(Forever) Live and Die explained

(Forever) Live and Die
Cover:Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - (Forever) Live and Die.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Album:The Pacific Age
B-Side:This Town
Released:[1]
Studio:Studio De La Grande Armée (Paris)
Length:3:38
Label:Virgin
Producer:Stephen Hague
Prev Title:If You Leave
Prev Year:1986
Next Title:We Love You
Next Year:1986

"(Forever) Live and Die" is a 1986 song by the English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released as the first single from their seventh studio album, The Pacific Age. Paul Humphreys sings lead vocals on the track. The single peaked at No. 11 on the UK Singles Chart. It was a top 10 hit in Canada and several European territories, and a top 20 hit in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland.

Critical reception and legacy

Lynden Barber of The Sydney Morning Herald wrote that "(Forever) Live and Die" is "almost worthy of prime period ABBA, its ethereal Euro synthetics melting around a chorus that ascends towards heaven."[2] Billboard selected the single as one of their "pop picks" for the week of 20 September, adding that it "achieves [the Beatles'] Magical Mystery Tour spirit with '80s tech".[3] Record Mirrors Andy Strickland referred to "an infectious little beast" with "some nice brass touches".[4] Conversely, Simon Mills of Smash Hits portrayed the song as "limp, languid, wimpy and totally inoffensive".[5]

In April 1987, English disc jockey (DJ) Gary Crowley identified "(Forever) Live and Die" as a "great single" and "one of [his] favourite records of the last twelve months".[6] In a later article, Spins James Hunter observed "the kind of emotionally transcendent dancepop [Pet Shop Boys'] Neil Tennant always strove for, an unqualified masterpiece of tears and aural compression, carnivalesque synth figures and Wednesday afternoon blues."[7] Stewart Mason of AllMusic wrote that it "sounds oddly unfinished, albeit pleasant enough".[8] Barenaked Ladies drummer Tyler Stewart named the track as his favourite of OMD's, saying, "I really love '(Forever) Live and Die'. That's a great song."[9]

KROQ ranked the track as the 44th-greatest of 1986;[10] in a poll of 6,528 Slicing Up Eyeballs readers, it was voted the 68th-best of the year.[11] The Pueblo Chieftains Jon Pompia named the "wonderful" song as one of the 10 greatest of the 1980s.[12]

Track listing

7" and 7" picture disc

  1. "(Forever) Live and Die" – 3:36
  2. "This Town" – 3:44

First 12"

  1. "(Forever) Live and Die" (John "Tokes" Potoker - Extended Mix) – 5:45
  2. "(Forever) Live and Die" (7" version) – 3:36
  3. "This Town" – 3:44

Second 12"

  1. "(Forever) Live and Die" (Tom Lord-Alge – Extended Remix) – 5:50
  2. "(Forever) Live and Die" (7" version) – 3:36
  3. "This Town" – 3:44

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1986–1987)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[13] 19
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[14] 7
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[15] 12
US Billboard Hot 100[16] 19
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[17] 25
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[18] 37
US Cash Box Top 100[19] 22

Year-end charts

Chart (1986)Position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[20] 25
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[21] 96
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[22] 80
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[23] 30
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[24] 21

Notes and References

  1. Web site: OMD DISCOGRAPHY – SINGLES 1984 - 86 . 27 April 2009.
  2. News: Lynden. Barber. Arts and Entertainment. The Sydney Morning Herald. 23 December 1986. 8.
  3. Reviews: Singles. Billboard. 20 September 1986. 73.
  4. Strickland. Andy. 30 August 1986. Singles. Record Mirror. 8.
  5. Review: Singles . . 8 . 17 . 13–26 August 1986 . Mills . Simon . 73.
  6. Crowley. Gary. Gary Crowley. Singles. Number One. 25 April 1987. 52.
  7. Hunter. James. January 1999. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: The OMD Singles. Spin. 116.
  8. https://www.allmusic.com/song/forever-live-and-die-mt0012263437 "(Forever) Live and Die" review
  9. Web site: New exclusive interview with Barenaked Ladies drummer Tyler Stewart. 16 May 2016. Barenaked Ladies Fans. 1 June 2021.
  10. Web site: Top 106.7 Songs of 1986. 31 December 1986. KROQ-FM. 20 July 2022. RadioHitList.com.
  11. Web site: Top 100 Songs of 1986: Slicing Up Eyeballs Best of the '80s Redux — Part 7. 13 April 2020. Slicing Up Eyeballs. 24 February 2022.
  12. Web site: We love the '80s: The best of a fantastic musical decade. 1 February 2020. The Pueblo Chieftain. 1 June 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200202102102/https://www.chieftain.com/entertainmentlife/20200201/we-love-80s-best-of-fantastic-musical-decade. 2 February 2020. dmy-all.
  13. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. St Ives, N.S.W.. Australian Chart Book. 1993. 224. 0-646-11917-6.
  14. European Hot 100 Singles . . 3 . 42 . 25 October 1986 . 14 . 29800226 . World Radio History.
  15. Web site: SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts O . The South African Rock Encyclopedia . 22 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180524151634/http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(O).html . 24 May 2018.
  16. Web site: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Chart History (Hot 100) . . 22 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190924024100/https://www.billboard.com/music/Orchestral-Manoeuvres-in-the-Dark/chart-history/hot-100 . 24 September 2019.
  17. Web site: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Chart History (Adult Contemporary) . Billboard . 22 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190924022403/https://www.billboard.com/music/Orchestral-Manoeuvres-in-the-Dark/chart-history/adult-contemporary . 24 September 2019.
  18. Web site: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Chart History (Dance Singles Sales) . Billboard . 22 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190924022437/https://www.billboard.com/music/Orchestral-Manoeuvres-in-the-Dark/chart-history/dance-singles-sales . 24 September 2019.
  19. Web site: Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending December 6, 1986 . . 22 December 2020.
  20. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 1986 – Singles . Dutch . Ultratop . 22 December 2020.
  21. Top 100 Singles of '86 . RPM . 45 . 14 . 27 December 1986 . 5 . 0315-5994 . Library and Archives Canada.
  22. Hot 100 of the Year 1986 – European Hot 100 Singles . Music & Media . 3 . 51/52 . 27 December 1986 . 28 . 29800226 . World Radio History.
  23. Web site: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1986 . Dutch . Dutch Top 40 . 22 December 2020.
  24. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Single 1986 . Dutch . . 22 December 2020.
  25. Web site: Jahreshitparade Singles 1987 . austriancharts.at . German . 22 December 2020.

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