(Forever) Live and Die

"(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.

"(Forever) Live and Die"
Single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
from the album The Pacific Age
B-side	"This Town"
Released	26 August 1986 (1986-08-26)^[1]
Studio	Studio De La Grande Armée (Paris)
Length	3:38
Label	Virgin
Songwriter(s)	Paul Humphreys Graham Weir Neil Weir
Producer(s)	Stephen Hague
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark singles chronology
"If You Leave" (1986) "(Forever) Live and Die" (1986) "We Love You" (1986)
Music video
"(Forever) Live and Die" on YouTube

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 Mirror's 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 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, Spin's 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 Chieftain's 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 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[14] 5 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[15] 6 Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[16] 10 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)^[17] 7 Ireland (IRMA)^[18] 13 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[19] 3 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[20] 5 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[21] 14 South Africa (Springbok Radio)^[22] 12 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[23] 9 UK Singles (OCC)^[24] 11 US Billboard Hot 100^[25] 19 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[26] 25 US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)^[27] 37 US Cash Box Top 100^[28] 22 West Germany (Official German Charts)^[29] 8

Year-end charts Chart (1986) Position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[30] 25 Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[31] 96 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)^[32] 80 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[33] 30 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[34] 21 Chart (1987) Position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[35] 25

References

1. "OMD DISCOGRAPHY – SINGLES 1984 - 86". Retrieved 27 April 2009.
2. Barber, Lynden (23 December 1986). "Arts and Entertainment". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 8.
3. "Reviews: Singles". Billboard. 20 September 1986. p. 73.
4. Strickland, Andy (30 August 1986). "Singles". Record Mirror. p. 8.
5. Mills, Simon (13–26 August 1986). "Review: Singles". Smash Hits. 8 (17): 73.
6. Crowley, Gary (25 April 1987). "Singles". Number One. p. 52.
7. Hunter, James (January 1999). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: The OMD Singles". Spin. p. 116.
8. "(Forever) Live and Die" review at AllMusic
9. "New exclusive interview with Barenaked Ladies drummer Tyler Stewart". Barenaked Ladies Fans. 16 May 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
10. "Top 106.7 Songs of 1986". KROQ-FM. 31 December 1986. Retrieved 20 July 2022 – via RadioHitList.com.
11. "Top 100 Songs of 1986: Slicing Up Eyeballs' Best of the '80s Redux — Part 7". Slicing Up Eyeballs. 13 April 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
12. "We love the '80s: The best of a fantastic musical decade". The Pueblo Chieftain. 1 February 2020. from the original on 2 February 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
13. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 224. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
14. "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – (Forever) Live and Die" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
15. "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – (Forever) Live and Die" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
16. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0865." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
17. "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 42. 25 October 1986. p. 14. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
18. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Forever (Live & Die)". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
19. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
20. "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – (Forever) Live and Die" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
21. "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – (Forever) Live and Die". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
22. . The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 24 May 2018. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
23. "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – (Forever) Live and Die". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
24. "OMD: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
25. . Billboard. Archived from the original on 24 September 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
26. . Billboard. Archived from the original on 24 September 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
27. . Billboard. Archived from the original on 24 September 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
28. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending December 6, 1986". Cash Box. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
29. "Offiziellecharts.de – OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – (Forever) Live and Die" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
30. "Jaaroverzichten 1986 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
31. "Top 100 Singles of '86". RPM. Vol. 45, no. 14. 27 December 1986. p. 5. ISSN 0315-5994 – via Library and Archives Canada.
32. "Hot 100 of the Year 1986 – European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 51/52. 27 December 1986. p. 28. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
33. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
34. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
35. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1987". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 22 December 2020.

External links

• "(Forever) Live and Die" at Discogs (list of releases)