Electricity (OMD song)

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“Electricity”
“Electricity” cover
Single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
from the album Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
B-side "Almost"
Released May 21, 1979 (1979-05-21)
Format 7"
Genre Post-punk
Synthpop
Length 3:39
Label Factory - FAC 6 (1st release)
DinDisc (2nd & 3rd releases)
Writer(s) Paul Humphreys, Andy McCluskey
Producer Martin Zero
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Chester Valentino
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark singles chronology
- "Electricity"
(1979)		 "Red Frame/White Light"
(1980)

"Electricity" is the debut single of the post-punk and synthpop group Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. It is notable for having been recorded numerous times. The earliest versions are live recordings of the group The Id that was Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys' previous group. The song is one of the OMDs most popular and recognisable songs even though it never became a hit. The three attempts are scoring a hit only achieved the lowly (but significant for the group at the time) #99 in 1979[1]. "Electricity" would later appear on OMDs debut album and is regularly featured on OMDs compilations.

All incarnations of the "Electricity" single were backed by the B-side and fellow debut album track "Almost." This song was inspired by The Teardrop Explodes' song "Camera, Camera"[2].

Contents

[edit] Tracklisting

  1. "Electricity"
  2. "Almost"

[edit] "Electricity" and "Almost" versions

There are many different versions of the two songs that were present on OMD's debut single. After the band left Factory Records, DinDisc attempted twice to score a hit with "Electricity". Consequently, four versions of "Electricity" and three of "Almost" exist.

Version I: "Electricity" and "Almost" were originally recorded at Cargo Studios, Rochdale and produced by Martin Hannett under the moniker Martin Zero, to be released by Factory Records.

Version II: The band felt Hannett had overproduced their songs somewhat, so they recorded new versions at Henry's Studio, Liverpool. These versions were produced by themselves and band manager Paul Collister under the moniker Chester Valentino.

A compromise was reached for the versions used on the single. This first Factory single contains the band's version of "Electricity" and the Hannett version of "Almost".[2]

Version II of "Almost" remained unreleased until appearing on the 2001 Navigation compilation.

Version III: The album versions of "Electricity" and "Almost" differ from the previous versions, and were used for the third and final release of the single. "Electricity" was remixed from the original Hannett version. It's also the version used on the 1988 Best Of and the 1998 Singles collections and is the best known version of the song[1]. The album version of "Almost" is similarly a remix of Hannett's version.

Version IV ("Electricity" only): A fourth mix of "Electricity" was produced by Mike Howlett and can be found as a bonus track on the re-issue of Organisation. This version can be distinguished by its extended instrumental section in the middle, and is unique to this release.

[edit] Release History

[edit] Singles

The following singles were released:

Date Catalogue "Electricity" "Almost" Sleeve Notes
21 May 1979 Factory FAC6 Version II Version I Special 'black on black' sleeve, limited to 5000 copies. OMD's first single.[2]
28 September 1979 DinDisc DIN2 Version I Version I Standard white on black printing, with studio details on back of sleeve. The single is re-released to coincide with the band signing to DinDisc. [3]
31 March 1980 DinDisc DIN2 Version III Version III Standard white on black printing, without studio details on back of sleeve. Third attempt at achieving a hit, which finally resulted in reaching the charts.[1]

[edit] Albums

"Electricity" and "Almost" were released on the following OMD albums:

Date Album Song Version Notes
22 February 1980 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark "Electricity" Version III
"Almost" Version III
12 March 1988 The Best of OMD "Electricity" Version III
28 September 1998 The OMD Singles "Electricity" Version III
24 April 2000 Peel Sessions 1979-1983 "Electricity" Version II Bonus track, subtitled "Factory Version 1979"
14 May 2001 Navigation The OMD B-Sides "Almost" Version II
December 2002 The Id "Electricity" A 1978 recording by the Id, the pre-OMD band.
10 March 2003 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark reissue "Electricity" Version III
"Almost" Version III
"Electricity" Version I Bonus track, subtitled "Hannett/Cargo Studios Version"
"Almost" Version I Bonus track, subtitled "Hannett/Cargo Studios Version"
10 March 2003 Organisation reissue "Electricity" Version IV Bonus track, subtitled "Dindisc 1980 Version"

[edit] Sleeve design

The sleeve was designed by Factory's designer Peter Saville. The band and Saville met in a Rochdale pub and exchanged ideas. Saville told them about a book of avant-garde musical scores which he'd come across. Andy McCluskey said that he sometimes wrote down the tunes he composed in a similar shorthand. This led to the unusual graphics that feature on the sleeve. Saville suggested to use shiny black ink on black paper. Both OMD and Tony Wilson didn't believe it could be done, but Saville persuaded a printer to do the job. The thermographic printing was a success, but the place set on fire three times, so eventually only 5000 sleeves were printed.[4] The reissue sleeves were standard white on black printed sleeves.

[edit] Cover versions of "Electricity"

Year Artist Album
1996 Apoptygma Berzerk 7
1999 NOFX Before You Were Punk 2

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Official OMD website discography entry for third issue.. Retrieved on 2007-12-28.
  2. ^ a b c Official OMD website discography entry for first issue.. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
  3. ^ Official OMD website discography entry for second issue.. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
  4. ^ Taylor, Steve, Industrial manoeuvres in the art, The Face, no. 10, February 1981, pp. 50-53