Sailing on the Seven Seas

Richard Riccio of the St. Petersburg Times described "Sailing on the Seven Seas" as "fabulous... a rollicking foot-stomper in its original version, and a haunting late-night dance track in remixed [B-side] form."{{cite news|first=Richard|last=Riccio|title=Sugar Is Sprinkled with Gems|url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1991/08/23/sugar-is-sprinkled-with-gems/|work=St. Petersburg Times|date=23 August 1991|page=94 (Audio Files, p. 21)|access-date=15 July 2022}} Multiple outlets ranked the song among the best of 1991."Top 100 of 1991". MTV Europe. 30 December 1991. No. 21.{{cite web|url=http://www.radiohitlist.com/KROQ/KROQ-1991.htm|title=Top 106.7 Songs of 1991|date=31 December 1991|publisher=KROQ-FM|access-date=20 July 2022|via=RadioHitList.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.91x.com/top-91/top-91-1991/|title=Top 91 of 1991|date=20 January 2015|publisher=91X|access-date=6 March 2025}} In a retrospective review, AllMusic critic Dave Thompson wrote that OMD "sail giddily through the musical past", delivering "a glorious musical mélange, an inspired melding of synth pop soar, 2-Tone yore, and glam rock roar, the anthemic chorus to the fore with a fist-in-the-air punch that shouts out for more".[https://www.allmusic.com/song/sailing-on-the-seven-seas-mt0010509445 "Sailing on the Seven Seas" review] at AllMusic Classic Pop listed "Sailing on the Seven Seas" among the "Top 20 Comeback Singles" in history.{{cite magazine|last=Page|first=Barry|date=May–June 2024|title=Top 20 Comeback Singles (no. 9)|magazine=Classic Pop|issue=87|pages=76–79}}

Humphreys described the track as "a great, kind of a weird pop song".{{cite episode|title=Paul Humphreys|series=Neil McCormick's Needle Time|network=Vintage TV|date=21 February 2017}} Original OMD drummer Malcolm Holmes, who also had no involvement in the song, said, "I loathe the track – I do. But it charted and it did the business."{{cite episode|title=Electropop (no. 5: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark)|series=Top Ten|network=Channel 4|date=7 April 2001}} After returning to the band, Holmes commented, "'Sailing on the Seven Seas' is a great thing to play as a drummer. When I started to play it, it became something else to me... so I don't really see the song as how I did in those days.{{cite web | url=https://www.electricityclub.co.uk/mal-holmes/ | title=Mal Holmes Interview | date=31 October 2010}}

The song was released as a 7-inch single version and in an extended version for the 12-inch release. The extended version was more oriented to the electronic dance music market in vogue at the time. Another mix entitled "Dancing on the Seven Seas" was also included on a special collector's edition CD single. The regular CD single featured another remix entitled "Floating on the Seven Seas" and the "Larrabee Mix" of "Sailing on the Seven Seas", similar to the original single version but mixed at Larrabee Studios in North Hollywood, California.

Two other new songs were included as B-sides or bonus tracks on the CD single: "Burning" and "Sugar Tax". Despite its title, "Sugar Tax" did not feature on the album of the same name. Both tracks feature on the B-sides compilation album Navigation: The OMD B-Sides (2001). "Sugar Tax" also features as a B-side on the later single release "Then You Turn Away".

A 12-inch promo single released in the US features further remixes, namely "Drowning on the Seven Seas", "Raving on the Seven Seas" and 'Mix 1' and 'Mix 2' of "Dancing on the Seven Seas". Although uncredited, many of the remixes were the work of Phil Coxon.{{cite web|url=http://www.omd-messages.co.uk/omd-qa-records/|title=OMD Q&A |publisher= omd-messages.co.uk.com|accessdate= 30 August 2016}}

• 7-inch and cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Sailing on the Seven Seas|others=Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark|year=1991|type=UK 7-inch single sleeve|publisher=Virgin Records|id=VS 1310, 113 790}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Sailing on the Seven Seas|others=Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark|year=1991|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=Virgin Records|id=VSC 1310}}

1. "Sailing on the Seven Seas"
2. "Burning"

• 12-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=Sailing on the Seven Seas|others=Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark|year=1991|type=UK 12-inch single sleeve|publisher=Virgin Records|id=VST1310, 613 790}}

:A. "Sailing on the Seven Seas" (extended version)

:B. "Floating on the Seven Seas"

• CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Sailing on the Seven Seas|others=Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark|year=1991|type=UK CD1 liner notes|publisher=Virgin Records|id=VSCDT 1310, 663 790}}

1. "Sailing on the Seven Seas"
2. "Floating on the Seven Seas"
3. "Sailing on the Seven Seas" (Larrabee mix)
4. "Sugar Tax"

• Special-edition CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Sailing on the Seven Seas|others=Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark|year=1991|type=UK CD2 liner notes|publisher=Virgin Records|id=VSCDX 1310}}

1. "Sailing on the Seven Seas" (extended version)
2. "Burning"
3. "Dancing on the Seven Seas"
4. "Big Town"

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Category:1990 songs

Category:1991 singles

Category:Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark songs

Category:Songs written by Andy McCluskey

Category:Songs written by Stuart Kershaw

Category:Virgin Records singles

Category:Songs about oceans and seas