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
Walking On The Milky Way
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My head was full of brilliant dreams
My heart would call and I would gladly go
At twenty one the world was mine
And I was yours and you're divine
And nothing else would matter to us so
I don't believe in destiny
I don't believe in loveI don't believe that anything will ever be enough...
Man you should have seen us
On the way to Venus
Walking on the Milky Way
It was quite a day hey hey...
Walking on the big stuff
Acting like we're real tough
Baby we were on our way
So what do you say hey hey.
As time goes by, reality
Destroys your hope and dignity
There's nothing left but shadows on the wall
But just remember who you are
And where you've been you've come so far
And never ever let them see you fall
I don't believe in miracles
I don't believe in truth
I don't believe that anything can recreate your youth
Man you should have seen us
On the way to Venus
Walking on the Milky Way
It was quite a day hey hey...
Walking on the big stuff
Baby we were on our way
So what do you say hey, hey
Man you should have seen us
On the way to Venus
Walking on the Milky Way
It was quite a day hey, hey...
Walking on the big stuff
Acting like we're real tough
Baby we were on our way
So what do you say hey, hey
The lyrics of "Walking On The Milky Way" by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark tell a story of youthful dreams and aspirations, the harsh realities of growing up, and the importance of holding onto who you are. The first two verses describe the singer's past experiences of being young and in love, feeling invincible and enjoying life. However, as time goes by, reality sets in and the singer acknowledges that they no longer believe in destiny, love or anything being enough. The chorus describes a fond memory of the singer and their lover, walking on the Milky Way with a sense of adventure and confidence. The last verse reminds the singer to remember who they are and all they have accomplished, not to let the shadows of reality bring them down, and that they no longer believe in miracles, truth or the possibility of recreating youth.
The song's overall message is about the complex realities of growing up, but also the importance of holding onto one's youthful dreams and sense of self. The dreamlike and optimistic lyrics of the chorus contrast with the darker and more introspective verses, creating a sense of nostalgia and of looking back on the past with a mix of fondness and regret.
Overall, "Walking On The Milky Way" is a reflective and contemplative song that explores themes of youth, love, and growing up while delivering an upbeat and catchy tune.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was only seventeen
At a young age, I had a lot of hopes and dreams.
My head was full of brilliant dreams
My mind was filled with great aspirations.
My heart would call and I would gladly go
I was always ready to follow my heart.
At twenty one the world was mine
At the age of twenty-one, it felt like everything in the world was in my reach.
And I was yours and you're divine
I was in love with someone who I thought was perfect.
And nothing else would matter to us so
Nothing else in the world was as important to us as our relationship.
I don't believe in destiny
I don't believe that everything is predetermined.
I don't believe in love
I don't believe that love is a real thing.
I don't believe that anything will ever be enough...
I believe that nothing can ever truly satisfy me.
Man you should have seen us
You should have seen how great we were.
On the way to Venus
We felt like we were on a journey to the stars.
Walking on the Milky Way
We felt like we were walking on something magical and otherworldly.
It was quite a day hey hey...
It was an amazing experience that we will always remember.
Walking on the big stuff
We felt like we were walking on something grand and important.
Acting like we're real tough
We were pretending to be stronger than we actually were.
Baby we were on our way
We felt like we were destined for greatness.
So what do you say hey hey
What do you think? Pretty cool, right?
As time goes by, reality
Over time, reality sets in and things change.
Destroys your hope and dignity
The world can be cruel and can take away your aspirations and self-respect.
There's nothing left but shadows on the wall
After everything is said and done, there's only emptiness and disappointment.
But just remember who you are
It's important to remember your true self and not to lose sight of that.
And where you've been you've come so far
You've traveled a long journey to get where you are now.
And never ever let them see you fall
Don't let anyone see you fail or be weak.
I don't believe in miracles
I don't believe that extraordinary things can happen.
I don't believe in truth
I don't believe that there is an absolute truth.
I don't believe that anything can recreate your youth
There is nothing that can bring back your youth or make you feel young again.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANDREW MC CLUSKEY, KEITH SMALL, NIGEL JOSHUA IPINSON FLEMING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind