THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

720-Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark-Enola Gay.

1980-Number 8 single.

Best Bit-At 2.21. When the song was first released, it was perceived by some as a homosexual love song. As such, the track was banned from being played on the BBC children’s television programme ‘Swap Shop.’

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) were formed in Meols, Wirral, Merseyside, England, in 1978, by Andy McCluskey, who was born on June 24th, 1959, in Heswall, Wirral, England, and Paul Humphreys, who was born on February 27th, 1960, in London, England. McClusky, and Humphreys took the groups name from a list of song lyrics and ideas that were written on McCluskey’s bedroom wall, and was chosen so they would not be mistaken for a ‘Punk’ band, McCluskey has since expressed regret over choosing ‘Such a very silly name.’ The duo had first met at primary school in the early 1960’s, and as teenagers they were both involved in different local bands, but eventually they both decided that the music that they wanted to make would be ‘Electronic,’ as both were influenced by artists such as Kraftwerk, (see also best songs 41) and Brian Eno (see also best songs 766-302-190-118-109 and 57.) Working with others, McCluskey, and Humphreys were active together until 1989, when Humphreys, split with McClusky due to musical differences, leaving to form a new band called ‘Listening Pool.’ McClusky kept the ‘OMD’ name going until 1996, but the duo reformed again in 2006, and at the time if writing they remain active. In total there have been 12 official members come and go, with Andy McCluskey being the groups one constant.

The discography of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark includes 14 studio Albums released between 1980-2023, and 46 singles issued between 1979-2023, there are also nine official compilation Albums, and 10 live Albums available. In the UK, all 14 of their studio Albums have reached the top 40, with ‘Bauhaus Staircase,’ from 2023, peaking the highest at Number 2, while 17 of their singles have made the top 40, with ‘Souvenir, (1981) and ‘Sailing on the Seven Seas,’ (1991) both peaking the highest at Number 3. In America on Billboard, their only Album to chart within the top 40 is ‘Crush,’ from 1985, which reached Number 38, while four of their singles have made the Billboard Hot 100 top 40, with ‘If You Leave,’ from 1986, charting the highest at Number 4.

‘Enola Gay’ was the only single released from ‘Organisation,’ which was the second studio Album from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, from October 1980, the song was written by Andy McCluskey, with the production credited to ‘OMD,’ and Mike Howlett. Andy McCluskey who was born George Andrew McCluskey, has sold in excess of 40 million records worldwide with ‘OMD.’ In 1998 he founded the UK pop girl group ‘Atomic Kitten,’ serving as songwriter and producer for the groups debut Album ‘Right Now,’ from 2000, on the Album’s re-release in 2001 it reached Number 1 in the UK. McCluskey who parted ways with Atomic Kitten after that first Album, scored his first Number 1 hit as a songwriter in the UK, when ‘Whole Again,’ topped that chart in 2001.

Mike Howlett who produced ‘Enola Gay,’ was born Michael John Gilmour Howlett, on April 27th, 1950, in Lautoka, Fiji, prior to making his name as a music producer, he had played the bass guitar in the mid 1970’s for the British Progressive Rock group ‘Gong.’ Then in 1977 he co-formed the short lived band ‘Strontium 90,’ with Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, who would later go on to form ‘The Police’ (see also best songs 1020 and 727.) In the 1980’s Howlett went on to produce artists of the calibre of ‘Tears for Fears,’ and Joan Armatrading. He is also the producer of two other songs in this ‘1000 Best Songs’ list (see also best songs 996 and 748.)

‘Enola Gay’ is an anti war song, addressing the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945. The song is named after the Enola Gay, which was the ‘USAAF B-29 Superfortress’ bomber aeroplane that carried ‘Little Boy,’ the name given to the first atomic bomb to be used in an act of war. The name of the aeroplane,’Enola Gay,’ was chosen by it’s pilot, Colonel Paul Tibbets, (1915-2007) who named it after his mother, Enola Gay Tibbets (1893-1963.) The songs lyrics,’It’s 8.15, that’s the time it’s always been,’ refers to all of the clocks and watches in Hiroshima being frozen by the electromagnetic pulse created by the atomic detonation. Andy McCluskey has said that he ‘Wasn’t really politically motivated to write the song,’ which was informed by his fascination with World War II bombers. He has said that he hopes it ‘Conveyed an ambivalence about whether it was the right or the wrong thing to do.’

‘Enola Gay, you should have stayed at home yesterday, ah-ha, words can’t describe, the feeling and the way you lied. These games you play, they’re going to end in more than tears some day, ah-ha Enola Gay, it shouldn’t ever have to end this way.’