Souvenir (song)

Last updated

"Souvenir"
OMD Souvenir 7inch.gif
"Souvenir" 7" sleeve
Single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
from the album Architecture & Morality
B-side
  • "Motion & Heart" (Amazon Version)
  • "Sacred Heart"
Released4 August 1981 (1981-08-04)
Recorded1981
Genre
Length
  • 3:39
  • 4:16 (10" extended souvenir)
Label Dindisc
Songwriter(s) Paul Humphreys,
Martin Cooper
Producer(s) Mike Howlett
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark singles chronology
"Enola Gay"
(1980)		"Souvenir"
(1981)		"Joan of Arc"
(1981)
Alternative cover
SouvenirOMD.gif
"Souvenir" 10" sleeve
The Palladian Bridge at Stowe House Stowe Park Palladian bridge.jpg
The Palladian Bridge at Stowe House

The song's promo video was filmed by Peter Saville in the grounds of Stowe House (the home of Stowe School, in Buckinghamshire, England) and Blenheim Palace Park, in Oxfordshire. It was an early MTV favourite and is among OMD's more well-known videos. [32]

Andy McCluskey is seen driving around in a classic red, convertible Volkswagen Karmann Ghia [33] (property of Peter Saville), while Paul Humphreys stands on, and leans against the pillars of, the Palladian Bridge while singing. The promo video is included on the video version of The Best of OMD , the bonus DVD of the 2007 reissue of Architecture & Morality and the DVD included in the 2008 Compilation album Messages: Greatest Hits . [34]

Live performances

The song was performed at live shows on a regular basis following the Architecture & Morality tour in 1981, except for when Paul Humphreys was no longer with the band during the 1990s. [35] A live performance from 1981 was filmed for the Live at The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane concert in December 1981, initially released on VHS (1982) and laserdisc (1984) and later on DVD.

The song was also performed with The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in June 2009 as documented by the Electricity DVD release. [36]

On 26 July 2015 Paul Humphreys was unable to perform at the 80s Rewind Festival in Scotland and so the vocal was sung for the first time by Andy McCluskey. On seeing a clip of the performance from his hospital bed Humphreys said he felt he had "entered some kind of alternative universe". [37]

Sleeve design

The sleeve was designed by Peter Saville and Brett Wickens. The 7" sleeve has a die-cut hole in the middle, revealing the label. On the label is a picture of a Düsseldorf street scene. For the 10" this picture is printed on the sleeve. It was the first single released with OMD as the band name. The European releases have different artwork, some almost identical to the UK releases. A Canadian release of the 10" has green transparent vinyl.

Alternate versions

In May 1991 DMC released a 12" vinyl single with the "Postcards from the Edge Mix" by Brothers in Rhythm.

In 1998 four remixes of the song were made by Moby for the intended second disc of The OMD Singles . The second disc was dropped, but the remixes appeared on various The OMD Remixes EPs. In 2003 the double disc version was released in France only, which included all four remixes.

Joyce Manor, [38] Mike "μ-Ziq" Paradinas, [39] Moth Wranglers, [40] and Mark Morriss of the Bluetones, [41] are among those to have covered the song.

Track listings

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [53] Silver250,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark</span> English band

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) are an English electronic band formed in 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 established the "synth duo" trend in Britain during the 1980s. In the United States, the band were an early presence in the MTV-driven Second British Invasion.

<i>Dazzle Ships</i> (album) 1983 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Dazzle Ships is the fourth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 4 March 1983 by Virgin Records. Its title and cover art allude to a painting by Vorticist artist Edward Wadsworth based on dazzle camouflage, titled Dazzle-ships in Drydock at Liverpool.

<i>Junk Culture</i> 1984 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Junk Culture is the fifth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 30 April 1984 by Virgin Records. After the commercial disappointment of the experimental Dazzle Ships (1983), OMD and Virgin intended for the group to shift towards a more accessible sound on its follow-up release. The band retained much of their early experimental approach but embraced a wider range of influences than previously, drawing inspiration from pop, dance, Latin and black music. The record's musical style has been characterised as "Talking Heads-meets-Kraftwerk".

<i>Architecture & Morality</i> 1981 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

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.

<i>Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark</i> (album) 1980 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

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.

<i>The Pacific Age</i> 1986 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

The Pacific Age is the seventh studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 29 September 1986 by Virgin Records. It was the last of two OMD studio albums produced by Stephen Hague, after Crush (1985). The record exhibits the same refined production values as its predecessor while venturing into the realm of mid-1980s sophisti-pop, retreating further from the group's experimental beginnings.

