdown' I thought was a great record and I was expecting it to be #1 but I don’t think UA [United Artists] got their fingers out and pushed it.

Recorded in 1972, this was the opening track of the band's second LP ELO 2, and was one of two songs on the album that featured Roy Wood on cello and bass guitar, the other being "From the Sun to the World".

Two new Jeff Lynne songs, "From the Sun to the World" and "In Old England Town" were the first to be recorded and included Roy Wood on bass guitar and cello, but in little more than a month, the co-founder of the ELO concept left the group.

The Moog intro of the edited version was later sampled and included on Paul Weller's hit single "The Changingman", as was the main riff from "10538 Overture".