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 EP's. In 2003 the double disc version was released in France only, which included the remixed versions by Guetta and Garraud as well. The Guetta and Garraud remixes were released on a limited 12" to promote the compilation album.
A live performance of this song, recorded at Guildhall, Portsmouth, England on September 19, 1980 (1980-09-19), is featured in the film Urgh! A Music War.
Title
The song is named after the aeroplane, a USAAF B-29 Superfortress called Enola Gay (after Enola Gay Tibbets, the name of the mother of the bomber pilot) which dropped "Little Boy," the first atomic bomb to be used in an act of War on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. It was an attempt to bring an end to the Second World War, but also killed more than 200.000 civilians.
Lyrics
The lyrics attack the decision to use the bomb, making use of sardonic black humour ("Is mother proud of Little Boy today?") and suggesting that the bombing was unnecessary ("It shouldn't ever have to end this way").
The song was also released during a major controversy surrounding then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's decision to allow US nuclear missiles to be stationed in Britain.
Track listing
1. "Enola Gay" – 3:33
2. "Annex" – 4:33
Unusually, the 12" single contained no additional material or alternative mixes, only the same tracks as on the 7".
Chart positions
French Singles Chart - 1
Irish Singles Chart - 14
Italian Singles Chart - 1
Portuguese Singles Chart - 1
Swiss Singles Chart -2
UK Singles Chart - 8
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play - 34
Enola Gay
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We got your message on the radio, conditions normal and you're coming home
These games you play, they're gonna end in more than tears someday
Uh huh Enola Gay, it shouldn't ever have to end this way
It's 8:15, that's the time that it's always been
We got your message on the radio, conditions normal and you're coming home
Enola Gay, is mother proud of little boy today
Uh huh, this kiss you give, it's never ever gonna fade away
Enola Gay, you should have stayed at home yesterday
We got your message on the radio, conditions normal and you're coming home
These games you play, they're gonna end in more than tears someday
Uh huh Enola Gay, it shouldn't ever have to end this way
It's 8:15, that's the time that it's always been
Uh huh, this kiss you give, it's never ever gonna fade away
The lyrics to Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's song "Enola Gay" tell the story of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima by the United States at the end of World War II. The song is named after the aircraft that dropped the bomb, the Enola Gay. The opening line, "you should have stayed at home yesterday," could be interpreted as a reference to the decision to drop the bomb and the idea that it would have been better if the Enola Gay had never left home.
The second line, "words can't describe the feeling and the way you lied," could be seen as a commentary on the deceitful justifications given for the bombing. The line "these games you play, they're gonna end it more than tears someday" could be interpreted as a warning that the violence of war will have long-lasting and devastating effects. The repeated line "Enola Gay, it shouldn't ever have to end this way" emphasizes the tragedy of the bombing and the idea that it could have been avoided.
The line "is mother proud of little boy today?" references the fact that the pilot of the Enola Gay, Colonel Paul Tibbets, referred to the bomb as his "baby." The final line, "this kiss you give, it's never ever gonna fade away," could be seen as a reference to the lasting impact of the bombing on both the people it directly affected and on the world as a whole.
Line by Line Meaning
Enola Gay, you should have stayed at home yesterday
Enola Gay, you made a mistake by going out instead of staying at home yesterday
Aha, words can't describe the feeling and the way you lied
The emotions and the extent of your deception are beyond words
These games you play, they're gonna end it more than tears someday
Your manipulative actions will have greater consequences than just tears in the future
Aha, Enola Gay, it shouldn't ever have to end this way
It's sad that things had to turn out this way, Enola Gay
It's 8:15, and that's the time that it's always been
The timing is familiar and unchanging, it's always been 8:15
We got your message on the radio, conditions normal and you're coming home
We received your message over the radio stating that the situation is normal and that you're returning home
Enola Gay, is mother proud of little boy today?
Enola Gay, are you certain that your mother would be proud of your actions today?
Aha, this kiss you give, it's never ever gonna fade away
This kiss that you've given will always remain in memory and never be forgotten
Enola Gay, it shouldn't ever have to end this way
It's sad that things had to turn out this way, Enola Gay
Aha, Enola Gay, it shouldn't fade in our dreams away
Enola Gay, we hope that your memory and what you've done will not fade away
It's 8:15, and that's the time that it's always been
The timing is familiar and unchanging, it's always been 8:15
We got your message on the radio, conditions normal and you're coming home
We received your message over the radio stating that the situation is normal and that you're returning home
Enola Gay, is mother proud of little boy today?
Enola Gay, are you certain that your mother would be proud of your actions today?
Aha, this kiss you give, it's never ever gonna fade away
This kiss that you've given will always remain in memory and never be forgotten
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Andrew McCluskey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@valentine2037
Lyrics :
Enola Gay
You should have stayed at home yesterday
Ah-ha words can't describe
The feeling and the way you lied
These games you play
They're going to end in more
Than tears some day
Ah-ha Enola Gay
It shouldn't ever have to end this way
It's eight fifteen
And that's the time that it's always been
We got your message on the radio
Conditions normal and you're coming home
Enola Gay
Is mother proud of little boy today?
