Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - electricity, 1979

"Electricity" was the first song that Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys wrote together at the age of 16. It addresses society's wasteful usage of energy resources. Inspired by Kraftwerk's "Radioactivity", the track was described by McCluskey as "a faster, punkier version of 'Radioactivity' with a chorus". As with single "Messages" from the same album, a sung chorus is substituted for a melodic synthesizer break."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - if you leave, 1986

"If You Leave" is a song by the English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD). It was recorded for the soundtrack to the film Pretty in Pink (1986), in which it is played prominently during the final scene. Along with 1980's "Enola Gay", the track has been described as OMD's signature song. "If You Leave" is the group's highest-charting single on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it reached number four in May 1986. The song was also a top-five hit in Canada and New Zealand and charted at number 15 in Australia. A defining track of the 1980s, it was described by Interview as "one of the most influential, zeitgeist-capturing songs ever to be written".

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - joan of arc maid of orleans, 1981

"Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans)" is a song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released in 1982 as the third single from their third studio album, Architecture & Morality. To prevent confusion with the group's previous single "Joan of Arc", the song was retitled "Maid of Orleans (The Waltz Joan of Arc)" for its single release. Both songs are about the French heroine Joan of Arc and both reached the Top 5 of the UK Singles Chart — although this release was more successful internationally, topping the charts in several countries including Germany, where it was the biggest - selling single of 1982. "Maid of Orleans" has sold four million copies worldwide."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - joan of arc, 1981

"I mean it's not hard to overdo the hyperbole, but it's a perfect album, so cohesive, and every song perfectly speaks to the other song, the unapologetic emotional quality of it is really inspiring. Even the artwork by Peter Saville, everything about it is perfectly crafted."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - dreaming, 1988

"Stewart Mason, in a retrospective review for AllMusic, described the song as "dynamite", and wrote: "['Dreaming'] is easily the group's best single since 1983's 'Telegraph'... It's a near-perfect pop song, perhaps the last great single by an '80s synth-pop band." Classic Pop's Mark Lindores called it a "massively underrated OMD anthem". Conversely, McCluskey named "Dreaming" as a track he wishes OMD had never released, while criticising its lyrical content. The song has nevertheless been ranked among the best of 1988, and of all time."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - dream of me based on love's theme, 1993

"Dream of Me (Based on Love's Theme)" is a song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released in July 1993 by Virgin Records as the second single from their ninth studio album, Liberator (1993). The song uses a sample from "Love's Theme", a 1973 instrumental piece recorded by Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra. It was remixed by Gregg Jackman for release as a single and reached the top 30 in Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - secret, 1985

"Secret" is a 1985 song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released as the second single from their album Crush. Paul Humphreys sings lead vocals on the track. It became their second US Billboard Hot 100 entry, peaking at number 63, and also made number 34 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was featured in the 1988 movie Arthur 2: On the Rocks and on its soundtrack album; it was also re-released to radio in the US as the follow-up to The Best of OMD track "Dreaming", approximately one month prior to the movie's premiere. Though it received renewed airplay on several US contemporary hit stations, it did not re-chart on the Hot 100."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - too late, 1996

"I'd abandoned techno/house; it was like an old man dying his hair jet-black: ridiculous. I decided to follow the current trend of getting more acoustic, using real drums and bass."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - we love you, 1986

"AllMusic critic Dave Thompson later wrote that "We Love You" had "all the makings of a smash [hit]", while praising its instrumentation and "splendidly anthemic chorus". He also observed "barely veiled lyrics with anti-militaristic intent".

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - dollar girl, 1993

"I may not specifically enjoy the Beatleish styling of “The Moon And The Sun” but as a song it is miles above “Stand Above Me” not to mention “Dollar Girl.” I have to admit that it still got stuck in my cranium, which counts for something."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - extended souvenir, 1981

"An extended version of Souvenir (with an additional verse) was released as a 10" single and was later included as a bonus on the digitally remastered copies of Architecture & Morality. It was the second time the group had used this unusual release format, the first being the 10" single for "Messages" in May 1980."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - of all the things we've made, 1982

"The night before the last British tour began, me and Paul were in the studios until 3:30 in the morning recording what we both thought then would be the last song we would ever write. We'd had enough"

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - walking on the milky way, 1996

"It was released as a single on 5 August 1996 and appeared on their Universal album a month later. The song reached number 17 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the group's first UK top-20 hit in over five years, and their last UK top-40 single. The band were flanked by a full string orchestra for their Top of the Pops performance of the song broadcast on 16 August 1996."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - speed of light, 1991

“Speed Of Light” had a quicker tempo than anything else here and the science metaphor of the title was a glimpse of the old OMD. Speaking of the old OMD, the song sounded like McCluskey had recycled some of the Bruce Forest house mixes of “Dreaming” for this one. The tempos and fills sounded identical and the melodic refrain certainly had a lot of “Dreaming” DNA in it."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - call my name, 1991

"The rhythm, tinged with a jungly pattern so beloved by the techno crowds, sends the song spinning toward heaven, but the Mellotron, a choral harmony of sound, soars up after it, the synths swell and fluff the atmosphere like clouds, and the keyboards tinkle with delight. No band could take such an ethereal piece and send it storming onto the dancefloor like OMD, and any fears that might have been hatched about the band's future when its lineup dissolved in 1989 were put to rest with Sugar Tax's success."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - flame of hope, 1986

"One of my all-time favorite sounds. “Flame Of Hope” was a brief but compelling song with some of the best McCluskey vocal leads on the whole album. His work there was right “in the zone” so the sometimes strident tone he’d adopt was unheard this time."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - we love you twelve version, 1988

"Timing is everything and, unfortunately, the release of this 45 was singularly mistimed. Its predecessor, the hit "(Forever) Live and Die," was just falling out of the U.K. chart when OMD sent "We Love You" spinning toward it in November 1986. Meanwhile, the band's The Pacific Age album, from which both singles were culled, was clambering into the Top 15. But even in the go-go '80s, pop fans had to occasionally count their pennies, and two singles and an album were just too much to splash out on in a matter of weeks. There was no other reason for "We Love You" not to hit big, for it had all the makings of a smash. Its complex dance-friendly rhythm was fired by live drums, percussion, and a pulsing bassline, while lashings of riffy guitar, swooping synths, and bubbly keyboards supported a splendidly anthemic chorus that cried out the band's affection for both their pop and club fans. Add barely veiled lyrics with anti-militaristic intent to impress the anoraks, and this single should have been among the band's biggest sellers. But timing is everything."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - sunday morning cover, 1993

"'Sunday Morning' is a cover of the Velvet Underground song that first featured on their 1967 album The Velvet Underground & Nico."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - so in love, 1985

"How can you resist a song like 'So in Love'? A misty piece of McCluskey romance tinged with sadness before showing its true claws on the chorus."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - pandora's box it's a long long way, 1991

"These days, even though she is bedridden - in addition to osteoarthritis, she suffers from emphysema - the eyes remain unclouded. Over the phone, she sounds every bit as forthright as she is said to have been in her heyday, and she is delighted by the renewed interest in her pictures."