Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (album)

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Released	22 April 1979 (1979-04-22)
Recorded	The Gramophone Suite, Liverpool, 1978-79
Genre	Synthpop
Length	37:42
Label	DinDisc
Producer	Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Chester Valentino
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark chronology
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (1979) Organisation (1980)
Singles from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
"Electricity" Released: 21 May 1979 (1979-05-21) "Red Frame/White Light" Released: 1 February 1980 (1980-02-01) "Messages" Released: 2 May 1980 (1980-05-02)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Pitchfork Media	7.3

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark is the self-titled debut album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, released in 1979. The album peaked at number 27 in the UK Albums Chart. "Electricity" and "Red Frame/White Light" were low charting singles taken from the album. A re-recorded version of "Messages" provided OMD with their first hit in the UK, reaching number 13.

The album was remastered and re-released in 2003, with six bonus tracks.

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark is also the title of a 1981 compilation album of tracks from this album and Organisation, released only in the United States.

Track listing

All songs were written by Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, except where noted.

Original release

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Bunker Soldiers"		2:50
2.	"Almost"		3:40
3.	"Mystereality"		2:42
4.	"Electricity"		3:32
5.	"The Messerschmitt Twins"		5:38

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
6.	"Messages"		4:06
7.	"Julia's Song"	McCluskey, Humphreys, Julia Kneale	4:39
8.	"Red Frame/White Light"		3:10
9.	"Dancing (Instrumental)"		2:58
10.	"Pretending To See The Future"		3:45

U.S. release (O.M.D.)

The U.S. version, released in 1981, collects material from the first two OMD albums, but retains the sleeve-art of the debut LP.

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Enola Gay"	McCluskey	3:31
2.	"2nd Thought"	McCluskey	4:12
3.	"Bunker Soldiers"		2:51
4.	"Almost"		3:46
5.	"Electricity"		3:32
6.	"Statues"		4:08

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
7.	"The Misunderstanding"		4:45
8.	"Julia's Song"	McCluskey, Humphreys, Julia Kneale	4:32
9.	"Motion And Heart"		3:13
10.	"Messages"		3:59
11.	"Stanlow"		6:30

Remastered CD release with bonus tracks

Virgin / DIDCDR2

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Bunker Soldiers"		2:54
2.	"Almost"		3:44
3.	"Mystereality"		2:45
4.	"Electricity"		3:39
5.	"The Messerschmitt Twins"		5:41
6.	"Messages"		4:12
7.	"Julia's Song"	McCluskey, Humphreys, Julia Kneale	4:41
8.	"Red Frame/White Light"		3:12
9.	"Dancing (Instrumental)"		2:59
10.	"Pretending to See the Future"		3:48

Bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
11.	"Messages (Single version)"		4:46
12.	"I Betray My Friends"		3:53
13.	"Taking Sides Again (Instrumental)"		4:23
14.	"Waiting for the Man"	Lou Reed	3:00
15.	"Electricity (Hannett/Cargo Studios Version)"		3:37
16.	"Almost (Hannett/Cargo Studios Version)"		3:51

Notes

• There are many different versions of debut single "Electricity" and its B-side "Almost". On the remastered album two versions of both songs are present.

• The band chose to perform "Dancing" on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1980, the song was never released as a single.

• "I Betray My Friends", "Taking Sides Again", and "Waiting for the Man" were B-sides to "Red Frame/White Light" and "Messages", and can also be found on the 2001 Navigation: The OMD B-Sides compilation. "Taking Sides Again" is an instrumental dub version of "Messages". "Waiting for the Man" is a cover of a Velvet Underground song, originally titled "I'm Waiting for the Man".

• A live version of "Pretending to See the Future" was released on a blue flexi disc included with the March 19-April 1 issue of Smash Hits magazine.

External links

• Album lyrics