Electricity (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark song)
"Electricity" is the 1979 debut single of the English group Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, featured on their eponymous debut album the following year. Inspired by Kraftwerk's "Radioactivity", the song addresses society's wasteful usage of energy sources. Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys sing the lead vocals on the track together in unison. As with single "Messages" from the same album, the song features a melodic synth break instead of a sung chorus.
It was on the strength of "Electricity" that the band were offered a recording contract with Dindisc, who twice re-issued the single. In 2012, "Electricity" peaked at no. 126 in the French charts.
In October 2019 a re-release of the single entered the UK Vinyl Singles Chart at No. 1.
1979 original release
2019 re-issue
History
"Electricity" was the first song that Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys wrote together at the age of 16. Inspired by Kraftwerk's "Radioactivity" McCluskey has said that the song is "just a faster, punkier version of "Radioactivity" with a chorus."After OMD's first concert, opening for Joy Division in a 1978 appearance at Eric's Club in Liverpool, McCluskey was inspired to send a demo of the song to Factory Records founder Tony Wilson. They later heard that while he was not impressed with it, his wife was, so he bought it from them and released it as a single. Its ensuing success led to them receiving a seven-album record deal worth £250,000.
Reception
"Electricity" was a hit with veteran DJ John Peel, who gave the song regular play on his late-night radio show; as a result, the British music press quickly picked up on the song. Adrian Thrills in the New Musical Express cited it as "the best example of Factory Records to date – excellent, melodic, synthesiser pop." He also lauded B-side "Almost", calling it "a doleful, heartsick slab of electronic angst."Conversely, Garry Bushell gave a negative review in Sounds, in which he remarked: "If Mike Oldfield was ten years younger and a Tubeway Army fan, this is what he'd sound like – who wants to listen to a bunch of Scousers whining about electricity anyway?" However, David Hepworth, who re-appraised the track in the same publication, opined that OMD's sound "commands your attention" and lauded the single for being "packaged with as much taste as it's played." "Electricity" featured on the NME end-of-year list for 1979.
Retrospectively, AllMusic critic Ned Raggett described the song as "pure zeitgeist, a celebration of synth pop's incipient reign". Dave Thompson called it a "perfect electro-pop number".
Vince Clarke cited "Electricity" as the track that sparked his interest in electronic music. In a BBC interview he said: "When I was 18 or 19 I heard a single called 'Electricity' by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. It sounded so different from anything I'd heard; that really made me want to make electronic music, 'cause it was so unique." Philip Oakey of the Human League called it a "brilliant single", and Simple Minds frontman Jim Kerr admitted to being "downright jealous" of the song. BBC Radio's Steve Lamacq has named it as the track that made him want to become a DJ.
"Electricity" has been covered by the bands NOFX and MGMT.
"Electricity" and "Almost" versions
Multiple versions of "Electricity" exist; the earliest are recordings by McCluskey and Humphreys' previous group The Id.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.
- 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 compilation; .
- 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.
- A fourth mix of "Electricity" was produced by Mike Howlett. This version of "Electricity" was recorded during the Organisation sessions when the band fancied extending the instrumental section in the middle of the song. It was initially released on the Dindisc 1980 compilation album in 1980. In 2003, it was released on CD as a bonus track on the re-issue of Organisation.
- A radical remix by dance music act The Micronauts was released in 1998 both as part of The OMD Remixes release and as part of the bonus disc of the special edition The OMD Singles.
Release history
Singles
The following singles have been 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 27 September 2019 | 7748190 | Version I | Vince Clarke remix | Red on white adaptation of the original Peter Saville design. | 40th anniversary 7" clear vinyl re-issue. |
Albums
"Electricity" and "Almost" have been released on the following OMD albums:| Date | Album | Song | Version | Notes |
| 22 February 1980 | Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | "Electricity" | Version III | |
| 22 February 1980 | Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | "Almost" | Version III | |
| 12 March 1988 | The Best of OMD | "Electricity" | Version III | |
| 12 March 1988 | The Best of OMD | "Electricity" | music video | on the VHS version of the album |
| 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 | ' | "Almost" | Version II | Subtitled "Alternate Version" |
| 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 | |
| 10 March 2003 | Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark reissue | "Almost" | Version III | |
| 10 March 2003 | Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark reissue | "Electricity" | Version I | Bonus track, subtitled "Hannett/Cargo Studios Version" |
| 10 March 2003 | Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark reissue | "Almost" | Version I | Bonus track, subtitled "Hannett/Cargo Studios Version" |
| 10 March 2003 | Organisation reissue | "Electricity" | Version IV | Bonus track, subtitled "Dindisc 1980 Version" |
| 10 March 2003 | ' | "Electricity" | Version III | |
| 10 March 2003 | "Electricity" | music video |