Electric Dreams

The 1984 movie Electric Dreams about a love triangle between a geeky architect, his computer (Edgar) and his pretty new neighbour is probably best remembered for the lead song from it's soundtrack; Together In Electric Dreams by Phil Oakey and Giorgio Moroder.

I picked up both the 12" extended single and the soundtrack album at yesterday's car boot sale for 50p each:

Giorgio Moroder with Phil Oakey - Together In Electric
Dreams (Extended) (1984)

Electric Dreams OST (1984)
(Note the vinyl LP slipcase)

The album absolutely screams "EIGHTIES MOVIE!" from beginning to end, packed as it is with 808s, gated drums and the like and featuring tracks from Culture Club, ELO's Jeff Lynne and Heaven 17.  Don Was produced the title track that opens the movie, sung by PP Arnold, and on listening to it I could feel that magical thrill of expectation which accompanied the beginning of so many 80s films.  Giorgio Moroder produced much of the rest, his emotional electronics perfectly suiting the tone of the film.

Here's the movie trailer.  The song featured in it is actually my least favourite; Jeff Lynne's Let It Run, which I'd describe as an Art Of Noise-meets-Status Quo electro-chugger.



Both the soundtrack and the movie were Virgin productions. In fact Richard Branson is credited as the film's co-producer.

The single Together In Electric Dreams (which also features Peter Frampton on guitar) reached no.3 in the UK and the album peaked at no.46.  Top tracks:

http://youtu.be/3OLEAeky8is

http://youtu.be/dLgI6vS_NSw

Eighties pop 45s

One of my lovely big sisters popped round this week with a couple of 7 inch singles for me.  She'd found them in a charity shop for 25p each:

Culture Club - Karma Chameleon b/w That's The Way (1983)

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Electricity b/w Almost (1980)

I was nine years old in 1983 and still remember Karma Chameleon being an absolutely massive single.  It spent six weeks at number one and was the biggest selling single of that year.

In contrast, OMD's Electricity was recorded/mixed and released as a single three times between 1979 and 1980, finally reaching it's highest position of no.99!  Goodness knows why; it's one of my favourites and went down a storm with fans when I saw them on tour last November.

Here they are on Spotify:  Culture Club – Karma Chameleon

                                         Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Electricity