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
Waiting For The Man
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Lyrics
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26 dollars in my hand
Up to Lexington 125
Feel sick and dirty
more dead than alive
I'm waiting for my man
Hey white boy, what you doing uptown
Oh, pardon me, sir, it's furthest from my mind
I'm just lookin' for a dear, dear friend of mine
I'm waiting for my man
Here he comes, he's all dressed in black
P.R. shoes and and big straw hat
He's never early, he's always late
First thing you learn is that you always gotta wait
I'm waiting for my man
Up to a Brownstone, up three flights of stairs
Everybody's pinned you, but nobody cares
He's got the works, gives you sweet taste
Then you gotta split
Because you've got no time to waste, ah
I'm waiting for my man
Baby, don't you holler
Darling don't you bawl and shout
I'm feeling so good
I'm gonna work it all out
I'm feeling good, I'm feeling oh so fine
Until tomorrow, but that's just some other time
I'm waiting for my man
I'm waiting for my man
I'm waiting for my man
man-man-man-man-man-man-man
The lyrics to Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's song Waiting for the Man are about a man who is waiting for his drug dealer. He has $26 in his hand and is headed to Lexington 125. He feels sick and dirty, more dead than alive. As he waits, a group of Black men confronts him, asking him what he's doing uptown and accusing him of chasing their women. The man brushes off their accusations, saying he's just looking for a friend. Finally, the drug dealer arrives, dressed in black with a big straw hat and P.R. shoes. He's always late, and the singer has learned that waiting is just part of the process. They go up to a Brownstone and up three flights of stairs. Everyone is pinned, but nobody cares. The drug dealer has what the singer needs, and he gives it to him. The singer has no time to waste and must split. The last lines of the song suggest that the singer is feeling good thanks to the drugs he just bought, but he knows that tomorrow is another day.
The song is a commentary on drug addiction and the cycle of dependence that comes with it. The singer is trapped in a cycle of waiting for his drug dealer, getting his fix, and then needing to get more. He knows that waiting is part of the process, but he's also aware that he's more dead than alive. The encounter with the Black men suggests that there are racial tensions at play, with the singer being seen as an outsider in the neighborhood. The song is a bleak portrayal of addiction and the despair that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm waiting for my man
I'm anticipating the arrival of my drug dealer
26 dollars in my hand
I have $26 to buy my drugs
Up to Lexington 125
I'm heading to a specific location
Feel sick and dirty
I feel unwell and unclean
more dead than alive
I feel like I'm barely alive
Hey white boy, what you doing uptown
African-Americans are questioning my presence in their neighborhood
Hey white boy, you chasing our women around
African-Americans are accusing me of pursuing their women
Oh, pardon me, sir, it's furthest from my mind
I deny chasing after their women
I'm just lookin' for a dear, dear friend of mine
I'm trying to locate my drug dealer
Here he comes, he's all dressed in black
My drug dealer is approaching, wearing all black
P.R. shoes and and big straw hat
My drug dealer is wearing Puerto Rican shoes and a large straw hat
He's never early, he's always late
My drug dealer is always tardy
First thing you learn is that you always gotta wait
When dealing with a drug dealer, you'll always have to wait
Up to a Brownstone, up three flights of stairs
We're headed to a residential building and will have to climb several flights of stairs to get to the drug dealer's apartment
Everybody's pinned you, but nobody cares
We're being watched, but no one intervenes
He's got the works, gives you sweet taste
My drug dealer has a supply of drugs and offers me a sample
Then you gotta split
I have to leave quickly
Because you've got no time to waste, ah
I'm in a hurry and have to leave quickly
Baby, don't you holler
Don't make a big deal out of my drug use
Darling don't you bawl and shout
Please don't cry or make a scene
I'm feeling so good
I'm experiencing the effects of my drugs
I'm gonna work it all out
I believe my drug use will solve my problems
I'm feeling good, I'm feeling oh so fine
I'm enjoying the high from my drugs
Until tomorrow, but that's just some other time
I know the high won't last forever, but I'll deal with that later
man-man-man-man-man-man-man
Repeated use of 'man' emphasizes the fact that I'm waiting for my drug dealer
Lyrics © SONY ATV MUSIC PUB LLC
Written by: X FRASER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind