"Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans)" is a song by British band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) and was the third single released from their third studio album Architecture & Morality. The track has been described by OMD frontman Andy McCluskey as the group's "Mull of Kintyre".

To prevent confusion with their previous single "Joan of Arc", the song was retitled "Maid of Orleans (The Waltz Joan of Arc)" for its single release. Both songs are about the French heroine Joan of Arc and both reached the Top 5 of the UK Singles Chart—although this single was more successful internationally, topping the charts in several countries including Germany, where it was the biggest-selling single of 1982. It also reached number 5 in Ireland and number 7 in New Zealand. The single was the last release on the Dindisc label.

Ned Raggett in AllMusic has described the song as "epic", concluding: "With another bravura McCluskey lead and a mock-bagpipe lead that's easily more entrancing than the real thing, it's a wrenching ballad like no other before it and little since." In 1989, Radio Veronica listeners voted "Maid of Orleans" the 60th greatest song of all time. In 1991, MTV Europe named the single's accompanying video as the 37th best ever made.

"Maid of Orleans" has been recorded by various artists including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, hip hop group 3rd Bass and DJ Quicksilver. It was used during the climax and closing credits to the final episode of the second series of BBC television program Ashes to Ashes.

...
Wikipedia