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
The Beginning and the End
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This now takes our hearts away
Thus we reach the end
The beginning and the end
You see
I could not try and here are you and I
And now
,
The lyrics to Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's song The Beginning and the End are cryptic and enigmatic. The song seems to be about a journey - the journey of love, the road of life or perhaps the journey of the human race. The first two lines of the song, "This is where we start, This now takes our hearts away," seem to refer to the beginning of the journey. The journey could be in the context of a relationship, where the couple is starting out on a journey of love. Alternately, it could be the beginning of life itself, with the song addressing the beginning of the human race.
The next two lines are equally intriguing, "Thus we reach the end, The beginning and the end you see." There is a sense of circularity in these lines. There seems to be no end to the journey - it just goes on and on, in a never-ending cycle. The final few lines of the song, "I could not try and here are you and I, Parting due to me only, And now," suggest a sense of loss or regret. Perhaps, the journey was cut short due to some mistake or misstep, and the couple found themselves parting ways.
Line by Line Meaning
This is where we start
We are at the beginning of something new.
This now takes our hearts away
The excitement of this new beginning has captured our emotions.
Thus we reach the end
All journeys must eventually come to an end.
The beginning and the end
This experience has included both a start and a finish.
You see
This is an observation that is worth noting.
I could not try and here are you and I
Despite my best efforts, we have arrived at this point together.
Parting due to me only
The singer takes responsibility for the separation, acknowledging their role in it.
And now
This moment is significant and worth paying attention to.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ANDREW MC, PAUL DAVID HUMPHREYS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind