Sailing on the Seven Seas
"Sailing on the Seven Seas" | ||||
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Single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | ||||
from the album Sugar Tax | ||||
B-side | "Burning" | |||
Released | 18 March 1991 | |||
Genre | Synth-pop | |||
Length | 3:45 | |||
Label | Virgin | |||
Songwriter(s) | Andy McCluskey, Stuart Kershaw | |||
Producer(s) | Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | |||
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
Sailing on the Seven Seas on YouTube |
"Sailing on the Seven Seas" is a song by English
The song pays homage to various rock groups. The Velvet Underground song "Sister Ray" is directly referenced (OMD had previously covered "I'm Waiting for the Man" as a B-side to 1980 single "Messages"), and the line "people try to drag us down" is similar in melody and lyrical content to the opening line of the Who's "My Generation";[1] singer Andy McCluskey also noted that the track includes "Glitter Band-style" drumming.[2]
Reception and legacy
Richard Riccio of the
Humphreys described the track as "a great, kind of a weird pop song".[7] Original OMD drummer Malcolm Holmes, who also had no involvement in the song, said, "I loathe the track – I do. But it charted and it did the business."[8] After returning to the band, Holmes commented, "'Sailing on the Seven Seas' is a great thing to play as a drummer. When I started to play it, it became something else to me... so I don't really see the song as how I did in those days.[9]
Versions and B-sides
The song was released as a
Two other new songs were included as
A 12-inch
Track listings
- "Sailing on the Seven Seas"
- "Burning"
- 12-inch single[13]
- A. "Sailing on the Seven Seas" (extended version)
- B. "Floating on the Seven Seas"
- CD single[14]
- "Sailing on the Seven Seas"
- "Floating on the Seven Seas"
- "Sailing on the Seven Seas" (Larrabee mix)
- "Sugar Tax"
- Special-edition CD single[15]
- "Sailing on the Seven Seas" (extended version)
- "Burning"
- "Dancing on the Seven Seas"
- "Big Town"
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Release history
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom | 18 March 1991 |
|
Virgin | [31] |
Japan | 21 May 1991 | CD | [32] |
References
- ^ Wallace, Wyndham (October 2019). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: Souvenir". Classic Pop. No. 57. p. 86.
- ^ "Seven Tracks: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". Clash. 14 October 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
- ^ Riccio, Richard (23 August 1991). "Sugar Is Sprinkled with Gems". St. Petersburg Times. p. 94 (Audio Files, p. 21). Retrieved 15 July 2022.
- MTV Europe. 30 December 1991.
- ^ "Top 106.7 Songs of 1991". KROQ-FM. 31 December 1991. Retrieved 20 July 2022 – via RadioHitList.com.
- ^ "Sailing on the Seven Seas" review at AllMusic
- ^ "Paul Humphreys". Neil McCormick's Needle Time. 21 February 2017. Vintage TV.
- ^ "Electropop (no. 5: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark)". Top Ten. 7 April 2001. Channel 4.
- ^ "MAL HOLMES Interview". 31 October 2010.
- ^ "OMD Q&A". omd-messages.co.uk.com. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
- ^ Sailing on the Seven Seas (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Virgin Records. 1991. VS 1310, 113 790.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Sailing on the Seven Seas (UK cassette single sleeve). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Virgin Records. 1991. VSC 1310.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Sailing on the Seven Seas (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Virgin Records. 1991. VST1310, 613 790.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Sailing on the Seven Seas (UK CD1 liner notes). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Virgin Records. 1991. VSCDT 1310, 663 790.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Sailing on the Seven Seas (UK CD2 liner notes). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Virgin Records. 1991. VSCDX 1310.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 209.
- ^ "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Sailing on the Seven Seas" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
- ^ "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Sailing on the Seven Seas" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
- OCLC 29800226– via World Radio History.
- ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
- ^ "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Sailing on the Seven Seas" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Sailing on the Seven Seas". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
- ^ "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Sailing on the Seven Seas". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
- ^ "OMD: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
- ^ "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 27 April 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
- ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1991". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 23 September 2019.
- OCLC 29800226– via World Radio History.
- ^ "EHR Year-End Top 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 51–52. 21 December 1991. p. 20. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
- GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
- ISSN 0265-1548.
- ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 16 March 1991. p. 19.
- ^ "セイリング・オン・ザ・セブン・シーズ | O.M.D." [Sailing on the Seven Seas | O.M.D.] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 14 February 2024.