“Enola Gay” is a song by British synth-pop band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released in September 1980 with “Annex” on the B-side. It was the lead single from their second album, “Organisation,” and it became one of their most recognizable and enduring hits. The song is also included on 1981 US “Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark” that includes material from the first two OMD albums. In the UK, “Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark” is the name of their debut album.
The song was written by OMD’s lead vocalist and bassist Andy McCluskey. “Enola Gay” is named after the Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, 1945. The song addresses the devastating impact of this event and reflects on the moral and ethical implications of nuclear warfare.
The lyrics of “Enola Gay” are notable for their ambiguous yet poignant treatment of a serious subject matter. The song questions the necessity and consequences of the atomic bombing, with lines such as “It’s 8:15, and that’s the time that it’s always been / We got your message on the radio, conditions normal and you’re coming home.” The lyrics juxtapose the mundanity of the bomber’s return with the catastrophic outcome of its mission, highlighting the dissonance between duty and devastation.
“Enola Gay” was a commercial success for OMD. It reached number 8 on the UK Singles Chart and topped the charts in Italy, and Spain The song’s popularity helped to establish OMD as a significant act in the synth-pop and new wave scenes of the early 1980s.
“Enola Gay” has had a lasting impact on both music and popular culture. Its distinctive sound and thought-provoking lyrics have made it a staple of 1980s music compilations and retrospectives. The song’s success also paved the way for OMD’s continued influence in the genre, with the band releasing a string of successful albums and singles throughout the decade.