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
Speed Of Light
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As the feather hits the ground
And nothing else gets through
It's always faster than it sounds.
The star that shone so bright
Will be eclipsed tonight
When you kiss the satelite.
'Cause there was someplace you
Could be this way
It don't seem right
To spend tonight as you did today.
If I had known that you would call
If I could dream that you would fall
If I could change these thoughts around
I would have stayed at home tonight.
There's nothing that you can do
To make this all brand-new
Nothing here to save
To make it go away.
You've never been so wrong.
So how can you ignore
When a fall from grace so high
Should never take so long
And say goodbye,
As you did today.
So the speed of light remains
Ever-constantly the same
Begin tonight as it did today.
The lyrics of "Speed of Light" by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark explore the themes of time, regret, and the fleeting nature of life. The song begins with the line "The speed of light slows down," which is a paradoxical statement and implies that time is slowing down. This is followed by the line "As the feather hits the ground," which suggests that even the smallest change can have a profound impact on the passage of time. The lyrics also suggest that time is relative, as "nothing else gets through" and "It's always faster than it sounds."
The chorus of the song revolves around the image of a star being eclipsed and the idea of missed opportunities. The lyric "When you kiss the satellite" implies that the singer is watching someone who has achieved great things but has lost track of what really matters. The song suggests that this person was once hopeful and optimistic, but has now become trapped in a cycle of regret and missed chances. The final verse of the song is a plea to break free from this cycle and start anew, with the lyrics "You've never been so wrong / So how can you ignore / When a fall from grace so high / Should never take so long."
Overall, "Speed of Light" is a poignant meditation on the passage of time and the fragility of human experience. The song's lyrics are both poetic and thought-provoking, and they offer a unique perspective on the challenges of living a meaningful life.
Line by Line Meaning
The speed of light slows down
The singer suggests that despite the laws of physics, time seems to slow down when one is waiting for something.
As the feather hits the ground
Even though the feather is gentle and light, it still invokes a reaction and can be observed in the same way as heavier objects.
And nothing else gets through
The singer hints that when someone is fixated on a certain thing or event, they may become oblivious to everything else happening around them.
It's always faster than it sounds.
The artist implies that time can seem to speed up or slow down depending on one's state of mind.
The star that shone so bright will be eclipsed tonight
The artist implies that something that once seemed to shine so brightly and be so important, may be overshadowed and deemed insignificant by something else.
When you kiss the satellite
The singer uses imagery to suggest that by clinging on to something that is far away or beyond one's reach, one may miss out on something that is right in front of them.
'Cause there was someplace you and you alone, believed that a life could be this way
The singer hints that there may be moments when one becomes so consumed by an idea or a hope, that it may seem like only they understand and believe in it.
It don't seem right to spend tonight as you did today.
The artist implies that it is not healthy to dwell on things that cannot be changed or that which holds one back.
If I had known that you would call
The artist expresses regret that they did not anticipate a certain event, perhaps a phone call, which might have made a difference.
If I could dream that you would fall,
The artist acknowledges that dreams and hopes for another person could easily turn into negative and unwished for outcomes.
If I could change these thoughts around
The singer desires to change their own thought process so as to be less negative or more positive.
I would have stayed at home tonight.
The artist imparts the idea of safety in staying in one's comfort zone when things may arise that are outside of one's control.
There's nothing that you can do to make this all brand-new
The singer admits that sometimes there may be no fixing or changing a situation, despite one's desires or efforts.
Nothing here to save, to make it go away.
The singer implies that sometimes there is no hope or solution to be found.
You've never been so wrong.
The singer suggests that a person may not always be able to predict or anticipate what might happen, even to themselves.
So how can you ignore when a fall from grace so high, should never take so long, and say goodbye, as you did today.
The artist points out that sometimes one finds themselves in a situation where a mistake or fall from grace is inevitable, and so it is important not to ignore it but instead work to move on from it.
So the speed of light remains, ever-constantly the same. Begin tonight as it did today.
The artist asserts that in spite of all that has happened, time will continue to move on and there is nothing that can change that.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TIMOTHY DEAL, MIKE CHAPMAN, MIRANDA COOPER, BRIAN HIGGINS, JASON RESCH, KIERAN JONES, TOBY SCOTT, FREDERICK FALKE, UZOECHI EMENIKE, FLORRIE ARNOLD
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