Red Frame/White Light
| "Red Frame/White Light" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | ||||
| from the album Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | ||||
| B-side | "I Betray My Friends" | |||
| Released | February 1, 1980 | |||
| Format | 7", 12" | |||
| Recorded | The Gramophone Suite, Liverpool, 1979 | |||
| Genre | Synthpop, new wave | |||
| Length | 3:15 | |||
| Label | Dindisc | |||
| Writer(s) | Paul Humphreys, Andy McCluskey | |||
| Producer(s) | Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Chester Valentino | |||
| Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Red Frame/White Light" is the second single of the synthpop group Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. The song is about a red telephone box in Meols, north Wirral, that was used by the band to make calls to organise their gigs in the late 1970s.[1][2] The track is composed of two alternating major/minor sections, each built around a synthesizer hook. Lyrical content is minimal, comprising mostly brief, spoken word ejaculations. It was the band's first single to chart.
In an article for AllMusic, Ned Raggett lauded the song's "mysterious chimes and spy-movie dramatics";[3] John Doran in The Quietus described it as "awesome".[4]
Tracklisting
- "Red Frame/White Light" – 3:15
- "I Betray My Friends" – 3:50
Sleeve design
The sleeve was designed by Ben Kelly and Peter Saville.
Telephone box
The telephone box that inspired "Red Frame/White Light" is located at the crossing of Birkenhead Road and Greenwood Road in Meols. In the nearby pub "The Railway Inn" the band would meet and used the telephone box to organise their gigs and transportation. In the songs lyrics the phone number is mentioned: 6323003.[5] Fans would ring the number expecting to get one of the band members, but got a confused home owner in their own area code. Over the years it has become a kind of sacred place for OMD fans. In 2004 OMD fan Stephen Cork started a successful campaign to get the telephone box repainted in time for a fan tour on April 10, 2005.[2]
Chart positions
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 67 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 67 |
References
- ↑ "Official OMD website discography entry for 7".". Retrieved 2007-12-22.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Powney, Louise (2005-03-22). "A musical landmark". Wirral News. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
- ↑ Raggett, Ned. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark review. AllMusic. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- ↑ Doran, John (25 September 2008). "Messages - Greatest Hits". The Quietus. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
- ↑ "Lyrics for "Red Frame/White Light".". Retrieved 2007-12-23.