"Enola Gay" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Cover of the original 7" single, designed by Peter Saville. | ||||
Single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | ||||
from the album Organisation | ||||
B-side | "Annex" | |||
Released | 26 September 1980 [1] | |||
Studio | Ridge Farm Studio (Dorking) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:33 | |||
Label | Dindisc | |||
Songwriter(s) | Andy McCluskey | |||
Producer(s) | ||||
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Enola Gay" on YouTube |
"Enola Gay" is an anti-war song by the English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), and the only single taken from their second studio album Organisation (1980). Written by lead vocalist and bassist Andy McCluskey, it addresses the atomic bombing of Hiroshima by the aircraft Enola Gay on 6 August 1945, toward the conclusion of World War II. As is typical of early OMD singles, the song features a melodic synthesizer break instead of a sung chorus.
"Enola Gay" met with largely positive reviews but was seen as unlikely to impact the charts; aside from its subject matter, the song faced some resistance due to its being perceived as a gay anthem. It eventually reached No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's first top 10 entry in their home country. It was also a hit throughout continental Europe, topping the charts in Italy, Portugal and Spain. The track achieved sales in excess of 5 million copies. It has been named as one of the best songs of its era and genre, and, along with 1986's "If You Leave", is regarded as OMD's signature song.
Typical of early OMD compositions, the track does not feature a vocal chorus, [5] and is recognisable by its distinctive lead synthesizer hook and ambiguous lyrical content. [6] [7] Most of the melodic parts were recorded on a Korg Micro-Preset, and the drum machine sound was "about the last thing to go on" the recording. [7] The song is based on the '50s progression, which repeats throughout the entire song. Speaking to Songwriting Magazine, McCluskey stated, "It's a typical linear OMD song, it is the same four chords all the way through and it never varies. The verse, the melody, the middle eight, it's all the same." [8]
Keyboardist Paul Humphreys and OMD manager Paul Collister were not fans of "Enola Gay" (the latter originally threatened to resign if it were released as a single). Collister did, however, believe it was a surefire hit – a view that drummer Malcolm Holmes did not share. Initially proud of the song, McCluskey's confidence wavered: he re-recorded his vocal, but was dissatisfied with the final mix of the track. [9]
The song is named after the Enola Gay , the USAAF B-29 Superfortress bomber that carried Little Boy, the first atomic bomb to be used in an act of war, dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945, killing more than 100,000 of its citizens. The name of the bomber itself was chosen by its pilot, Colonel Paul Tibbets, who named it after his mother, Enola Gay Tibbets (1893–1983), who had been named after the heroine of the novel Enola; or, Her fatal mistake. [lower-alpha 1] [11]
The lyric to the song reflects on the decision to use the bomb and asks the listener to consider whether the bombings were necessary ("It shouldn't ever have to end this way"). [12] The phrase "Is mother proud of Little Boy today?", is an allusion to both the nickname of the uranium bomb and pilot Paul Tibbets naming the aircraft after his mother. The phrase, "It's 8:15, and that's the time that it's always been", refers to the time of detonation over Hiroshima at 8:15 am JST; as many timepieces were "frozen" by the effects of the blast, it becomes "the time that it's always been". It is identified as an "anti-war" track, [lower-alpha 2] although McCluskey stated he "wasn't really politically motivated to write the song", which was informed by a fascination with World War II bombers. He hoped it "conveyed an ambivalence about whether it was the right or the wrong thing to do". [20]
The song met with largely positive reviews. [9] Greg Reibman of Boston Rock wrote, "With 'Enola Gay', Orchestral Manoeuvres drop another devastating warhead on the world of inferior pop music... these guys are right on target." [21] Canberra Times critic Jonathan Green described the track as "super", with "a lovely melody that makes for an utterly infectious song". [22] Daniela Soave of Record Mirror called it "infinitely danceable, joyous and jumpy", while noting an uneasy juxtaposition between the musical content and sombre lyrics. [23] NME said the track has "considerable plusses" including a "glorious melody", but expressed reservations about its commercial prospects, feeling it was destined for "chartless oblivion". [24] The song was banned from being played on popular BBC1 children's programme Swap Shop , because it was thought to promote homosexuality. [25] [26] [27]
