Talking Loud and Clear

"Talking Loud and Clear"
Single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
from the album Junk Culture
B-side	"Julia's Song"
Released	June 4, 1984
Format	7", 12"
Recorded	Air Studios, Montserrat
Genre	New wave
Length	4:20 (album mix) 3:53 (7" mix) 8:50 (extended version)
Label	Virgin
Writer(s)	Humphreys/McCluskey/Cooper
Producer(s)	Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Brian Tench
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark singles chronology
"Locomotion" (1984) "Talking Loud and Clear" (1984) "Tesla Girls" (1984)

"Talking Loud and Clear" is a song by British band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark released as the second single taken from their 1984 album, Junk Culture. The single was a European hit, reaching the Top 10 in Ireland and the Netherlands, and narrowly missing the UK Top 10 at number 11. It also charted at number 18 in Germany. The song was edited for its 7" single release, clocking at 3:53.

Critic Dave Thompson in AllMusic wrote: "This lovely single from June 1984 had whimsy written all over it...Although 'Talking Loud and Clear' is quite sophisticated in arrangement, musicianship, and production, OMD still manage to create the most childlike of milieus, capturing both the naïveté of youth and a gentle joie de vivre within its atmosphere. This aura dovetails perfectly with the lyrics, which take delight in resurrecting an idyllic moment in time, 'lying in the grass with the sun on our backs,' and the reaching of a perfect understanding between two companions. Deftly penned, the lyrics could alternately describe the close friendships of childhood or a more adult moment of love."^[1]

B-side

The B-side, "Julia's Song", is a different version from the one found on their first album Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. This is a reworked version with the Weir Brothers adding brass to the song, which was recorded in Belgium.

Track listing

7" and 7" picture disc

1. "Talking Loud and Clear" – 3:53
2. "Julia's Song" – 4:17

12"

1. "Talking Loud and Clear" (extended version) – 8:50
2. "Julia's Song" (extended version) – 8:33

Chart performance

References