OMD - SO IN LOVE

Released: May 13, 1985

Charts: UK: #27  US: #26 

“So in Love” is a 1985 single by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and the lead release from their sixth studio album, “Crush”. Though it was one of the last tracks written for the album, it became pivotal, eventually charting in the UK Top 30 and marking the band’s first breakthrough in the U.S., reaching No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also achieved Top 10 success in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Originally dropped, it was revived thanks to bandmate Martin Cooper, who encouraged a demo. Written by Andy McCluskey, despite its romantic title, “So in Love” is not a love song. Instead, it’s a reflective track about looking back at a broken relationship and questioning what ever drew you to that person. Lead singer Andy McCluskey explained that OMD’s distinct sound comes from the tension between “architecture and morality” — the coldness of machines vs. the warmth of emotion. This song, written during the painful end of a relationship, reflects that dynamic perfectly.

“So in Love” was also a milestone in the U.S., becoming OMD’s first American hit after years of trying to break into the market. Though a Top 30 hit in the UK, it was in the U.S. — where MTV made or broke synth-pop bands — that it finally gave OMD visibility. It would later be overshadowed by the massive success of “If You Leave” from “Pretty in Pink”, which many American listeners still associate most closely with the band.

The single artwork and music video were inspired by the Mexican Day of the Dead festival. Directed by Andy Morahan, the video was shot on location in the Province of Almería, Spain. Daytime scenes took place in the picturesque village of Alhabia, while the Tabernas Desert provided a striking backdrop for other sequences. Night scenes were filmed in the capital city, Almería, specifically on El Paseo and Cabo de Gata Avenue.