Despite its subject matter, the single was released at a time of strong anti-nuclear sentiment in Britain. [20] [28] This, according to the BBC, helped it become an "unlikely hit". [20] The track entered the UK Singles Chart at number 59, [29] but climbed 51 places over the next four weeks to reach a peak of number 8, [30] becoming the group's first top 10 entry in their home country and one of the 50 best-selling singles in the UK in 1980. [31] It was also a hit throughout continental Europe, topping the charts in Italy, Portugal and Spain. [32] [33] [34]
In a retrospective assessment, AllMusic's Ned Raggett lauded the song as "astounding... a flat-out pop classic – clever, heartfelt, thrilling, and confident, not to mention catchy and arranged brilliantly". [35] Critic Dave Thompson called it a "perfect synth-dance-pop extravaganza". [28] John Bergstrom of PopMatters wrote, "'80s synthpop takes a lot of flack, much of it deserved. But 'Enola Gay' is a resounding refutation of the notion nothing substantial, beautiful, or timeless could ever come from skinny English guys with synths... Everything a classic should be." [36]
Readers of NME , Record Mirror and Smash Hits voted "Enola Gay" one of the 10 best singles of 1980; [37] it later placed eighth in a Slicing Up Eyeballs reader poll of the year's best songs. [38] 88.5 XPN listeners positioned the track at no. 508 in the "885 All Time Greatest Songs". [39] It has featured in critics' lists such as NME's "100 Best Songs of the 1980s", [40] Classic Pop 's "Top 100 Singles of the 80s", [41] PopMatters ' "100 Best Alternative Singles of the 1980s", [42] MusicRadar 's "40 Greatest Synth Tracks Ever" [43] and Smooth Radio's "25 Greatest 1980s Synthpop Songs". [44] "Enola Gay" was selected by Danny Boyle for use during the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. [45] The track became a Celtic F.C. anthem in the mid-to-late 2010s, with fans changing its lyrics to revolve around player Stuart Armstrong. [46] It also became popular with Burnley F.C. supporters. [47]
The BBC described "Enola Gay" as a "long-lasting hit"; [20] the song's cumulative sales have exceeded 5 million copies. [27] [44] [48] It has been described – along with 1986's "If You Leave" [49] – as OMD's signature song. [44] [50] The track continues to be associated with LGBT culture; [51] [52] Rolling Stone critic Rob Sheffield wrote in 2020 that it is "about both coming out and nuclear destruction". [51] Gigwise writer Josh Williams named "Enola Gay" as one of the most impactful songs to be featured in TV drama series It's a Sin (2021), which focuses on a group of gay men living during the HIV/AIDS crisis in the UK. Williams said, "It's clear to see why a young gay or bisexual male can place a different meaning on a lyric about dropping the nuclear bomb through coming out to their own families." [52] OMD, aware of the song's perceived links to homosexuality, have embraced their large following within the LGBT community. [9] [53]
The track has been endorsed by other artists. In 1981, singer Bob Geldof and the duo Godley & Creme named "Enola Gay" one of their favourite singles of recent memory. [54] [55] Musicians Howard Jones and Toyah Willcox have listed "Enola Gay" among their favourite records of the 1980s; [56] [57] Jones included the "fantastic" song as the only cover version in his early live sets. [56] [58] The track has also been lauded by Al Doyle of Hot Chip, [59] Rudi Esch of Die Krupps, [60] and solo artist Moby, who called it a "beautiful song" that he has "loved for decades". [61] No Doubt bassist Tony Kanal noted that he and lead singer Gwen Stefani were heavily influenced by the track. [62]
"Enola Gay" is popular with early home computer enthusiasts, being used in demos such as Swinth (Commodore 64). [63] Hackers have also enjoyed the song; it can be found as the "music bed" for numerous mega-demos and "cracktro" found on releases by warez groups like the Beastie Boys. [64] The song was featured in the 2015 film Ex Machina , a sci-fi thriller about the implications of artificial intelligence. [65]
16-bit computers brought with them the popular music tracker format where no fewer than a dozen versions exist. [66]
The music video was shot at the ITN studios in three hours one afternoon. [67] It begins by showing sped-up footage of clouds passing through the sky. After the opening riff, which is shown as the keyboardist's hands playing whilst being animated using digital rotoscoping, it shows a transparent video image of McCluskey vocalising and playing bass guitar.
The B-side on the UK release of "Enola Gay" was a track entitled "Annex". The song was not included on the ensuing Organisation album and remained unique to this release until being included in the 2001 compilation album Navigation: The OMD B-Sides and the 2003 remastered edition of Organisation. Although the track was basically an improvisation "made up on the spot", Paul Humphreys described it in a 1980 interview as "the best thing we've done all year"; [68] AllMusic critic Aaron Badgley later called it a "brilliant" song. [69]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Enola Gay" | 3:33 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Annex" | 4:33 |
The 12" single contained the same tracks as on the 7".
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Enola Gay" (Dancefloor Killa Remix) | 9:02 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Enola Gay" (dub remix) | 6:57 |
2. | "Enola Gay" (radio edit) | 3:05 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Enola Gay" (extended mix) | 4:49 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Enola Gay" (slow mix) | 4:05 |
Chart (1980–1981) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report) [70] | 47 |
France (IFOP) [71] | 6 |
Ireland (IRMA) [72] | 14 |
Italy ( Musica e dischi ) [73] | 2 |
Italy (RAI Hit Parade) [74] | 1 |
Italy ( TV Sorrisi e Canzoni ) [75] | 1 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [1] | 31 |
Portugal (Música & Som) [33] | 1 |
Spain (AFE) [34] | 1 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [76] | 2 |
UK Singles (OCC) [30] | 8 |
US Hot Dance Club Play ( Billboard ) [77] | 34 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
France | — | 700,000 [78] |
Italy (FIMI) [79] | Gold | 300,000 [80] |
United Kingdom (BPI) [81] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
In 1998, David Guetta & Joachim Garraud and Sash! made remixed versions of the song for the intended second disc of The OMD Singles . The second disc was dropped, and eventually only the Sash! remix appeared on The OMD Remixes EPs. In 2003 the double disc version was released in France only, which included the remixed versions by Guetta and Garraud as well. Hot Chip remixed the song to coincide with its 40th anniversary re-release. [59]
An early version of the song with a slightly different arrangement appears on the group's Peel Sessions 1979–1983 album. A live performance, recorded at the Guildhall in Portsmouth, England on 19 September 1980, is featured in the film Urgh! A Music War (1982).
Musician Howard Jones covered the song during early live performances. [82]
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) are an English electronic band formed in the Wirral, Merseyside, in 1978. The group consists of founding duo and principal songwriters Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, along with Martin Cooper and Stuart Kershaw (drums). Regarded as pioneers of electronic music, OMD combined an experimental, minimalist ethos with pop sensibilities, becoming key figures in the emergence of synth-pop; McCluskey and Humphreys also introduced the "synth duo" format to British popular music. In the United States, the band were an early presence in the MTV-driven Second British Invasion.
George Andrew McCluskey is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. He is best known as the lead singer and bass guitarist of the electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), which he founded alongside keyboard player Paul Humphreys in 1978: McCluskey has been the group's sole constant member. He has sold over 40 million records with OMD, and is regarded as a pioneer of electronic music in the UK. McCluskey is noted for his frenetic onstage "Trainee Teacher Dance".
Architecture & Morality is the third studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 6 November 1981 by Dindisc. Inspired by religious music, the group sought to broaden their musical palette by utilising elaborate choral samples, the Mellotron, and other new instruments to create a more naturalistic, emotive sound. The artwork was designed by longtime OMD collaborator Peter Saville, along with associate Brett Wickens, while its title was derived from the book Morality and Architecture by David Watkin.
Organisation is the second studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 24 October 1980 by Dindisc. On Organisation the group worked with a producer for the first time, enlisting former Gong bass player Mike Howlett, while session musician Malcolm Holmes became the band's full-time drummer. The record is noted for its dark, melancholic tone in comparison to other OMD releases.
