Souvenir (OMD song)

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"Souvenir"

Single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
from the album Architecture & Morality

Released

4 August 1981

Format

7", 10"

Recorded

1981

Genre

Electronica, Synthpop

Length

3:39 (7"), 4:16 (10")

Label

DinDisc

Writer

Paul Humphreys,
Martin Cooper

Producer

Mike Howlett

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark singles chronology

"Enola Gay"
(1980)

"Souvenir"
(1981)

"Joan of Arc"
(1981)

"Souvenir" is a song written by Paul Humphreys and Martin Cooper of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and released as the first single off their 1981 album Architecture & Morality. The song proved to their greatest chart hit as of 2007, reaching #3 in the UK, and peaking at #1 in Portugal, Germany and France.

1 The song
2 Music video
3 References
4 Track listings

The song

A tape consisting of slowed-down loops of a choir tuning up lent by ex-OMD member Dave Hughes had been the initial inspiration for the song.^[1] Although very displeased with the original version, they decided it had some merit after all, after having re-recorded it previously. The tune has a very strong synthesised melody, with a rare lead vocal by Paul Humphreys. Although he is not the band's main singer, he was satisfied with his attempts nonetheless, and would do lead vocals for some of OMD's other well-known releases. An extended version of the song (with an additional verse) was released as a 10" single and included as a bonus on the digitally remastered copies of Architecture & Morality. Some copies of The Human League's single "Love Action" were mispressed with "Souvenir" as the A Side.^[2]

Music video

The song's promo video was filmed in Blenheim Park and close to Stowes School in England. It was an early MTV favorite and is among OMD's more well-known videos. Andy McCluskey spends the entire video driving around in a classic red, convertible Karmann Ghia, while Paul Humphreys is standing on a bridge while singing and leaning against the pillars of the bridge. The video ends with Andy and Paul driving off into the distance. Paul has expressed a strong dislike in the video, because it seems misleading and can make people think it has a homoerotic theme.^[3] The promo video is included on the video version of The Best of OMD and on the bonus dvd of the 2007 reissue of Architecture & Morality.