As most fans of Louise Brooks know, the English band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (also known as OMD) recorded a popular song about Louise Brooks. That song, “Pandora’s Box (It’s a long, long way)”, appeared on their eighth studio album, Sugar Tax (Virgin Records, 1991). Though the album received somewhat mixed reviews, it nevertheless proved to be one of the band’s biggest selling efforts, peaking at number three on the UK albums chart and eventually selling some three million copies. The record spawned four singles, including two UK top-10 hits “Sailing on the Seven Seas” and “Pandora’s Box”. As such, this signature musical tribute to Brooks is likely the bestselling recording to date about the actress.
According to the OMD Wiki, “Pandora’s Box” entered the UK charts at no. 59 on June 30, 1991, then rose to no. 26 the week after. After being featured on Top of the Pops on July 11, the single went up to no. 13 the week after, then to its peak position of no.7 on July 21. The band and the song were featured again on Top of the Pops on July 25, allowing the single to stay in the same position for a further week before falling in the charts. All together, “Pandora’s Box” spent seven weeks in the Top 40. It was OMD’s sixth and final Top 10 single. The song was re-named “Pandora’s Box (It’s A Long, Long Way)” for release in the United States. It reached no.19 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay, and no.11 on Dance Club Songs charts. Elsewhere, the song was a top ten hit in Austria and Sweden, and a top twenty hit in Belgium, Germany, and Ireland.
The song has has also been an OMD concert mainstay. OMD began their Sugar Tax tour in July 1991, just after “Pandora’s Box” was released as a single; the song was included in the band’s set list, usually towards the end of a concert or as an encore, as well as on their successive tour for their next album, Liberator, in 1993. Beginning around 2006, it has been featured regularly on live set lists by the reformed band. When performed in concert, large images of Louise Brooks are sometimes projected onto the stage. (See the two concert videos below.) And notably, McCluskey has also — on occasion — given Brooks a verbal shout-out at the beginning of the song.
| Official video for “Pandora’s Box” |
| OMD early UK TV appearance, circa 1991 |
At the time of its release, the song was heavily promoted. As a matter of fact, a handful of remixes of “Pandora’s Box” were issued in various formats on 7″ and 12″ vinyl, CD, and cassette — at least a couple of which feature Brooks on the cover. Among the various releases were “Pandora’s Box (Lost Girl Mix)” and “Pandora’s Box (American Venus 7″ Mix)”. There was, as well, an official t-shirt which featured an image of the actress, as well as a stylish music video (shown above) which features images of Brooks and footage from Pandora’s Box. In an online chat with fans in 2021, McCluskey mentioned that band’s record label didn’t want to use Brooks in the video, thinking “a silent movie actress wouldn’t be cool in a new video.” Nevertheless, McCluskey insisted — despite the fact the footage cost them $5,000, which the singer termed a “bargain.”
Notably, there was also mention of the song and an article about the actress in the March 1992 issue of the OMD fanzine Telegraph, whose cover features Brooks. The cover shown below is also included on the LBS page “Louise Brooks Magazine Covers 1986-today.”
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| “Pandora’s Box” US CD single |
Front and back of the official OMD “Pandora’s Box” t-shirt |
Telegraph, OMD fanzine March 1992 |
“Pandora’s Box” UK CD single |
“Pandora’s Box” was authored by OMD front man Andy McCluskey, an acknowledged fan of actress. In an online chat with fans in 2021, the Louise Brooks Society asked the OMD singer how and when he first came across the actress. McCluskey stated, “I was fascinated when I started to discover photographs of her in vintage shops. My fascination came from the way she looked and then I started learning about her…. I just need to get fascinated.”
Following the release of the song in 1991, McCluskey spoke about his regard for Brooks to various newspaper and magazine reporters, as well as on UK television. (One of McCluskey’s TV interviews in which he discusses Brooks can be viewed on YouTube.) In 1991, McCluskey told the Edinburgh Evening News “I’ve been fascinated by her for eight or nine years now. The more I learned the more fascinated I became. [She’s] absolutely the sort of woman you’d fall in love with on first sight and absolutely the sort of person that you desperately shouldn’t go anywhere near.” Similar comments were repeated elsewhere.
As McCluskey mentioned in the 2021 online chat, he had been trying to write a song about the actress “for ages.” A song recorded by OMD but never released until later is the very different 1990 demo titled “American Venus.” (The demo is included on OMD’s Unreleased Archive Vol I disc, which was released in 2019.) Both it and “Pandora’s Box” include the line “Born in Kansas” — though in general, the two recordings are very different. The lyrics to “Pandora’s Box” begin “Born in Kansas / On an ordinary plain / Ran to New York / But ran away from fame / Only seventeen / When all your dreams came true….” Check out the complete lyrics to the song HERE.
And be sure and check out these live concert videos. It is electrifying to see Brooks’ image and hear Brooks’ name remembered from the stage of a rock concert as thousands of fans cheer, and dance.
| OMD perform “Pandora’s Box” in 2007 (location unknown) |
| OMD perform “Pandora’s Box” in Amsterdam in 2010 |
Here are links to some earlier Louise Brooks Society blog posts about the song from April 10, 2023 (“Very rare Louise Brooks OMD Pandora’s Box t-shirt now for sale on Etsy”), February 2, 2021 (“Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark sings of Louise Brooks in Chile two years ago today “), January 31, 2021 (“Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark on Louise Brooks and Pandora’s Box”), and May 20, 2014 (“Must watch: Andy McCluskey introduces Louise Brooks on the big screen at an OMD concert “).
Additionally, the Louise Brooks Society YouTube channel has a “Pandora’s Box” playlist of about a dozen videos, including live concert versions, different mixes, and even cover versions of the song from Poland and Estonia.
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This web page branches off “Homage to Lulu“, a Louise Brooks Society HUB page which lists & details other tributes to Louise Brooks — in movies, music, books and literature, comics, fashion, pop culture and the visual arts. Know of additional information or other tributes? The LBS would love to hear from you via its CONTACT page.