OMD - If You Leave (Extended Remix) from the film soundtrack "Pretty in Pink" (1986)

"If You Leave" is a 1986 song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD). It was recorded for the soundtrack to the film Pretty in Pink (1986), in which it is played prominently during the final scene. Along with 1980's "Enola Gay", the track has been described as OMD's signature song.

"If You Leave" is the group's highest-charting single on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it reached number 4 in May 1986. The song was also a Top 5 entry in Canada and New Zealand and charted at number 15 in Australia. A defining track of the 1980s, it was described by Interview as "one of the most influential, zeitgeist-capturing songs ever to be written".

The end of the film Pretty in Pink, set in a high school prom, was originally meant to feature the OMD song "Goddess of Love" (which the band released on The Pacific Age later in 1986.) However, director John Hughes decided to change the ending to Pretty in Pink after poor test audience reactions, and felt that the new ending required a song with different lyrical content. Hughes asked OMD for a new song to match the feel of the ending, and also specified that it should be written at a tempo of 120 BPM, to match the speed of "Don't You (Forget About Me)", which the actors in the scene had danced to during filming. This request came two days before OMD were due to begin a tour, and as a result "If You Leave" was written and recorded in under 24 hours.

Lyrically the band has stated that the song is about "The end of high school... the ending of your childhood", elaborating that they were trying to capture "this fear of what comes next". Singer Andy McCluskey later noted that an editing error meant the dancing appears out of sync despite the matched tempo.


Disclaimer! I make absolutely no monetary gain from any music that I post on my channel. They are uploaded here for entertainment (listening) purposes only & for discussion in the comments section. Please enjoy!

All credit goes out to the rightful owners, in this case OMD and the person who remixed this awesome song (Thomas Anderson). I added an extended different ending to his mix but the majority is still his remix.

I found this remix on YouTube by accident, and I was impressed and enjoyed it since I love the 80s music & I really enjoy this song, so I decided to share it with my subscribers so that you can all enjoy it to. This remix version deserves much more love (likes). His channel doesn't have many subscribers, so go and subscribe to his channel or please like the remix at this link    • OMD - If You Leave (Extended DJ Remix)  

Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.”