Ah-ha this kiss you give
It's never ever gonna to fade away
Enola Gay
It shouldn't ever have to end this way
Ah-ha Enola Gay
Should've faded our dreams away
It's eight fifteen
And that's the time that it's always been
We got your message on the radio
Conditions normal and you're coming home
Enola Gay
Is mother proud of little boy today?
Ah-ha this kiss you give
It's never ever going to fade away
@justpaz1648
THE LYRICS!
Enola Gay
You should have stayed at home yesterday
Ah-ha, words can't describe
The feeling and the way you lied
These games you play
They're going to end in more than tears some day
Ah-ha Enola Gay
It shouldn't ever have to end this way
It's 8:15
And that's the time that it's always been
We got your message on the radio
Conditions normal, and you're coming home
Enola Gay
Is mother proud of little boy today?
Ah-ha this kiss you give
It's never ever gonna to fade away
Enola Gay
You shouldn't ever have to live this way
Ah-ha Enola Gay
You should've faded our dreams away
It's 8:15
And that's the time that it's always been
We got your message on the radio
Conditions normal, and you're coming home
Enola Gay
Is mother proud of little boy today?
Ah-ha this kiss you give
It's never ever going to fade away
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Mc Cluskey Andy / Mc Cluskey Andrew
Enola Gay lyrics © Bmg Dinsong Limited
@miguelservetus9534
@@emeroregan5298
All war is horrendous.
Everyone’s death diminishes me, for I am a part of mankind.
Is it the #’s?
The number of deaths at once?
Or is it the fact that war is now home and can wipe out all?
Some argue that WW3 has not occurred yet because we realize it will be the last.
Remember, the US estimated that 10 million Japanese would die in a conventional invasion. The Japanese government expected 1/3 to 1/2 of its population would die.
@bluthian
Just something to make you understand.
Steve Bannon was in the 2016 Trump campaign after GamerGate, realizing that there is an emerging wave of bitterness towards the status quo.
Dark Enlightenment, or the NRx movement, believes that liberal democracy has made it ESSENTIAL for a technomonarchist movement to replace the current freedom-loving country's administration.
They are trying to rush this wave of automatizing people into a bitter state to accept the fall of democracy as a normalization, not as a defeat.
Curtis Yarvin was a guest of honor at the 2024 Trump inauguration party.
These people want to tear the Constitution apart.
@antoineshunsuke
Enola gay, you should have stayed at home yesterday
Oho it can't describe the feeling and the way you lied
These games you play, they're gonna end it all in tears someday
Oho Enola gay, it shouldn't ever have to end this way
It's 8:15, that's the time that it's always been
We got your message on the radio, condition's normal and you're coming home
Enola gay, is mother proud of little boy today
Oho, this kiss you give, it's never ever gonna fade away
Enola gay, it shouldn't ever have to end this way
Oho Enola gay, it should've faded our dreams away
It's 8:15, oh that's the time that it's always been
We got your message on the radio, condition's normal and you're coming home
Enola gay, is mother proud of little boy today
Oho, this kiss you give, it's never ever gonna fade away
@frenkimizdrak2871
Enola Gay
You should have stayed at home yesterday
Ah-ha, words can't describe
The feeling and the way you lied
These games you play
They're going to end in more than tears some day
Ah-ha Enola Gay
It shouldn't ever have to end this way
It's 8:15
And that's the time that it's always been
We got your message on the radio
Conditions normal, and you're coming home
Enola Gay
Is mother proud of little boy today?
Ah-ha this kiss you give
It's never ever gonna to fade away
Enola Gay
You shouldn't ever have to live this way
Ah-ha Enola Gay
You should've faded our dreams away
It's 8:15
And that's the time that it's always been
We got your message on the radio
Conditions normal, and you're coming home
Enola Gay
Is mother proud of little boy today?
Ah-ha this kiss you give
It's never ever going to fade away
@chargyplays
"Enola Gay, is mother proud of Little Boy today?" is such a powerful lyric, dang...
@fieldofhills
my dad is a massive history nerd who grew up with 70’s/80’s electronic music. it makes so much sense that this is his all time favorite song. so proud to have a dad with a music taste that goated
@Ddd-sq9bd
Same bro
@roberthamilton-om4pb
Same and it’s a very clever and poignant lyric and song
@hectic5173
Good man
@murkartik
Your dad's taste = goated af, these guys came from absolutely nowhere and learned how to do this without any help and created some incredible stuff. OMD are an absolute treasure.
@NickPetrie-g1b
Same here lol
@fredsonnenschein4772
It`s a jewels OMD - Heroes of my youth time in Germany-Bavaria. Was war das nur für ein wunderbares, unbeschwertes, freies Leben ohne Smartphone-Gedudel und ständiger Erreichbarkeit. I miss this time more than ever. Greetings to all the people in the world.
@omicroncenti6876
Genau so!
@kevinchamberlain7928
You sir! You're a bloody liar!