Midge Ure
Midge Ure OBE (born James Ure on October 10, 1953 in Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, Scotland) is a pop and rock and roll musician from Scotland, known for his particular success as a guitarist and singer-songwriter in the 70s and 80s. His stage name, "Midge", is a phonetic reversal of his real name, "Jim". Beginning his career in the pop rock band Slik, he would go on to play for power poppers Rich Kids and temporarily for Thin Lizzy.
Things kicked into Read Full BioMidge Ure OBE (born James Ure on October 10, 1953 in Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, Scotland) is a pop and rock and roll musician from Scotland, known for his particular success as a guitarist and singer-songwriter in the 70s and 80s. His stage name, "Midge", is a phonetic reversal of his real name, "Jim". Beginning his career in the pop rock band Slik, he would go on to play for power poppers Rich Kids and temporarily for Thin Lizzy.
Things kicked into high gear when he replaced John Foxx as the singer of the famous electronic music group Ultravox in 1979. Shortly afterwards, the New Wave band had a huge U.K. hit with "Vienna", and it became one of Britain's most popular groups for several years. As well, later that year, Ure also formed the band Visage. In 1980, Ure and Thin Lizzy leader Phil Lynott co-wrote Lynott's biggest solo hit, titled "Yellow Pearl". A re-recording of the song done in 1981 was used as the theme for 'Top of the Pops', a music-centered television series.
In 1984, Ure co-wrote, with Bob Geldof, the Band Aid hit, "Do They Know It's Christmas?". He was one of the few featured stars who did not sing solo on the recording. The following year, Ure scored his one and only solo U.K. number one single with "If I Was", a wistful track that's since been considered his 'signature song'. This was followed by an album titled 'The Gift'. With Ure's mind clearly on other matters, Ultravox took second place and soon dissolved.
Ure's solo career continued into the 90s with sporadic success. However, "Breathe" was an international hit single, helped by its inclusion in a TV advertising campaign for Swatch watches. Ultravox songs with his work remained popular among many electronic music fans.
Ure more recently organized the Live 8 concerts with Bob Geldof with the aim of pressuring G8 leaders into following his recipe for ending world poverty. In 2005 he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to music and charity.
Ure has been married twice: to actress and writer Annabel Giles (with whom he has one daughter, Molly) and to Sheridan Ure (with whom he has three daughters, Kitty, Ruby and Flossie).
His daughter Molly has followed her father into the music industry, as the guitarist and vocalist of all-girl group The Faders.
Things kicked into Read Full BioMidge Ure OBE (born James Ure on October 10, 1953 in Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, Scotland) is a pop and rock and roll musician from Scotland, known for his particular success as a guitarist and singer-songwriter in the 70s and 80s. His stage name, "Midge", is a phonetic reversal of his real name, "Jim". Beginning his career in the pop rock band Slik, he would go on to play for power poppers Rich Kids and temporarily for Thin Lizzy.
Things kicked into high gear when he replaced John Foxx as the singer of the famous electronic music group Ultravox in 1979. Shortly afterwards, the New Wave band had a huge U.K. hit with "Vienna", and it became one of Britain's most popular groups for several years. As well, later that year, Ure also formed the band Visage. In 1980, Ure and Thin Lizzy leader Phil Lynott co-wrote Lynott's biggest solo hit, titled "Yellow Pearl". A re-recording of the song done in 1981 was used as the theme for 'Top of the Pops', a music-centered television series.
In 1984, Ure co-wrote, with Bob Geldof, the Band Aid hit, "Do They Know It's Christmas?". He was one of the few featured stars who did not sing solo on the recording. The following year, Ure scored his one and only solo U.K. number one single with "If I Was", a wistful track that's since been considered his 'signature song'. This was followed by an album titled 'The Gift'. With Ure's mind clearly on other matters, Ultravox took second place and soon dissolved.
Ure's solo career continued into the 90s with sporadic success. However, "Breathe" was an international hit single, helped by its inclusion in a TV advertising campaign for Swatch watches. Ultravox songs with his work remained popular among many electronic music fans.
Ure more recently organized the Live 8 concerts with Bob Geldof with the aim of pressuring G8 leaders into following his recipe for ending world poverty. In 2005 he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to music and charity.
Ure has been married twice: to actress and writer Annabel Giles (with whom he has one daughter, Molly) and to Sheridan Ure (with whom he has three daughters, Kitty, Ruby and Flossie).
His daughter Molly has followed her father into the music industry, as the guitarist and vocalist of all-girl group The Faders.
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If I Was
Midge Ure Lyrics
If I was (if I was) a better man (a better man)
Would fellow men (would fellow men) take me to their hearts
If I was (if I was) a stronger man (a stronger man)
Carrying the weight of a popular demand
Tell me would that alarm her
I'd never harm her at all
If I was a soldier
Captive arms I'd lay before her
If I was a sailor
Seven oceans I'd sail to her
If I was (if I was) a wiser man (a wiser man)
Would other men (would other men) reach out and touch me
If I was (if I was) a kinder man (a kinder man)
Dishing up love for a hungry world
Tell me would that appease her
I want to please her again
If I was a painter
I'd paint a world that couldn't taint her
If I was a leader
On food of love from above I would feed her
If I was a poet
All my love and burning words I would show it
If I was her lover
Her eyes in kisses I would cover
Come here my baby
Oh they can't touch you now
I'll keep you save and warm
I'll never leave you at all
Come here my baby
Oh they won't touch you
Dishing up love for a hungry world
Tell me would that appease you
I want to please you again
If I was a soldier
Captive arms I'd lay before her
If I was a sailor
Seven oceans I'd sail to her
If I was a painter
I'd paint a world that couldn't taint her
If I was a leader
On food of love from above I would feed her
If I was a poet
All my love and burning words I would show it
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DANIEL MITCHELL, MIDGE URE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
Sea Dancer
My heart filling with some strange longing back in the days before Internet when the future was unknown and beautiful..
Kazz
wow, you've said it so beautiful!
Frank Schmitz
...and with hit-charts, not full of fu**ing hip-hop and autotune-voices.
simon warner
this song immediately catapults me back to the 80's - best decade for music. Love to go back there
simon warner
Happy New Year to you too. A very good guess. The 80's were def the best decade for music.
Ronan Raftery
Happy New Year, Simon!! Here's one for you. Why have they stopped broadcasting '80's shows on the radio?
Marcelo Tarde
Así es!
Scotty* Bucks
I grew up living it. Still part of my genetic makeup
keith barber
Sadly, we cannot go back, but the music is still here with us
Helen Lukacs
Back in the day when people could actually sing.....