OMD - IF YOU LEAVE

Released: April 21, 1986

Charts: UK: #48 US: #4 

“If You Leave” is one of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark’s signature songs, written for the final scene of the film Pretty in Pink. Released in 1986, it became their biggest U.S. hit, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and charting highly in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. Andy McCluskey notes many European fans dislike the song and that the success of the track tends to overshadow the band’s other work in the U.S.

Originally, Pretty in Pink was set to end with OMD’s “Goddess of Love,” but after poor test screenings, director John Hughes changed the ending and needed a new song. He asked OMD to create one that matched the emotional tone and had a tempo of 120 BPM to fit the filmed prom scene. With just two days before a tour, the band wrote and recorded “If You Leave” in under 24 hours. The lyrics reflect the end of high school and the fear of what comes next. Despite matching the tempo, a film editing error caused the dancing to appear out of sync.