45 RPMs 95: Orchestral Manouvers In the Dark (OMD) – Maid Of Orleans

  ~   

Orchestral Manouvers In the Dark (OMD) – Maid Of Orleans 

45 RPM single front cover 

Cover Design [Stained Glass] by Anton Wolff 

photo of cover by Styrous® 

    

    

On May 30, 1431, In Rouen, France, Joan of Arc was burned at the stake as a heretic at the age of 19. She is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronation of Charles VII of France during the Hundred Years' War. Claiming to be acting under divine guidance by visions from the archangel Michael, Saint Margaret, and Saint Catherine, she became a military leader who transcended gender roles and gained recognition as a savior of France.       

 

 

Orchestral Manouvers In the Dark (OMD) – Maid Of Orleans 

45 RPM single back cover 

photo of cover by Styrous® 

 

 

Orchestral Manouvers In the Dark (OMD) – Maid Of Orleans 

45 RPM single back cover detail 

detail photo of cover by Styrous® 

 

 

Charles sent Joan, who was about seventeen years old, to the siege of Orléans as part of a relief army. She arrived at the city in April 1429, wielding her banner and bringing hope to the demoralized French army. Nine days after her arrival, the English abandoned the siege. Joan encouraged the French to aggressively pursue the English during the Loire Campaign, which culminated in another decisive victory at Patay, opening the way for the French army to advance on Reims unopposed, where Charles was crowned as the King of France with Joan at his side.        

 

 

Coronation of Charles VII of France  

1876 illustration by A.C. Mihael  
 

 

Joan was born in Domrémy in northeast France in 1412. After the unsuccessful siege of Paris in September 1429 and the failed siege of La Charité in November. Her role in these defeats reduced the court's faith in her. In early 1430, Joan organized a company of volunteers to relieve Compiègne, which had been besieged by the Burgundians, French allies of the English. She was captured by Burgundian troops on May 23 and handed to the English in November. She was put on on accusations of heresy, which included blaspheming by wearing men's clothes, acting upon visions that were demonic, and refusing to submit her words and deeds to the judgment of the church. She was declared guilty and burned at the stake on May 30, 1431, aged about nineteen.                

 

 

Miniature of Joan's Execution from The Vigils of King Charles VII, 

anonymous (c. 1484      
Bibliothèque nationale de France 

  

 

In 1456, an inquisitorial court reinvestigated Joan's trial and overturned the verdict, declaring that it was tainted by deceit and procedural errors. Joan has been described as an obedient member of the Catholic Church, an early feminist, and a symbol of freedom and independence. She is popularly revered as a martyr. After the French Revolution, she became a national symbol of France. In 1920, Joan of Arc was canonized by Pope Benedict XV and, two years later, was declared one of the patron saints of France. She is portrayed in numerous cultural works, including films, literature, music, paintings, sculptures, and theater.         

 

 

 

 

Orchestral Manouvers In the Dark (OMD) – Maid Of Orleans 

45 RPM single record sleeve 

photo of cover by Styrous®  

 

 

My favorites of those portrayals were in the film, Joan of Arc, by Ingred Bergman in 1948 and the song Maid Of Orleans, written by Andy McCluskey of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark on May 30, 1981, the 550th anniversary of the death of Joan of Arc. 

 

 

Orchestral Manouvers In the Dark (OMD) – Maid Of Orleans 

45 RPM single front cover detail 

Cover Design [Stained Glass] by Anton Wolff  

detail photo of cover by Styrous® 

 

 

The short vocal by McCluskey is beautiful: passionate, reverent, soaring and warm. The instrumentation is intense and dramatic yet ethereal.     

Maid Of Orleans 

[Verse 1]
If Joan of Arc had a heart
Would she give it as a gift?
To such as me who longs to see
How an angel ought to be?


[Verse 2]
Her dream is to give her heart away
Like an orphan on a wave
She cared so much, she offered up
Her body to the grave

 

 

Orchestral Manouvers In the Dark (OMD) – Maid Of Orleans 

45 RPM single side 1 

photos by Styrous® 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Orchestral Manouvers In the Dark (OMD) – Maid Of Orleans 

45 RPM single side 2 

photos by Styrous® 

 

        

Tracklist:

Side 1:

Maid Of Orleans (The Waltz Of Joan Of Arc)
Producer – Richard Manwaring
Written By McCluskey* - 4:09

Side 2:

Of All The Things We've Made
Written By McCluskey*, Humphreys* - 3:31

B2

Navigation
Written By McCluskey*, Humphreys* - 3:26

Credits:

 

    •    Design [Stained Glass] – Anton Wolff
    •    Mastered By – BilBo (3)
    •    Producer – OMD*
    •    Sleeve – Brett Wickens, Peter Saville (2) 

 

Notes:

Mastered at Tape One.
℗ 1981 Dindisc/Dinsong Ltd.
© 1981 Dindisc Ltd.

This is the first issue with a special silver foil sleeve and b-side listed as "Experiments In Vertical Takeoff".

The 12" stained glass sleeve design has three variations:
1st issue (this entry) - silver foil (mirrored) sleeve (sword and wings are silver foil), silver foil back, b-side listed as "Experiments In Vertical Takeoff"
2nd issue Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Maid Of Orleans - silver printed sleeve (sword and wings are printed silver), white back, b-side listed as "Experiments iIn Vertical Takeoff"
3rd issue Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Maid Of Orleans - white sleeve (sword and wings are white), white back, b-side listed as "All The Things We've Done"

The single was originally to have featured a B side track titled “Experiments In Vertical Take Off.” The song hadn't actually been written at the time, but merely existed as a title. The single sleeves were subsequently printed with this title, but Andy and Paul had decided against the idea, and chose a brand new song called “Navigation.”

The original sleeve design for the 12" version used an embossed coin motif on a silver foil sleeve. The band weren't happy with this design, which led to the new stained glass version. A limited number of the coin foil sleeves, however, were issued.

Barcode and Other Identifiers        

         

    •    Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, etched - Variation 1): DIN-40-12 A2
    •    Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, etched - Variation 1): DIN-40-12 B1 END STAGE THREE
    •    Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, etched - Variation 2): DIN-40-I2.A.I BILBO . TA1PE
   •    Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, etched - Variation 2): DIN.40.I2 B2 END STAGE THREE BILBO TAPE ONE
    •    Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, etched - Variation 3): DIN.40.12 A2
   •    Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, etched - Variation 3): DIN.40.12 B2 END STAGE THREE BILBO TAPE ONE

OMD* – Maid Of Orleans
Label: Dindisc – DIN 40-12
Format: Vinyl, 12", 45 RPM, Single, Limited Edition, Metallic Silver Sleeve
Country: UK
Released: Jan 15, 1982
Genre: Electronic
Style:
Synth-pop

        

        

        

Viewfinder links:       

         

Ingred Bergman              

Joan of Arc                    
Andy McCluskey       

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD)
     
Net links:       

         

Fandom ~ Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans)         

Interesting Literature ~ Maid of Orleans by OMD: Meaning and Analysis    

Post-Punk Monk ~ Rock GPA: Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark [part 11]    
     
YouTube links:      
         

Joan of Arc complete film 1948 (1 hr, 39 mins, 23 secs)              
OMD ~ Maid Of Orleans         

OMD ~ Maid Of Orleans (live)                 

OMD ~ Maid Of Orleans (extended version) (9 min., 25 secs.)                

OMD ~ Maid Of Orleans (digital remix)                

         
        
         

        

        

Styrous® ~ Monday, September 7, 2020

~

45 RPMs Archive
MAIN MENU - Blog Articles
~