The group was founded in 1978 by Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, after they had been involved in several bands, including The Id. Later drummer Malcolm Holmes and saxophonist Martin Cooper joined. McCluskey and Humphreys formed the core of the outfit until 1989, when the group split in two. McCluskey retained the name and continued to record and tour as OMD with a new line-up until 1996, while Humphreys, Holmes, and Cooper formed "The Listening Pool".
According to Songfacts, Enola Gay was the first of 7 Top 10 UK singles for the group; their only US hit was If You Leave, which was written for the 1985 movie Pretty In Pink.
In late December 2005, OMD's official website announced a 2006 reformation, for both live performances and a new album, with rehearsals beginning in summer 2006. The line up features the original 1980's members (Andy McCluskey, Paul Humphreys, Malcolm Holmes and Martin Cooper). The "Architecture & Morality" tour for late 2006 was postponed until the beginning of 2007.
The tour finally took place in the spring of 2007 featuring "Architecture & Morality" played in its entirety plus a 'greatest hits' set, although each concert famously ended with stirring rendition of B side/album track and fan favourite "The Romance of the Telescope".
Plans are now ahead for the release of a documentary DVD (since released and available here), a live DVD of the 2007 tour (release postponed until 2008) and a new studio album released in 2010, entitled "History of Modern".
The group's 12th studio album, English Electric, was released on 5 April 2013. The group's 13th studio album, The Punishment Of Luxury, was released on 1 September 2017. The group's 14th studio album, Bauhaus Staircase, was released on 27 October 2023.
Official OMD website: http://www.omd.uk.com
Apollo XI
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Should commit itself to achieving the goal
Of landing a man on the moon
And returning him safely to the earth
Ten
Nine
Ignition sequence starts
SixFive
Four
Three
Two
One
Zero
All engines thrust
Lift-off! We have a lift-off, 32 minutes past the hour
Three hundred and sixty-three feet of gleaming flight equipment
Being pushed up
Through the blue skies above
Hello, Neil and Buz
I copy to you by telephone
From the Oval Room of the White House
For every American
This has to be the proudest day of our lives
Neil Armstrong, Buz Aldrin (sp?), Mike Collier (sp?)
Buz Aldrin, Neil Armstong, Mike Collier
Buz Aldrin, Mike Collier
This is Apollo control
Twenty-seven thousand feet per second
We confirm ignition, and the rest is 'go'
Everything is 'go'
This is Apollo control, at eleven hours, twenty-nine minutes
Apollo control, at twenty-two hours, forty-nine minutes
Eagle, you're looking great, altitude still looking very good
Altitude forty thousand
Now thirty-three thousand five-hundred feet
Altitude now twenty-one thousand feet
Still looking very good
Altitude thirteen thousand feet
Still looking very good
Eagle, you're looking great
Fourteen-hundred feet
Altitude two-hundred feet
Eagle, you're looking great
The Eagle has landed!
It was beautiful from here
You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue
We're breathing again
That's one small step for man
One giant leap for mankind
That's one small step for man
One giant leap for mankind
Don't forget the depressurization
That's one small step for man
One giant leap for mankind
One small step for man
One giant leap for mankind
We're reading you loud and clear
That's one small step for man
One giant leap for mankind
This is the time of rejoicing
This is the time of rejoicing
In New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles
This is the time of rejoicing
Ticker-tape parades
This is the time of rejoicing
This is the time of rejoicing
This is Apollo control
This is Apollo control
This is Apollo control
One giant leap
For mankind
The lyrics to Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's song Apollo XI are a tribute to the history-making, awe-inspiring moment when mankind first landed on the moon on July 20, 1969. The song features various snippets of the live audio feed from the Apollo 11 mission interspersed with a narrator's words. At the beginning of the song, we hear President John F. Kennedy's famous speech calling for a manned lunar mission. Then, there are recordings of the countdown and lift-off for the Apollo 11 spacecraft. During the course of the song, we hear updates from the astronauts as they proceed toward the moon's surface, with calls between the spacecraft and NASA's mission control in Houston, Texas. Finally, there is the triumphant moment when Neil Armstrong, the first human to set foot on the moon, famously declares, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
The song's lyrics convey the incredible achievement of the Apollo 11 mission and the sense of pride and accomplishment felt by Americans and people all over the world at that time. There is a feeling of wonder and awe as we hear the recordings of the spacecraft ascension and the messages exchanged between the astronauts and mission control. The song's use of real-life audio adds a level of authenticity and emotional context that can be difficult to convey in a purely musical composition. It provides an insightful look into one of the most significant events in human history.
Overall, OMD's Apollo XI is a powerful tribute to the remarkable achievement of the Apollo 11 mission and the astronauts who made it possible. Their groundbreaking feat helped inspire a generation of dreamers and explorers and still resonates today, more than 50 years later.