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark is the debut studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 22 February 1980 by Dindisc. Recorded at the group's Liverpool studio, it showcased their minimal synth-pop style and peaked at number 27 on the UK Albums Chart. "Electricity" and "Red Frame/White Light" were released as singles; a re-recorded version of "Messages" provided OMD with their first hit in the UK, reaching number 13.
Crush is the sixth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 17 June 1985 by Virgin Records. It is the first of two OMD studio albums to be produced by Stephen Hague. Aimed primarily at the US market, Crush is notable for moving the group towards a more polished sound, although elements of earlier experimentation are still present. During recording the band employed a greater use of organic instrumentation than in the past.
Liberator is the ninth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 14 June 1993 by Virgin. Recorded by OMD frontman Andy McCluskey along with musicians enlisted for the multi-million selling Sugar Tax (1991), the album ventures further into the dance-pop style explored by its predecessor.
The OMD Singles is a singles compilation album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, released in 1998. It reached number 16 on the UK Albums Chart. Originally, the compilation was to include a second disc of new remixes; however, this idea was abandoned due to budget limitations. The few remixes that were produced were released separately as The OMD Remixes. In 2003, The OMD Singles was reissued in France with the remix disc finally included, comprising the 1998 remixes as well as additional remixes. In the same year Virgin also released a two-disc box set comprising The OMD Singles and Navigation: The OMD B-Sides.
The Best of OMD is a compilation album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released in 1988; marking a decade since the band's beginnings. The record essentially delineates the group's experimental early years from their pop-oriented later work: side one features recordings from 1979 to 1984, while side two is drawn from the group's 1984–1988 efforts.
"If You Leave" is a 1986 song by 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.
"Electricity" is the 1979 debut single by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), featured on their eponymous debut album the following year. Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys sing the lead vocals on the track together in unison. Recognised as one of the most influential singles of its era, "Electricity" was integral to the rise of the UK's synth-pop movement. It has garnered praise from music journalists and other recording artists.
"So in Love" is a 1985 song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released as the first single from their album Crush. It reached the top 30 of both the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming their first entry on the latter. The track was a top 10 hit in Belgium and Holland.
"Walking on the Milky Way" is a song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD). 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.
"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.
"Messages" is a song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) from their self-titled debut studio album (1980). A re-recorded version of the song was released on 2 May 1980 as the album's third and final single, reaching number 13 on the UK Singles Chart and becoming OMD's first top-40 entry. As with their debut single "Electricity", "Messages" features a melodic synth break instead of a sung chorus.
"Locomotion" is a song by the English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 2 April 1984 as the lead single from their fifth studio album, Junk Culture (1984). It was one of the band's biggest European hits, charting within the Top 5 in the UK, Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands, while also peaking at No. 14 in Germany.
"Souvenir" is a song written by Paul Humphreys and Martin Cooper of English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), and released as the first single from the group's 1981 album Architecture & Morality. Sung by Humphreys, the track is characterised by its use of slowed-down choral loops, and showcases OMD's early approach of utilising a synthesizer hook in place of a vocal chorus. The song has garnered praise from critics and fellow artists.
"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.
"Dreaming" is a song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark initially released in January 1988 as a single from their compilation album The Best of OMD.
Messages: Greatest Hits is a compilation release by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), issued in 2008. At the time it was the most comprehensive of the band's retrospective packages, featuring a CD of 20 charting singles and a DVD of all the band's music videos. Material was drawn from the group's recording career from 1979 to their first disbandment in 1996.
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) made the haunting shadows left behind by the flashburnt victims of the first atomic bombs into the synthpop hit 'Enola Gay', which imagines an eternal kiss that is 'never gonna fade away'.
[PRS:] 'They are best known for their trademark synth-led choruses and abstract lyrics' (...) [McCluskey:] 'Many of our songs use the synth melody as the chorus. There are verses but generally the melody is the chorus. If you think of 'Electricity', 'Enola Gay', 'Souvenir' – in a lot of our songs the melody was the chorus'.
It's that Korg [Micro-Preset] that plays the distinctive keyboard hook in the band's early hit 'Enola Gay'.
Volume 3 of Wright American fiction
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)Bibliography