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
Walk Tall
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Say black is white.
Can't wait to hear you
Tell me lies.
(I'd) say it with flowers
But I'd swallow too much pride.
Stop counting the hours
'Till I'm right there, by your side...
I'll never cry to you.
(Walk Tall)
Not if you begged me to...
Wishing and hoping
To see the light...
Waiting and praying
It'll be alright...
Remember the days we spent
Just lying on your bed...
Remember how crazy we went
Right out of our heads...
The lyrics of "Walk Tall" by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark are about someone who is eagerly anticipating the presence of another person in their lives. The first two lines show how this person has a deep desire to be with the other person, and is willing to believe anything they say. The next two lines, however, suggest that they may be hesitant to express their true feelings, even though they want to say it with flowers. This could be because they don't want to risk being rejected, or because they fear losing their own dignity by being too vulnerable.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the idea of courage and emotional restraint. The opening lines of the chorus suggest that the singer will not cry to the other person, no matter what. This implies that they are in a position of strength, perhaps because they don't want to be seen as weak or vulnerable. The next line, "Not if you begged me to...", reinforces this idea by showing that the singer is not going to give in to emotional blackmail.
The final verse of the song refers to a shared past between the singer and the person they are singing about. They remember the days they spent lying on the bed, and how crazy they went. This suggests that their relationship was intense and emotional in the past, and that they hope to recapture that feeling in the present. The last two lines of the song, "Right out of our heads", could be interpreted in several ways, including as a reference to the intensity of their emotions, or as a suggestion that their relationship was not always healthy.
Line by Line Meaning
Can't wait to see you
I am eager to meet you.
Say black is white.
Lie to me and make me believe in something that's untrue.
Can't wait to hear you
I am excited to listen to you.
Tell me lies.
Convince me with false information or promises.
(I'd) say it with flowers
I would express my feelings with symbolic gestures, such as flowers.
But I'd swallow too much pride.
However, doing so would make me feel embarrassed or ashamed.
Stop counting the hours
Don't obsess over the time until something happens.
‘Till I'm right there, by your side...
Wait patiently for me to join you and be together.
(Walk Tall)
Be confident and strong.
I'll never cry to you.
I won't express my sorrow or weakness to you.
(Walk Tall)
Continue to be confident and strong.
Not if you begged me to...
I won't do it even if you ask me to or need me to.
Wishing and hoping
Feeling optimistic and expectant.
To see the light...
To achieve a positive outcome or goal.
Waiting and praying
Wishing and hoping intensely for something to happen, even to a higher power.
It'll be alright...
Everything will be fine, regardless of the current struggles or problems.
Remember the days we spent
Recall the time we spent together previously.
Just lying on your bed...
Simply relaxing and lounging on your bed.
Remember how crazy we went
Recall how wild or silly we acted.
Right out of our heads...
Acting without restraint or inhibition, to the point of being insane.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ANDREW MC CLUSKEY, LLOYD MASSETT, LLOYD MASSETT 7.5%, STUART KERSHAW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind