Typical of early OMD compositions, the track does not feature a vocal chorus, and is recognisable by its strong, distinctive lead synthesizer hook and ambiguous lyrical content. It has been named as one of the best songs of its era and genre, and, along with 1986's ' If You Leave', is regarded as OMD's signature song. The track went on to enjoy lasting popularity, including within the LGBT community, and achieved sales in excess of 5 million copies. It was also a hit throughout continental Europe, topping the charts in Italy and Spain. 8 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's first top 10 entry in their home country. 'Enola Gay' met with largely positive reviews but was seen as unlikely to impact the charts aside from its subject matter, the song faced some resistance due to its being perceived as a gay anthem. As is typical of early OMD singles, the song features a melodic synthesizer break instead of sung chorus. Written by vocalist/bass guitarist Andy McCluskey, it addresses the atomic bombing of Hiroshima by the aircraft Enola Gay on 6 August 1945, toward the conclusion of World War II. ' Enola Gay' is an anti-war song by the British synth-pop band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), and the only single taken from their 1980 album Organisation.
Cover of the original 7' single, designed by Peter Saville.
