Souvenir (song)
| "Souvenir" | ||||||
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"Souvenir" 7" sleeve
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| Single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | ||||||
| from the album Architecture & Morality | ||||||
| B-side | "Motion & Heart" (Amazon Version) "Sacred Heart" |
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| Released | 4 August 1981 | |||||
| Format | 7", 10" | |||||
| Recorded | 1981 | |||||
| Length | 3:39 (7"), 4:16 (10") | |||||
| Label | Dindisc | |||||
| Writer(s) |
Paul Humphreys, Martin Cooper |
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| Producer(s) | Mike Howlett | |||||
| Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark singles chronology | ||||||
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"Souvenir" is a song written by Paul Humphreys and Martin Cooper of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and released as the first single from their 1981 album Architecture & Morality. Sung by Humphreys, the track has minimal lyrical content and is characterised by slowed-down choir sounds offset by pulsing major key piano chords. Its "gentle, sparkling" synthesizer hook substitutes for a vocal chorus, as with other OMD compositions.
"Souvenir" became a major international hit for the band. Peaking at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart, it remains the group's highest-charting single in their home country, along with 1991's "Sailing on the Seven Seas". The song also reached the Top 10 in several European territories, including topping the charts in France, Spain and Portugal.
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. Although displeased with the original version, they decided it had some merit after all, after having re-recorded it previously.
Keyboard player Paul Humphreys provided lead vocals and had co-written the song with Martin Cooper who had played live with OMD and was becoming part of the group. Frontman and co-founder Andy McCluskey was not a fan of the track. He has said: "I think you can always make a better case for a song you've written on your own...But everyone seems to think I hated 'Souvenir' just because it was Paul's song – not so. I genuinely thought it was a bit soppy, and since I hadn't written it, I found it hard to relate to."
The single entered the UK Singles Chart on 25 August 1981 at no. 41, reaching no. 23 the week after. It was featured for the first time on Top of the Pops two days later helping the single to enter the Top 10 the following week and then reaching its peak no. 3 on 15 September. The Top of the Pops line up of five group members was unique and unprecedented with musician Mike Douglas appearing with the band for the first and last time. The group also appeared on the Christmas Day edition of Top of the Pops to perform the song although by now back to the "classic" four members, Humphreys (vocals and keyboard), McCluskey (bass guitar), Holmes (drums) and Cooper (keyboards). Douglas had in the meantime left the group to play keyboards with The Human League on tour.
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