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
Sunday Morning
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Brings the dawn in
It's just a restless feeling
By my side
Early dawning
Sunday morning
It's all the wasted years
Watch out the world's behind you
There's always someone around you
Who will call
It's nothing at all
Sunday morning
And I'm falling
I've got a feeling
I don't want to know
Early dawning
Sunday morning
It's all the streets you've crossed
Not so long ago
Watch out the world's behind you
There's always someone around you
Who will call
It's nothing at all
Watch out the world's behind you
There's always someone around you
Who will call
It's nothing at all
Sunday morning
in this song represents a time of reflection and realization for the singer. As the dawn approaches, the singer is faced with a sense of restlessness and unease, which is compounded by the feeling that they have wasted many years of their life. The singer is also acutely aware of the world around them and the people who may be watching them, waiting for them to stumble or fall. The repetition of the phrase “Watch out the world’s behind you” serves as a reminder that the world is constantly moving forward, and that the singer needs to keep up in order to avoid being left behind.
The idea of wasted years is a recurring theme in the song, and it suggests that the singer has been living a life that is unfulfilled or unsatisfying. The feeling of falling that the singer experiences on Sunday morning is symbolic of this sense of being unmoored and adrift in life. There is a sense of sadness and resignation in the chorus as the singer acknowledges that there is nothing they can do to change the past or to escape the world behind them. As a whole, the song captures a poignant moment of introspection and vulnerability, and it offers a window into the complex emotional landscape that accompanies self-reflection.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunday morning
A time of the week, usually associated with rest and relaxation
Brings the dawn in
Marks the beginning of a new day
It's just a restless feeling
A feeling of unease or discontent
By my side
A sense of companionship or closeness
Early dawning
The beginning of the day, usually before sunrise
It's all the wasted years
Regret for missed opportunities or time lost
So close behind
The past is always present and close at hand
Watch out the world's behind you
Be aware of the past and how it impacts the present
There's always someone around you
Others are impacted by your past and present actions
Who will call
Others may judge or criticize your actions and decisions
It's nothing at all
The judgment or criticism of others is ultimately insignificant
And I'm falling
A sense of losing control or failing
I've got a feeling
Intuition or a gut reaction
I don't want to know
Avoiding the truth or consequences of one's actions
It's all the streets you've crossed
Life's journey and the choices made along the way
Not so long ago
The past is recent and still impacts the present
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Cale, Lou Reed
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind