Locomotion (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark song)

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"Locomotion"
Single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
from the album Junk Culture
B-side
  • "Her Body in My Soul"
  • "The Avenue"
Released2 April 1984 (1984-04-02)
Studio
Various
Genre
Length3:53
5:22 (Extended Mix)
LabelVirgin
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
  • Brian Tench
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark singles chronology
"Telegraph"
(1983) 		"Locomotion"
(1984) 		"Talking Loud and Clear"
(1984)
Shaped picture disc
7" picture disc

"Locomotion" is a song by the English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 2 April 1984 as the lead single from their fifth studio album, Junk Culture (1984). It was one of the band's biggest European hits, charting within the Top 5 in the UK, Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands, while also peaking at No. 14 in Germany.

"Locomotion" has been included on every OMD singles and greatest hits compilation album.

Background[edit]

"Locomotion" was recorded during the last week of sessions at Montserrat before the drums were overdubbed at ICP Studios in Brussels. The original song was combined with a steel drum rhythm that Paul Humphreys had written the previous week and a bass line and piano that Gordian Troeller (the band's manager) contributed. The Fairlight CMI sampler was used to create the song's bass line, which according to bassist Andy McCluskey, "...was sampled and sequenced all in one go on the Fairlight."[2] The track was mixed and the brass added at Wisseloord Studios in the Netherlands; the brass arrangements were made by Tony Visconti. The song marries downcast lyrics with upbeat melodies.[3]

Jean-Pierre Berckmans shot the official video. Taking advantage of where they were living at the time, the band filmed this video in Ostend and Brussels, Belgium.. Frontman Andy McCluskey recalled, "Funniest part of it was trying to look like we were on a Caribbean cruise in the middle of Ostend harbour at 2 in the morning on that sailing ship and you can see the hot air coming out as breath when I'm singing!"[4] The Belgian model Anne Beyens appears in the video.

Live recordings of "Locomotion" have been issued on the 12" releases of the singles "La Femme Accident" (1985) "If You Leave" (1986) and the second CD single of "Everyday" (1993), as well as on the Architecture & Morality & More and Live in Berlin albums.[5]

Critical reception[edit]

"Locomotion", which marked a move toward more pop-oriented material for OMD, faced initial criticism – notably on BBC Radio 1's Round Table show.[6] Debbi Voller of Number One wrote, "OMD have... travelled Second Class. This sounds like a chugging steam train because it never picks up speed. The only thing it's got going for it is a steel band playing on board."[7] In Music Week, Jerry Smith referred to a "pretty uninteresting, unambitious and unexciting single".[8]

Conversely, Tom Hibbert of Smash Hits saw "Locomotion" as a return to form after the commercially unsuccessful Dazzle Ships, observing a "swingy dance number that contains sharp horns, sparkling steel drums and no references whatsoever to genetic engineering. Pleasant."[9] The North Wales Weekly News called the single "[OMD's] best since 'Enola Gay'."[10] KROQ ranked it the 31st-greatest song of 1984.[11]

Critic Dave Thompson praised "Locomotion" in a retrospective review for AllMusic, writing, "Everything about this number spells lightness: the breezy melody, the tootling synths, the giddy keyboards, and — best of all — the band's effervescent harmonies."[3] Louder Than War journalist Paul Scott-Bates remarked, "In terms of a pop song, it borders classic – instantly recognisable from the first few seconds, a chorus that everyone knows and verses that were as memorable as choruses."[12]

New Order co-founder Peter Hook – a longtime fan of OMD[13] – disapproved of the track, calling it a "dreadful offering".[14] On the other hand, Barenaked Ladies drummer Tyler Stewart contemplated "Locomotion" as his favourite OMD song, describing it as "darn good".[15]

B-sides[edit]