<i>The Best of OMD</i> 1988 compilation album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electricity (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark song)</span> 1979 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enola Gay (song)</span> 1980 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joan of Arc (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark song)</span> 1981 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"Joan of Arc" is a 1981 song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released as the second single from their third studio album Architecture & Morality. It was well-received by critics and became an international hit, reaching the Top 5 in the UK and Canada and number 13 in Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sailing on the Seven Seas</span> 1991 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"Sailing on the Seven Seas" is a song by English electronic music band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released as the first single from their eighth studio album, Sugar Tax, on 18 March 1991. Along with 1981's "Souvenir", it is the band's highest-charting UK hit to date, peaking at number three on the UK Singles Chart. It also charted at number three in Austria and Sweden, number five in Ireland and number nine in Germany. The single was the first to be released by OMD without co-founder Paul Humphreys, who had left to form his own band The Listening Pool.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maid of Orleans (The Waltz Joan of Arc)</span> 1982 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Frame/White Light</span> 1980 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"Red Frame/White Light" is the second single by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD). The song is about a red telephone box in Meols, on the Wirral peninsula in Merseyside, that was used by the group to make calls to organise their gigs in the late 1970s. The track is composed of two alternating major/minor sections, each built around a synthesizer hook. Lyrical content is minimal, comprising mostly brief, spoken word utterances. It was the band's first single to chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messages (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark song)</span> 1980 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Locomotion (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark song)</span> 1984 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"Locomotion" is a song by 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Genetic Engineering (song)</span> 1983 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"Genetic Engineering" is a 1983 song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released as the first single from their fourth studio album Dazzle Ships. The synthesized speech featured on the track is taken from a Speak & Spell, an educational electronic toy developed by Texas Instruments in the 1970s intended to teach children spelling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telegraph (song)</span> 1983 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"Telegraph" is a song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), and the second single from their studio album Dazzle Ships (1983). "Telegraph" was originally slated to be the first single released, but being unhappy with the mix and with pressure from Virgin, the group instead opted for "Genetic Engineering".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tesla Girls</span> 1984 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"Tesla Girls" is a song by the English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released as the third single from their fifth studio album, Junk Culture (1984). It peaked at No. 21 in the UK and Ireland, and No. 8 on the Dutch Top 40. Although only moderately successful on the charts, it became one of the group's biggest club hits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dreaming (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark song)</span> 1988 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"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.

<i>History of Modern</i> 2010 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

History of Modern is the eleventh studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 20 September 2010 by 100% Records. It is their first album since 1996, and the first to feature the classic four-piece OMD line-up since 1986's The Pacific Age. It was recorded remotely, with band members compiling the tracks via the Internet.

References

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  2. 1 2 "252-281: The '80s". 501 Lost Songs. IPC Media: 53. 2011. [T]his was originally known as 'The Choir Song', as the intro consisted of slowed-down loops of a choir tuning up. This classic piece of early '80s melancholy got its eventual title as Peter Saville was about to deliver the artwork for what would become the band's massive-selling Architecture & Morality album.
  3. ↑ "Interview: Andy McCluskey, OMD". PRS for Music Online Magazine . 19 March 2013. Archived from the original on 21 September 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2013. Many of our songs use the synth melody as the chorus. There are verses but generally the melody is the chorus.
  4. ↑ Waller, Johnny; Humphreys, Mike. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: Messages. Sidgwick & Jackson. 1987. ISBN   0-283-99234-4. p. 91.
  5. ↑ "Official OMD Website discography entry for "Souvenir" 10". Archived from the original on 14 March 2008. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  6. ↑ "Aspect Television". 8 July 2007. Archived from the original on 8 July 2007.
  7. ↑ "Singles". Cashbox . 20 March 1982. pp. 3, 9.
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  10. ↑ Silverton, Pete (3–16 September 1981). "Reviews: Singles". Smash Hits . Vol. 3, no. 18. p. 24.
  11. 1 2 "Smash Hits 1981 Poll Winners". Smash Hits . Vol. 3, no. 26. 24 December 1981 – 6 January 1982. pp. 15, 17.
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  14. ↑ Raggett, Ned. Architecture & Morality review Archived 5 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine at AllMusic
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  22. ↑ West, Mike (1982). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Omnibus Press. p. 43. ISBN   0-7119-0149-X.
  23. ↑ Houghton, Richard (2019). OMD: Pretending to See the Future (expanded paperback ed.). This Day in Music Books. p. 136. ISBN   978-1916115620.
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  25. ↑ Burgess, Tim (14 April 2020). "Architecture and Morality replay". Tim's Twitter Listening Party. Event occurs at 9:08 PM. Archived from the original on 28 February 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021. Absolute classic. Gorgeous. I had it on a 7" (as well as the 'other' massive song from this record). So atmospheric.
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  33. ↑ "Softwave Souvenir". 14 August 2020. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
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  38. ↑ Croft, Virginia (8 June 2022). "Joyce Manor : 40 Oz. to Fresno | Album review". Treble. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
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  40. ↑ Edwards, Michael (1 February 2002). "Moth Wranglers: Never Mind the Context". Exclaim! . Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  41. ↑ Lay, Sarah (16 August 2015). "Mark Morriss (The Bluetones) – interview". Louder Than War . Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
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  49. ↑ Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
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  52. ↑ Scaping, Peter, ed. (1982). "The Top 200 Singles: January–December 1981". BPI Year Book 1982 (5th ed.). London: The British Phonographic Industry Ltd. pp. 46–49. ISBN   0-906154-03-0.
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