Electricity (OMD song)

Infobox Single
Name = Electricity


Artist = Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
from Album = Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
B-side = "Almost"
Released = Start date|1979|5|21
Format = 7"
Recorded =
Genre = Post-punk
Synthpop
Length = 3:39
Label = Factory - FAC 6 (1st release)
DinDisc (2nd & 3rd releases)
Writer = Paul Humphreys, Andy McCluskey
Producer = Martin Zero
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Chester Valentino
Last single = -
This single = "Electricity"
(1979)
Next single = "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 1979cite web |url=http://www.omd.uk.com/discography/singles/html/s_5.html |title=Official OMD website discography entry for third issue. |accessdate=2007-12-28] . "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"cite web |url=http://www.omd.uk.com/discography/singles/html/s_1.html |title=Official OMD website discography entry for first issue. |accessdate=2007-12-22] .

Tracklisting

# "Electricity"
# "Almost"

"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".

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. 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.

Release History

ingles

The following singles were released:

External links

* [http://www.omd.uk.com/songwords/html/elec.html Lyrics for "Electricity".]
* [http://www.omd.uk.com/songwords/html/almost.html Lyrics for "Almost".]
* [http://www.omd.uk.com/html/downloads.html Download section of official website with The Id version of "Electricity" and version II of "Almost".]

References