Wikipedia

Pandora's Box (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark song)

"Pandora's Box" (subtitled "It's a Long, Long Way" for the US release) is a song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released by Virgin on 24 June 1991 as the second single from their eighth studio album, Sugar Tax (1991). The song, which deals with the less glamorous side of celebrity, was inspired by silent film actress Louise Brooks and is named after the 1929 film Pandora's Box in which she starred.

"Pandora's Box"
Single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
from the album Sugar Tax
B-side"All She Wants Is Everything"
Released24 June 1991 (1991-06-24)[1]
Length
  • 4:09 (album version)
  • 4:06 (single version)
LabelVirgin
Songwriter(s)OMD
Producer(s)OMD
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark singles chronology
"Sailing on the Seven Seas"
(1991) 		"Pandora's Box"
(1991) 		"Then You Turn Away"
(1991)

The single was a top-10 hit in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe. Three remixes were made for this release, remixed by Danny Griffiths, Carl Segal, and Steve Anderson respectively. Anderson's shorter remix is the main single version. Additional remixes and edits appear on promotional and limited editions.

Reception edit

The Huddersfield Daily Examiner named "Pandora's Box" their "Single of the Week", observing a "slice of synthesizer sophistication" whose "peculiar guitar twang really makes it".[2] KROQ ranked it the 21st-greatest song of 1991,[3] while MTV Europe placed it 55th.[4] In a retrospective review for AllMusic, critic Dave Thompson noted a "fabulous dance-fired arrangement", a "jubilant melody" and a "bounding rhythm that defies efforts not to dance along". He noted that the song's upbeat sound belies the "tragic tale" of its lyrics, which handle the "downside of fame and fortune".[5]

Music video edit

The music video for "Pandora's Box" is in black and white and features Louise Brooks and singer Andy McCluskey. According to the video intro, all of the scenes of Brooks in the video are from the original 1929 film.

Track listings edit

Charts edit

Cover versions edit

  • Estonian singer Jüri Homenja made a cover version of the song named "Pandora laegas".[31]

References edit

  1. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 22 June 1991. p. 19.
  2. ^ "Reviews: Singles". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 6 July 1991. p. 29.
  3. ^ "Top 106.7 Songs of 1991". KROQ-FM. 31 December 1991. Retrieved 20 July 2022 – via RadioHitList.com.
  4. ^ "Top 100 of 1991". MTV Europe. 30 December 1991.
  5. ^ Thompson, Dave. "Pandora's Box - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  6. ^ Pandora's Box (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Virgin Records. 1991. VS 1331, 114 404.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ Pandora's Box (UK cassette single sleeve). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Virgin Records. 1991. VSC 1331, 411 763.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ Pandora's Box (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Virgin Records. 1991. VST 1331, 614 404.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ Pandora's Box (UK CD1 liner notes). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Virgin Records. 1991. VSCDT 1331, 664 404.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ Pandora's Box (UK CD2 liner notes). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Virgin Records. 1991. VSCDX 1331.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ Pandora's Box (It's a Long, Long Way) (US cassette single sleeve). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Virgin Records. 1991. 4-98771.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ Pandora's Box (It's a Long, Long Way) (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Virgin Records. 1991. 0-96338.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ Pandora's Box (It's a Long, Long Way) (US CD single liner notes). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Virgin Records. 1991. 2-96338.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ Pandora's Box (Australian CD single liner notes). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Virgin Records. 1991. VOZCD 131.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ Pandora's Box (Australian cassette single sleeve). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Virgin Records. 1991. VOZC131.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 209.
  17. ^ "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Pandora's Box" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  18. ^ "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Pandora's Box" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  19. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 32. 10 August 1991. p. 21. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  20. ^ "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Pandora's Box" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  21. ^ "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Pandora's Box" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  22. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Pandora's Box". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  23. ^ "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Pandora's Box". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  24. ^ "OMD: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  25. ^ "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 27 April 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  26. ^ "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 24 September 2019. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  27. ^ "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Chart History (Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 24 September 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  28. ^ "EHR Year-End Top 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 51–52. 21 December 1991. p. 20. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  29. ^ "Top 100 Singles-Jahrescharts – 1991" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  30. ^ "1991 Top 100 Singles". Music Week. 11 January 1992. p. 20.
  31. ^ "Jüri Homeja - Pandora laegas". Retrieved 11 July 2010.

External links edit

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