Overview
"Secret" is a 1985 song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released as the second single from their album Crush. Paul Humphreys sings lead vocals on the track. It became their second US Billboard Hot 100 entry, peaking at number 63, and also made number 34 on the UK Singles Chart.
The song was featured in the 1988 movie Arthur 2: On the Rocks and on its soundtrack album; it was also re-released to radio in the US as the follow-up to The Best of OMD track "Dreaming", approximately one month prior to the movie's premiere. Though it received renewed airplay on several US contemporary hit stations, it did not re-chart on the Hot 100.
Critical reception
Writing in Number One, Stuart Husband referred to "Secret" as a "pretty song" and "the Manoeuvres' cutest single for many a moon". Stateside, the Gavin Report dubbed it "the strongest OMD track since the tragically overlooked 'Souvenir'." Bill Merrill of the Altus Times noted the song's "smooth combination of airy vocals and catchy hooks", while Cashbox called it a "strong" and "very melodic" track with a "gently pulsing synth beat".
In a retrospective review, Dave Thompson of AllMusic observed an "emotive love song buried in an over-produced behemoth of a backing". Conversely, Thompson's colleague Mike DeGagne lauded the track as one of OMD's best 1980s singles, noting its "adolescent innocence". Rolling Stones Paul Evans described "Secret", and previous release "So in Love", as "flawless singles".
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