"Electricity" is the 1979 debut single by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), featured on their eponymous debut album the following year. Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys sing the lead vocals on the track together in unison, although Humphreys is positioned higher in the mix. Recognised as one of the most influential singles of its era, "Electricity" was integral to the rise of the UK's synth-pop movement. It has garnered praise from music journalists and other recording artists.
The track is a holdover from defunct Wirral group the Id (who were led by McCluskey and Humphreys), and features a melodic synthesizer break as opposed to a sung chorus. Following OMD's release of "Electricity" on Factory Records, the band were offered a recording contract with Dindisc, who twice re-issued the single. It achieved limited success on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at no. 99 in early 1980, but found popularity in nightclubs. A 2019 re-release, through Virgin EMI, topped the UK Vinyl Singles Chart.
Background
"Electricity" was the first song that Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys wrote together at the age of 16.[4] It addresses society's wasteful usage of energy resources.[5] Inspired by Kraftwerk's "Radioactivity", the track was described by McCluskey as "a faster, punkier version of 'Radioactivity' with a chorus".[6] As with single "Messages" from the same album, a sung chorus is substituted for a melodic synthesizer break.[7]
McCluskey and Humphreys originally recorded "Electricity" as members of OMD precursor group the Id, in early 1978.[8] 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 with Dindisc, worth over £250,000.[9][10]
Humphreys and McCluskey sing the lead vocals on the track together in unison, although Humphreys is positioned higher in the mix.[11]
Reception
"Electricity" was a hit with veteran DJJohn Peel, who gave the song regular play on his late-night radio show;[12][13] as a result, the British music press quickly picked up on the song.[13] Adrian Thrills of NME 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".[13] In a review of 1980 single "Enola Gay", Jonathan Green of The Canberra Times described both it and "Electricity" as a "super pop song".[14]
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?"[13] (Bushell later called his "less than generous" appraisal a "mistake".[15]) David Hepworth, who re-assessed the track in the same publication, wrote that OMD's sound "commands your attention" and lauded the single for being "packaged with as much taste as it's played".[13] "Electricity" reached no. 2 on the Sounds Alternative Chart in the summer of 1979[16] and became popular in nightclubs.[17][18]
In a retrospective article, Ned Raggett of AllMusic described the song as "pure zeitgeist, a celebration of synth pop's incipient reign".[1] Critic Dave Thompson called it a "perfect electro-pop number".[5]
Legacy
Andrew Trendell of NME recognised "Electricity" as a "classic" and "one of the most influential singles of the post-punk era".[19]The Guardian's Mary Harron wrote that the song "pioneered a new electronic pop",[20] while Mike Mettler of Digital Trends said it "is generally acknowledged as being the pioneering inspirational synth-pop track for many early electronic artists".[21] Author and musician Rudi Esch described "Electricity" as "a song that started a new movement"; Esch borrowed its title for his book, Electri_City: The Düsseldorf School of Electronic Music (2016).[22]John Earls of Classic Pop called the track "groundbreaking",[23] as did AFI and Blaqk Audio frontman, Davey Havok.[24]
"Electricity" has been praised by other musicians. Ted Ottaviano of Book of Love, a band heavily influenced by OMD, said, "I've never heard anything so simple and sophisticated all at the same time... [It's] one of my all-time faves."[33]Mute Records founder Daniel Miller wrote, "I remember thinking, 'My God, that's an amazing pop song'."[34]Philip Oakey of the Human League called it a "brilliant single",[35] while Simple Minds frontman Jim Kerr commented, "I bought it and played it nonstop... I was downright jealous to be honest."[36]David Balfe of The Teardrop Explodes described "Electricity" as an "electronica classic" that is "known and loved by us all".[37]
The track has been covered by artists including NOFX,[38]Apoptygma Berzerk[39] and MGMT.[40]Q argued that "The Kids Aren't Alright", by punk rock band the Offspring, "borrows heavily" from the song; the magazine pointed to NOFX's punk cover of "Electricity" as evidence.[41] In its various releases, the track has been ranked among the best of 1979, 1980 and 1981.[42][43][44] In May 1980, ZigZag readers voted it one of the top 20 singles of the past year.[45] It has since appeared in lists such as Electronic Sound's "100 Greatest Electronic Tracks of All Time",[46]Classic Pop's "Top 40 New Romantic Songs",[47] and Radio X's "20 Best Singles Released on Factory Records".[48]
"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.
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" (3:44) and the Hannett version of "Almost" (3:50).[49]
Version II of "Almost" (3:43) remained unreleased until appearing on the 2001 compilation; Navigation: The OMD B-Sides.
Version III
The album versions of "Electricity" (3:39) and "Almost" (3:44) 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 is 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" (3:43) was produced by Mike Howlett. This version of "Electricity" was recorded during the Organisation sessions when the band decided to extend the instrumental section in the middle of the song. It was initially released on the Dindisc 1980 compilation album in 1980.[50] In 2003, it was released on CD as a bonus track on the re-issue of Organisation.
The Micronauts Remix
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 (France only).
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.
The sleeve was designed by Factory's designer Peter Saville. The band and Saville met in a Rochdale pub and exchanged ideas. Saville told them about a book of avant-garde musical scores which he'd come across. Andy McCluskey said that he sometimes wrote down the tunes he composed in a similar shorthand. This led to the unusual graphics that feature on the sleeve. Saville suggested to use shiny black ink on black paper. Neither OMD nor Tony Wilson believed it could be done, but Saville persuaded a printer to do the job. The thermographic printing was a success, but the place set on fire three times, so eventually only 5,000 sleeves were printed.[55] The reissue sleeves were standard white on black printed sleeves.
2019 re-release
A special edition of the single was released on 27 September 2019 by Virgin EMI, as part of the group's 40th anniversary celebrations. The A-side features the Hannett/Cargo Studios version of "Electricity", incorrectly listed as the Factory Records version, while the B-side has a new remix of "Almost" by Vince Clarke. The limited edition release is pressed on clear vinyl and the sleeve is an adaptation of the original Peter Saville design.[53] This version debuted on the UK Vinyl Singles Chart at no. 1.[54]
^"Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". Douban. Retrieved 23 June 2013. this is the first album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, first released on Virgin in 1980. 10 tracks, including the new wave hits 'Messages' and 'Electricity'.
^Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (CD booklet sleeve notes). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Virgin Records. 2003.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^"Interview: Andy McCluskey, OMD". PRS for Music. 19 March 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2013. Many of our songs use the synth melody as the chorus. There are verses but generally the melody is the chorus.
^The Id (2002). The Id (liner notes). Engine Records. ENG 001.
^Wilson, Lois (30 September 2019). "OMD". Record Collector. No. 498. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
^Ware, Martyn (11 June 2021). "Paul Humphreys". Electronically Yours with Martyn Ware. Episode 38. 13 minutes in. Anchor. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2024 – via Podbay.fm.
^Jourgensen wrote that he "started doing this music influenced by all the music [then-girlfriend] Shannon was exposing [him] to", citing OMD's "Electricity" as an example.
