Souvenir (song)

History

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.

An extended version of Souvenir (with an additional verse) was released as a 10" single and was later included as a bonus on the digitally remastered copies of Architecture & Morality. It was the second time the group had used this unusual release format, the first being the 10" single for Messages in May 1980.

Unlike successive hit singles Joan of Arc and Maid of Orleans from the Architecture and Morality album, Souvenir has never been reissued as a standalone CD single release.

Souvenir was the band's only hit single to feature Humphreys on lead vocals until the release of Secret in 1985 and (Forever) Live and Die in 1986.

The title of the track was used for a documentary DVD about the reformed OMD, released in 2007 by Aspect Television. It was originally titled "The Choir Song" and the working title remained up until the final week for Peter Saville's artwork delivery.

Some copies of The Human League's single "Love Action (I Believe in Love)" were mispressed with "Souvenir" as the A-side.

Reception and legacy

Dave Thompson of AllMusic felt "Souvenir" broke new artistic ground for the band. He wrote that the track possesses an "exquisite lightness" and captures "OMD at their most luminescent". Colleague Ned Raggett praised Humphreys' "warm and beautiful lead role" and described the mid-song instrumental break as "especially inspired". A Trouser Press critic called the track "magnificent" and "one of the most majestic singles of the post-punk era".

Having gained little mainstream airplay in recent years, "Souvenir" was mentioned in the IPC Media special 501 Lost Songs as a "classic piece of early '80s melancholy".

Erasure vocalist Andy Bell said that he is always moved to tears upon hearing "Souvenir".

B-sides

There are two songs on the B-sides of the 7" and the 10" singles, Motion & Heart (Amazon Version) and Sacred Heart. The original version of Motion & Heart can be found on the Organisation album. The Amazon Version was recorded at Amazon Studios in Kirkby as a possible single after Enola Gay, but that plan was dropped. Both songs are produced by OMD and can be found on the remastered re-issues of Architecture & Morality. Sacred Heart is also included on Navigation: The OMD B-Sides.

Music video

The song's promo video was filmed on the grounds of Stowe House, which is used as Stowe School, in Buckinghamshire, England. It was an early MTV favorite and is among OMD's more well-known videos.

Andy McCluskey spends the entire video driving around in a classic red, convertible Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, while Paul Humphreys is standing on the Palladian Bridge while singing and leaning against the pillars of the bridge. The promo video is included on the video version of The Best of OMD, the bonus DVD of the 2007 reissue of Architecture & Morality and the DVD included in the 2008 Compilation album Messages: Greatest Hits.

Live performances

The song has been performed at live shows on a regular basis since the Architecture & Morality tour in 1981, except for when Paul Humphreys was no longer with the band during the 1990s and early 2000s. A live performance from 1981 was filmed for the Live at The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane concert in December 1981, initially released on VHS (1982) and laserdisc (1984) and later on DVD

The song was also performed with The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in June 2009 as documented by the Electricity DVD release.

On 26 July 2015 Paul Humphreys was unable to perform at the 80s Rewind Festival in Scotland and so the vocal was sung for the first time by Andy McCluskey. On seeing a clip of the performance from his hospital bed Humphreys said he felt he had "entered some kind of alternative universe!".

Sleeve design

The sleeve was designed by Peter Saville and Brett Wickens. The 7" sleeve has a die-cut hole in the middle, revealing the label. On the label is a picture of a Düsseldorf street scene. For the 10" this picture is printed on the sleeve. It was the first single released with OMD as the band name. The European releases have different artwork, some almost identical to the UK releases. A Canadian release of the 10" has green transparent vinyl.

Remix versions

In May 1991 DMC released a 12" vinyl single with the Postcards from the Edge Mix by Brothers in Rhythm.

In 1998 four remixes of the song were made by Moby for the intended second disc of The OMD Singles. The second disc was dropped, but the remixes appeared on various The OMD Remixes EPs. In 2003 the double disc version was released in France only, which included all four remixes of Souvenir. The remixes are:

Cover versions

Nino de Angelo recorded a German version of the song in 1982, titled "Und ein Engel fliegt in die Nacht". Paul Humphreys' band Onetwo played the song regularly at live performances in the style of the Moby remix. Polish singer Ania recorded the song in 2004. American singer-songwriter State Shirt recorded a cover of the song in 2010. In 2015, IDM pioneer Mike "μ-Ziq" Paradinas released a cover version that he had recorded as a child 30 years earlier.