Line by Line Meaning
I believe that this nation
the author has faith in the potential for political willpower of this country
Should commit itself to achieving the goal
set the target for reaching and surpassing the unchartered frontier of the moon
Of landing a man on the moon
to successfully place an astronaut upon the formerly unreachable satellite
And returning him safely to the earth
and to maintain his well-being upon his return to this planet
Ten
the countdown to the launch is nearing its closure
Nine
the countdown to the launch is nearing its closure
Ignition sequence starts
the engines are starting
Six
the countdown to the launch is nearing its closure
Five
the countdown to the launch is nearing its closure
Four
the countdown to the launch is nearing its closure
Three
the countdown to the launch is nearing its closure
Two
the countdown to the launch is nearing its closure
One
the countdown to the launch is nearing its closure
Zero
the countdown to the launch is nearing its closure
All engines thrust
the engines are now operating at full force
Lift-off! We have a lift-off, 32 minutes past the hour
the rocket with the astronauts on board has left the ground
Three hundred and sixty-three feet of gleaming flight equipment
the rocket and its subsystems that the process of going to the moon depends on
Being pushed up
lifting progressively higher of the rocket
Through the blue skies as they live
soaring through the clear blue sky
Hello, Neil and Buz
a greeting to the crew by name via radio
I copy to you by telephone
the latest news and information from the White House is received via telephone
From the Oval Room of the White House
the space exploration mission is being monitored from the US President's Office
For every American
this mission is a symbolic accomplishment of excellence for the nation
This has to be the proudest day of our lives
the nation is happy with what has been achieved so far
Neil Armstrong, Buz Aldrin, Mike Collier
listing of the names of the astronauts involved in the mission at that time
Buz Aldrin, Neil Armstong, Mike Collier
listing of the names of the astronauts involved in the mission
Buz Aldrin, Mike Collier
listing of the names of the astronauts involved in the space voyage
This is Apollo control
updates from the rovers and crew are being received and monitored
Twenty-seven thousand feet per second
the current rate of speed
We confirm ignition, and the rest is 'go'
preparation is complete and they are ready to proceed
Everything is 'go'
all processes are in place and functioning correctly as planned
Apollo control, at eleven hours, twenty-nine minutes
an initial estimate of when the voyage will conclude
Apollo control, at twenty-two hours, forty-nine minutes
another estimate of when the mission will end
Eagle, you're looking great, altitude still looking very good
the lunar lander craft's progress still proceeding soundly and the craft is performing as intended
Altitude one-hundred thousand
the spacecraft's current distance above the planet's surface
Altitude forty thousand
the spacecraft's current distance above the planet's surface
Now thirty-three thousand five-hundred feet
the current altitude of the craft
Altitude now twenty-one thousand feet
the current distance between the craft and the lunar surface is 21,000 feet
Still looking very good
the mission is still proceeding as planned
Altitude thirteen thousand feet
the distance the spacecraft is above the surface of the moon
Still looking very good
the spacecraft continues to function properly
Eagle, you're looking great
the lander craft is in good working condition
Fourteen-hundred feet
the current altitude of the lander
Altitude two-hundred feet
the current altitude of the lander
Eagle, you're looking great
the lander craft is in good working condition
The Eagle has landed!
the astronauts have landed on the moon safely
It was beautiful from here
It's an effective performance from the ground's perspective
You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue
The excitement and anticipation have clearly been overwhelming for the astronauts
We're breathing again
everyone involved in the mission is relieved that the landing was successful and everyone is judging again
That's one small step for man
a milestone touchdown on the previously unexplored planet has finally happened
One giant leap for mankind
this accomplishment represents how far the human race has come
That's one small step for man
an astronaut who was just there has made that descent
One giant leap for mankind
but the overall effort in reaching the moon has pushed society as a whole forward
Don't forget the depressurization
it is a word of warning for the astronauts to remember the decompression process when taking off from the moon
That's one small step for man
referring back to the monumental achievement of the first man on the moon
One giant leap for mankind
reiterating that this accomplishment represents a major milestone in human history
We're reading you loud and clear
ground crews and astronauts are accurately communicating their findings to each other
That's one small step for man
reliving the momentous event of a man's first step on the moon
One giant leap for mankind
reminding individuals of how this event has helped further society as a whole
This is the time of rejoicing
a celebratory mood is running through society because of the success of the moon mission
In New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles
the entire country is sharing the same feelings of enthusiasm
This is the time of rejoicing
everyone is rejoicing
Ticker-tape parades
the country is going to hold ticker-tape parades to celebrate the moon landing
This is the time of rejoicing
reemphasizing that this is a wonderful moment in our history
This is Apollo control
Apollo control is the central communications hub connecting all of the parts of the moon mission together
This is Apollo control
the moon mission is still under control of the Apollo control team
This is Apollo control
the Apollo control team is responsible for ensuring the mission is successfully completed
One giant leap
this successful mission represents a massive achievement for the human race
For mankind
this achievement is a beneficial milestone for all of humanity
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Andrew Mc Cluskey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind