"(Forever) Live and Die" by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Song#:  2873
Date:  09/27/1986
Debut:  87
Peak:  19
Weeks:  17
Genre:  Synthpop



Pop Bits:  This British outfit snagged their first and only US Top 10 with "If You Leave" (#4), a single released from the soundtrack to the teen rom-com Pretty in Pink. The unexpected hit put a big spotlight on the band and they were promptly sent into the studio to record their seventh album, The Pacific Age. Thanks to label pressure to quickly capitalize on their new hot status, the album was a rushed affair that was not greeted well by critics. However, the one bright spot was this first single, which gave them their third US Top 40 entry. It also got to #25 at AC. Back over in the UK, the song would be their best effort in nearly two years reaching #11. Unfortunately, no other single from the LP would hit the US Pop chart and that left the album stopping at #47.

ReduxReview:  Had this song been an actual follow-up to "If You Leave" (i.e. both songs were on the same album and "If You Leave" was the first single and this was the second), it would have been suitable and the results pretty good. However, it truly served as the first single from their next album and as such it falls short. It's not a particularly strong song to introduce an album. I find it lackadaisical and somewhat forgettable. They needed to make a statement with this song and let people know they had a lot more to offer than a hit movie theme. They just didn't accomplish that with this tune.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  While the second single from the album, "We Love You," would miss the Pop chart, it caught on a bit in clubs and peaked at #16 on the Dance chart. As their fortunes at Pop diminished, they still had success in US clubs with four of their songs reaching the Top 10 at Dance and a fifth one hitting #11. Perhaps the most unusual one of the bunch was one titled "Brides of Frankenstein." The track was a one-off 12" that was basically a medley of some of their hits mixed together by Mike "Hitman" Wilson and Steve "Silk" Hurley. It was released in 1988 and got to #7 on the Dance chart.

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