Joan of Arc (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark song)
"Joan of Arc" is a 1981 song by British band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, released as the second single from their third studio albumArchitecture & Morality. It became an international hit, reaching the Top 5 in the UK and Canada and number 13 in Ireland. This is the first of two OMD songs written by McCluskey on the subject of the French saint Joan of Arc. The second, "Joan of Arc " was also issued as a single. Both tracks feature on Architecture & Morality.
Reception
In a retrospective review, AllMusic critic Dave Thompson praised the track as a "revelation of a single" with a "gorgeous melody", adding that "the power of this song is almost equal toJoan's own". Colleague Ned Raggett described it as "a towering heartbreaker, with Andy McCluskey and band in full flight". Trouser Press called the song a "magnificent, ethereal hit". The Charlatans vocalist Tim Burgess wrote, "For anyone who wasn't around in 1981 you could not go anywhere without hearing this song... so romantic - such a classic."
B-side
The B side to the single was a new track entitled "The Romance of the Telescope ", another new track but one which was not included on the original Architecture & Morality album. The song was however included on the successive Dazzle Ships album in 1983 without the "unfinished" caveat in the title, even though the arrangement and mix are practically identical to the first issue. The track labelled as the "unfinished" version was included on remastered re-issues of the Architecture & Morality album in 2003 and 2007. "The Romance of the Telescope" has also been performed live on several occasions since 1981 when it was usually played as a concert opener, although more recently as a final song on live set lists.
The cover of the single depicting a statue of Joan of Arc is thought to be the same statue that was present in the National Trust Gardens at Cliveden in Buckinghamshire. In 1980/81, this statue could be found among the trees in the Ilex Grove at Cliveden.
Chart performance
Live performances
The song has been performed at live shows on a regular basis since the Architecture & Morality tour in 1981. A live performance from 1981 was filmed for the Live at The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane concert in December 1981, initially released on VHS and laserdisc and later on DVD Live recordings have been made available on the "Walking on the Milky Way" CD single, the Architecture & Morality & More album, and on Architecture & Morality / Dazzle Ships – Live at the Royal Albert Hall. The song was also performed with The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in June 2009 as documented by the Electricity DVD release.