All formats featured "Her Body in My Soul" on the B-side. There is an additional track on the 12" vinyl and 3" CD singles, "The Avenue". Both songs can be found on the B-sides compilation album, Navigation: The OMD B-Sides (2001). "The Avenue" was the first song recorded at Montserrat and deals with the repetition of mistakes that people have made before you. The sample used in the song is taken from the Andrei Tarkovsky film Stalker (1979).[16]

"The Avenue" was placed at no. 5 in Classic Pop's "Top 20 B-sides of the 80s".[17]

Track listings[edit]

7" vinyl[edit]

  • UK: Virgin / VS 660, VSS 660 (shaped picture disc)
  • West Germany: Virgin / 106 377
  • USA: Virgin / AM-2671
  • France:Virgin / 90115
Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Locomotion"3:53
Side B
No.TitleLength
2."Her Body in My Soul"4:40

12" vinyl[edit]

  • UK: Virgin / VS 660-12
  • France: Virgin / 80092
  • USA: A&M Records / SP-12108
Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Locomotion" (12" Version)5:22
Side B
No.TitleLength
2."Her Body in My Soul"4:44
3."The Avenue"4:14
  • Canada: Virgin / VDJ02 (promo)
Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Locomotion"3:54
Side B
No.TitleLength
2."Tesla Girls"3:49
3."Talking Loud and Clear"4:18

3" CD[edit]

Released 25 July 1988 (1988-07-25), Virgin / CDT 12.[18]

No.TitleLength
1."Locomotion" (12" Version)5:22
2."Her Body in My Soul"4:44
3."The Avenue"4:14

Charts[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Scapelliti, Christopher (1998). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". In Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel (eds.). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. pp. 842–843.
  2. ^ Goldstein, Dan (June 1984). "Junk Culture (EMM Jun 1984)". Electronics & Music Maker (Jun 1984): 28–30.
  3. ^ a b "Locomotion" review at AllMusic
  4. ^ "Locomotion". Messages. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  5. ^ "Song "Locomotion"". musicbrainz.com. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  6. ^ Waller, Johnny; Humphreys, Mike. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: Messages. Sidgwick & Jackson. 1987. ISBN 0-283-99234-4. p. 131.
  7. ^ Voller, Debbi (7 April 1984). "Singles". Number One. p. 32.
  8. ^ Smith, Jerry (14 April 1984). "Singles". Music Week. p. 23.
  9. ^ Hibbert, Tom (12–25 April 1984). "Singles". Smash Hits. Vol. 6, no. 8. p. 21.
  10. ^ "In Focus". North Wales Weekly News. 5 April 1984. p. 28.
  11. ^ "Top 106.7 Songs of 1984". KROQ-FM. 31 December 1984. Retrieved 20 July 2022 – via RadioHitList.com.
  12. ^ "Junk Culture Deluxe Edition – album review". Louder Than War. 16 March 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  13. ^ Hook, Peter (2012). Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division. Simon & Schuster UK. p. 214. ISBN 978-0-85720-215-4. I liked OMD a lot as a group. I always thought they were really, really good; nice guys, too.
  14. ^ Hook, Peter (2016). Substance: Inside New Order. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9781471132438.
  15. ^ "New exclusive interview with Barenaked Ladies drummer Tyler Stewart". Barenaked Ladies Fans. 16 May 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  16. ^ "Official OMD Website - Discography - Locomotion 12". Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  17. ^ Page, Barry (5 May 2022). "Top 20 B-sides of the 80s". Classic Pop. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  18. ^ "Official OMD Website - Discography - Locomotion CD Single". Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  19. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 224. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  20. ^ "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Locomotion" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  21. ^ "European Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 1, no. 7. 14 May 1984. p. 8. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  22. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Locomotion". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  23. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  24. ^ "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Locomotion" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  25. ^ "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Locomotion". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  26. ^ "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Locomotion". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  27. ^ "OMD: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  28. ^ "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 27 April 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  29. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Locomotion" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  30. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1984 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  31. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  32. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 22 December 2020.

External links[edit]

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