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Pandora's Box (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark song)

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"Pandora's Box"
Single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
from the album Sugar Tax
B-side"All She Wants Is Everything"
Released24 June 1991 (1991-06-24)
GenreSynthpop, Euro disco
Length4:09 (album version)
4:06 (single version)
LabelVirgin Records
Songwriter(s)OMD
Producer(s)OMD
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark singles chronology
"Sailing on the Seven Seas"
(1991) 		"Pandora's Box"
(1991) 		"Then You Turn Away"
(1991)

"Pandora's Box", subtitled "It's a Long, Long Way" for the US release, is a song by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, released as the second single from their 1991 album Sugar Tax. The song, which deals with the less glamorous side of celebrity, was inspired by silent film actress Louise Brooks and is named after the 1929 film Pandora's Box in which she starred.

The single was a top-ten hit in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe. Three remixes were made for this release, remixed by Danny Griffiths, Carl Segal, and Steve Anderson respectively. Anderson's shorter remix is the main single version. Additional remixes and edits appear on promotional and limited editions.

Reception

MTV Europe ranked "Pandora's Box" the 55th greatest song of 1991.[1] In a retrospective review for AllMusic, critic Dave Thompson observed a "fabulous dance-fired arrangement", a "jubilant melody" and a "bounding rhythm that defies efforts not to dance along". He noted that the song's upbeat sound belies the "tragic tale" of its lyrics, which handle the "downside of fame and fortune".[2]

Music video

The video is in black and white and features Louise Brooks and singer Andy McCluskey. According to the video intro, all of the scenes of Brooks in the video are from the original 1929 film.

Track listings

7" and cassette single (UK) Virgin / VS 1331

Side One

  1. "Pandora's Box"

Side Two

  1. "All She Wants Is Everything"

12" (UK, Europe) Virgin / VST 1331

Side One

  1. "Pandora's Box" (Constant Pressure 12" Mix)
  2. "All She Wants Is Everything"

Side Two

  1. "Pandora's Box" (Abstract Mix)

CD Single (UK, Europe) Virgin / VSCDT 1331

Also available as second part of the Special Collectors Edition tri-pack released with Sailing on the Seven Seas.

  1. "Pandora's Box"
  2. "All She Wants Is Everything"
  3. "Pandora's Box" (Constant Pressure 12" Mix)
  4. "Pandora's Box" (Diesel Fingers 12" Mix)

CD Single (Limited Edition, UK) This release was issued in a black-stained wooden box with a paper wrap.

Virgin / VSCDX 1331

  1. "Pandora's Box"
  2. "Pandora's Box" (Lost Girl Mix)
  3. "Pandora's Box" (Abstract Mix)
  4. "Pandora's Box" (American Venus 7" Mix)

12" (US) Virgin / 0-96338

Side One

  1. "Pandora's Box" (It's A Long, Long Way) (Diesel Fingers Mix)
  2. "Pandora's Box" (It's A Long, Long Way) (Abstract Mix)

Side Two

  1. "Pandora's Box" (It's A Long, Long Way) (Constant Pressure 12" Mix)
  2. "Pandora's Box" (It's A Long, Long Way) (Prize Of Beauty Mix)
  3. "Sugar Tax"

CD Single (US Virgin / 2-96338

  1. "Pandora's Box" (It's A Long, Long Way) (Andy McCluskey 7")
  2. "Pandora's Box" (It's A Long, Long Way) (Constant Pressure 12")
  3. "Sugar Tax"
  4. "All She Wants Is Everything"

Charts

Cover versions

  • Estonian singer Jüri Homenja made a cover version of the song named "Pandora laegas".[17]

References

  1. ^ "Top 100 of 1991". MTV Europe. 30 December 1991.
  2. ^ Thompson, Dave. "Pandora's Box - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  3. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  4. ^ "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Pandora's Box" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  5. ^ "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Pandora's Box" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  6. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 32. 10 August 1991. p. 21. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  7. ^ "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Pandora's Box" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  8. ^ "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Pandora's Box" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  9. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Pandora's Box". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  10. ^ "Notowanie nr 500" (in Polish). 20 September 1991. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  11. ^ "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Pandora's Box". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  12. ^ "OMD: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  13. ^ "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Chart History (Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 24 September 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2020. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 24 September 2019 suggested (help)
  14. ^ "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 27 April 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  15. ^ "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 24 September 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2019. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 24 September 2019 suggested (help)
  16. ^ "Top 100 Singles-Jahrescharts – 1991" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  17. ^ "Jüri Homeja - Pandora laegas". Retrieved 11 July 2010.
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