The Best of OMD

Infobox Album | Name = The Best of OMD
Type = greatest
Artist = Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark


Released = Start date|1988|3|12
Recorded = 1979-1988
Genre = Synthpop
Length = 74:14
Label = Virgin
Producer = OMD
Mike Howlett
Richard Manwaring
Rhett Davies
Brian Tench
Stephen Hague
Tom Lord Alge
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:2or928oi05oa link]
Last album = "The Pacific Age"
(1986)
This album = "The Best Of OMD"
(1988)
Next album = "Sugar Tax"
(1991) |

"The Best of OMD" is a compilation album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, released in 1988. Despite the band's waning popularity both in the UK and abroad, it sold extremely well.

The version of "Electricity" used is the same as the one featured on their debut album (which itself is the band reworking Martin Hannett's original Factory version). The band were originally going to use their very first version of this song, but found the drumming to be inferior and so settled for the remix of the track instead. "Messages" is the more popular 10" single version. "Tesla Girls" and "Talking Loud and Clear" are both 7" edited versions. The Australian version of the album featured "We Love You" since that song had been a popular hit there.

"Dreaming" was released as a single to promote the album. It made little impact on the UK charts, reaching only number 50, but it was a big hit in the US (#16) and in Germany reaching #26.

The CD, MiniDisc and DCC versions of the album are resequenced and feature four extra tracks not present on the LP version: "Telegraph" (a unique mix differing from the album version), "Genetic Engineering", and 12" versions of "La Femme Accident" and "We Love You". There was also a video compilation released with the promo videos of some of the songs featured on the album.

Track listing

*All songs written by OMD, except "Locomotion" written by OMD and Gordian Troeller. So in Love written by OMD and Stephen Hague.

LP: Virgin / OMD1 (UK)

Side One
# "Electricity" - 3:30
# "Messages" - 4:44
# "Enola Gay" - 3:31
# "Souvenir" - 3:34
# "Joan of Arc" - 3:47
# "Maid of Orleans" - 4:09
# "Talking Loud and Clear" - 3:53Side Two
# "Tesla Girls" - 3:33
# "Locomotion" - 3:53
# "So in Love" - 3:28
# "Secret" - 3:56
# "If You Leave" - 4:28
# "(Forever) Live and Die" - 3:34
# "Dreaming" - 3:54

* also released on Musicassette: Virgin / TCOMD1 (UK)

CD: Virgin / CD OMD1 (UK)

# "Electricity" - 3:30
# "Messages" - 4:44
# "Enola Gay" - 3:31
# "Souvenir" - 3:34
# "Joan of Arc" - 3:47
# "Maid of Orleans" - 4:09
# "Telegraph" - 3:43
# "Tesla Girls" - 3:33
# "Locomotion" - 3:53
# "Talking Loud and Clear" - 3:53
# "So in Love" - 3:28
# "Secret" - 3:56
# "If You Leave" - 4:28
# "(Forever) Live and Die" - 3:34
# "Dreaming" - 3:54
# "Genetic Engineering" - 3:35
# "We Love You (12" Version)" - 6:14
# "La Femme Accident (12" Version)" - 6:16

* also released on MiniDisc: Virgin / MD OMD1 (UK) and DCC: Virgin / 458604 (UK)

VHS Video: Virgin / VVD247 (UK)

# "Electricity"
# "Messages"
# "Enola Gay"
# "Souvenir"
# "Maid of Orleans"
# "Talking Loud and Clear"
# "Tesla Girls"
# "Locomotion"
# "So in Love"
# "Secret"
# "If You Leave"
# "(Forever) Live and Die"
# "Dreaming"
# "Telegraph"
# "We Love You"
# "La Femme Accident"

Credits

*"Electricity" and "Dreaming" are produced by OMD.
*"Messages", "Enola Gay" and "Souvenir" are produced by OMD and Mike Howlett.
*"Joan of Arc" and "Maid of Orleans" are produced by OMD and Richard Manwaring.
*"Telegraph" and "Genetic Engineering" are produced by OMD and Rhett Davies.
*"Tesla Girls", "Locomotion" and "Talking Loud and Clear" are produced by OMD and Brian Tench.
*"So in Love", "Secret", "(Forever) Live and Die", "We Love You" and "La Femme Accident" are produced by Stephen Hague.
*"If You Leave" is produced by OMD and Tom Lord Alge.