This page is for the 1981 OMD song Souvenir. For other uses see Souvenir (disambiguation page)
Souvenir is the title of an OMD song written by band members Paul Humphreys and Martin Cooper, originally released as a single in August 1981 and subsequently included on the album Architecture & Morality. It was the group's first release not to be written or co-written by Andy McCluskey, and the first single to feature lead vocals by Humphreys, who wrote the lyrics.
The single reached no.3 in the UK charts in September 1981 and remained OMD's highest placing until Sailing on the Seven Seas reached the same position almost ten years later. Souvenir remains one of their best known and appreciated.
The track was produced by Mike Howlett who had also produced previous hit singles Messages and Enola Gay as well as the album Organisation all in the previous year, although Souvenir was his last production job for the group.
Background[]
Souvenir started out as a much slower and more experimental composition by Humphreys and Cooper, and also made use of recordings of a vocal choir which had been made by former band member Dave Hughes.
McCluskey was initially against the release of the song as a single, allegedly because it wasn't "his song" and also because of differences between himself and Mike Howlett over the production.[1] It did in fact lead to the departure of Howlett as the group's producer, being replaced by Richard Manwaring for the upcoming Architecture & Morality album.
Single[]
Release[]
The single was eventually released on Dindisc on 04 August 1981[2] and had been much anticipated after the success of Enola Gay the previous autumn, which had not received a 'follow-up' single proper. Souvenir was issued in 7" and 10" formats with an extended version of the lead track on the latter. The B-side for both formats featured a re-recording of the song Motion & Heart, which had been considered as a possible single release after Enola Gay, made at Amazon studios in Liverpool and therefore dubbed 'Amazon version', plus another new track Sacred Heart, written by Humphreys/McCluskey.
Souvenir 10" front cover
Sleeve[]
Sleeve and record design are generally attributed to Peter Saville, although the 7" sleeve bears the name of Zincografica SpA of Portobello Road in London. Both formats feature a colour photograph of an aerial view street scene named as STIL VON DÜSSELDORF: D/R INSTITUT on the 10".
The 7" features a close up of the scene printed on the "Sceneside" A label, with the disc housed in a die-cut sleeve in order to show both labels. The front of the sleeve and "Typeside" B label bear all three song titles, cat. no., credits etc. The B side label also states track timings: 3:37 for Souvenir with a joint timing for the two B-side tracks as 6:34.
The 10" release bears the wider picture on the front sleeve with the stylised wording "extended SOUVENIR:OMD" with song titles and respective production credits on the back. No timings are stated although the extended version of Souvenir, featuring an extra verse, has on later digital issues been given as around 4:17.
Promo video[]
A promotional video featuring Humphreys and McCluskey was filmed and directed by Peter Savile. It was OMD's first video not to feature the group performing the song "live" although does have Humphreys miming to the lyrics. It was filmed at Blenheim Palace and its surroundings.
B-sides[]
Souvenir featured two new 'B-side' recordings. The first was a new recording of Motion and Heart, a track which had originally appeared on the Organisation album in 1980, and which had been considered for single release as the follow-up to Enola Gay. This new recording had been made at Amazon Studios in Liverpool. The second B-side was a brand-new track entitled Sacred Heart, a song which anticipated both the religious themes and the general sound pallet which would characterise the forthcoming album.
Chart performance[]
Souvenir's initial UK singles placing was at no.41, just outside the chart announced on 25 August 1981 (which may suggest the official release came later than 04 August - ed.). It then made its first Top 40 entry at no.23 in the chart announced on Wednesday 02 September.
The highest new entry status gained OMD a place on the same week's edition of Top of the Pops, broadcast on 03 September (see page), which in turn boosted the single into the Top 10 at no.8 the following week and peak position of no.3 the week after.
Souvenir then slowly slipped down the charts spending a total of nine weeks in the Top 40 and twelve in the Top 100.
Tracklistings[]
original UK release
- 7" DINDISC DIN 24
A. Souvenir (3:37)
B. Motion & Heart (Amazon version) / Sacred Heart (6:34)
- 10" DINDISC DIN 24-10
A. Extended Souvenir
B. Motion & Heart (Amazon version) / Sacred Heart
A. produced by. Mike Howlett, B. produced by. Orchestral Manoeuvres
Legacy[]
- Since its release in 1981, Souvenir has remained one of OMD's best known songs as documented by its high chart placing, and the fact that it was the 28th highest selling single of 1981.[1] Its inclusion on Architecture & Morality will also have contributed to the success of the album itself, further fuelled by the follow-up singles Joan of Arc and Maid of Orleans.
- Despite not being a no.1 single Souvenir was featured on the traditional Top of the Pops end of year review, broadcast on Christmas Day 1981. It was a new mimed performance of the song, with the group as a four-piece.
- The track has been included on all OMD's hits compilation albums, as well as on live albums having often been performed as a 'crowd favourite' (save for the years when Humphreys was not with OMD).
- Souvenir was one of the tracks singled out for re-working for the 1998 OMD Remixes project. The release features a remix by American recording artist and musician Moby.
- Despite his early reservations, McCluskey has come to appreciate Souvenir as "a beautiful song". He has sung it on two occasions, in the absence of Paul Humphreys due to illness.
- Humphreys performed the song live with his group Onetwo (while not with OMD, with Claudia Bruecken) as documented in the Live in Leipzig bootleg recording.[2]
- The song title also gave the name to the group's 40th anniversary retrospective CD/digital/box set release in 2019 and the ensuing tour.
Demos[]
Two demo versions of Souvenir features on the Architecture & Morality The Singles compilation album released in 2021:
Versions and availability[]
| Version | Avaialable on |
|---|---|
| 7" / album version | Souvenir (7", 1981)
Architecture & Morality (1981 etc.) The Best of OMD (1988) The OMD Singles (1998) Messages: Greatest Hits (2008) Souvenir (2019) |
| 10" extended versions | Souvenir (10", 1981)
Architecture & Morality (re-release 2003, 2007) |
| Demo versions | Architecture & Morality The Singles (2021) |
| Remixes | tbc |
| Promo video | Architecture & Morality (CD/DVD 2007)
Messages: OMD Greatest Hits (DVD 2008) Souvenir (box set) (DVD 2019) |
| Live versions (audio) | Architecture & Morality & More (rel.2008, perf.2007)
Live in Berlin (rel.2011, perf.2010) Dazzle Ships at the Museum of Liverpool (rel.2015, perf.2014) Architecture & Morality / Dazzle Ships – Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2016) Live With the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (2018) Live at the Hammersmith Odeon 1983 (rel.2019, perf.1983) Live at The Empire Theatre Liverpool. 04.11.19 (2019) Live at Eventim Hammersmith Apollo 20.11.19 (2019)
|
| Live versions (video) | Live At The Theatre Royal Drury Lane (1981)
tbc |
| TV performances | Top of the Pops 03/09/1981 (Souvenir, BBC TV Performances DVD, 2019) |
Cover versions[]
- Joyce Manor - on split 7" What's The Furthest Place From Here? (2021) and album 40 oz. to Fresno (June 2022)