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
Joan of Arc
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A face on a page, gift from above
She should have known better than to give her heart
She should have known better than to ever part
Without me
Without me
I gave her everything that I ever ownedI think she understood but she never spoke
She should have not tried to be that way
She shouldn't have to go there ever again
Without me
Without me
Now listen to us good, and listen well
Listen to the song, everything we tell
We should have known better than to give her away
We should have known better to this very day
Without me
Without me
Listen, Joan of Arc, all you got to do
Say the right words and I'll be coming through
Hold you in my arms and take you right away
Now she's on her away to another land
We never understood why she gave her hand
She shouldn't ought to promise, cause it's just pretend
I know she doesn't mean it and she'll leave again
Without me
Without me
Without me
Without me
The lyrics to Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's "Joan of Arc" express the singer's frustration with a woman who he believes was foolish to fall in love and leave without him. The opening lines reveal this woman to be a "little Catholic girl," who the singer believes should have known better than to give her heart away to someone other than him. He feels that he had given her everything that he owned, but she never acknowledged it. He blames her for trying to be a certain way and for leaving without him.
Despite his anger towards her, the singer still pleads with Joan of Arc to say the right words so he can take her away. The frustration in his lyrics is palpable, as he can't understand why she would promise to go away with another man when it's just pretend. The song is essentially about a man's love-hate relationship with a woman who he feels shouldn't have left him for someone else.
Line by Line Meaning
Little Catholic girl is falling in love
A young woman from a religious background is experiencing romantic feelings
A face on a page, gift from above
She was introduced to this person through reading materials
She should have known better than to give her heart
She may have been warned about being emotionally vulnerable
She should have known better than to ever part
She regrets ending the relationship
Without me
The artist is not present in her life
I gave her everything that I ever owned
The singer was very generous to her
I think she understood but she never spoke
The woman appreciated the singer's kindness but never directly acknowledged it
She should have not tried to be that way
Perhaps the woman acted in a way that was uncharacteristic for her
She shouldn't have to go there ever again
The artist doesn't want the woman to experience a difficult situation again
Now listen to us good, and listen well
The artist wants the listener to pay attention
Listen to the song, everything we tell
The lyrics offer insight into the situation being described
We should have known better than to give her away
The artist regrets separating from the woman
We should have known better to this very day
The singer still has feelings for her
Listen, Joan of Arc, all you got to do
The singer is addressing the woman directly
Say the right words and I'll be coming through
If the woman expresses a desire for the singer's return, he will come back to her
Hold you in my arms and take you right away
The artist wants to be physically close to the woman again
Now she's on her away to another land
The woman is leaving town
We never understood why she gave her hand
The singer and others were confused by the woman's decision to commit to someone else
She shouldn't ought to promise, cause it's just pretend
The singer believes that the woman made a false promise to the new person in her life
I know she doesn't mean it and she'll leave again
The artist believes that the woman is not being genuine and will eventually end the new relationship
Without me
The artist is still not involved in her life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Andrew McCluskey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@onahi2002
@Gary Bradley so It's all incorrect. The Internet is wrong ?
Julia Tobin is an English actress from
Newcastle upon Tyne, and is best
known for playing Brenda Hope in the
comedy drama series Auf
Wiedersehen, Pet and Joan of Arc in
the music video by Orchestral
Manoeuvres in the Dark. She is the only
actress to appear in every series of Auf
Wiedersehen, Pet. Wikipedia >
@martyg11
Alongside Maid of Orleans and Souvenir this track completes a masterful trilogy of beautiful, haunting songs. They’re so distinctive and unique they just can’t be bettered. They teleport me back to my childhood effortlessly every time I hear them.
@ChrisAndCats
There's a few for me - the two Joan of Arc tracks, Visage Fade to Grey, Ultravox Vienna, Hymn, Visions in Blue and The Voice, a couple of Soft Cell and Talk Talk's Today. That cluster are perfect. Sadly Mark Hollis is no longer with us but he had a very distinctive voice too.
@Hollywoodvampire1970
You took the words right out of my mouth 🙏🏻👍
@billycaldwell9233
Enola Gay when ur old enuff to know what the actual meaning of that song is..another haunting OMD sound of teenhood tune
@markhamer7220
Well put sir.
@BuyOneGetOneFree
@@billycaldwell9233And now it’s used to sell life insurance on TV adverts…
@Pa-tk1dx
Stunning song.
Now shes on her way to another land ....that part is hypnotic. Unworldy
@eldamahj3977
'Now she's on her way to another land. We never understood why she gave her hand.' Gets me every time. A beautiful track.
@ChrisAndCats
Love this and Maid of Orleans too.
@faddy24
Why she gave her hand? Well usually boils down to money and social status. Love rarely has anything to do with it.
Anyway regardless of all that this is probably their best song .