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.
Alone
Midge Ure Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Give this soul a helping hand
Help me, help me, help me
Help revive and ucre this hopeless man
Nothing comes from nothing
And that's exactly what I am alone
D' you think if I
That what I'd see was frightning?
Sat behind the walls I'd built
To hide me from my feeling all alone
Alone
Alone
Save me, save me, save me
Give this soul a helping hand
Help me , help me, help me
Help revive and cure this hopeless man
Nothing comes from nothing
And that's exactly what I am
Alone
What if your hand
Plucked me out from obscurity
And pushed my stupid face around
To face my insicurity
Would I have the strength
To change my ways, not be alone?
Sat behind the walls I'd built
To hide me from my feeling all alone
Alone
Alone
Get myself a future
Find myself a new religion
Piece my live together
Or maybe not
I could revise so I could make it so much better
Better than the dream I've got.
The song "Alone" by Midge Ure is a cry for help from a person who is stuck in a dark and lonely place. The repetition of "save me" and "help me" throughout the song emphasizes the desperation of the singer. He is aware that he is hopeless and alone, but he is unsure if he has the strength to change his situation. The verse beginning with "What if your hand" shows that the singer is open to the idea of someone coming to his rescue, but it also reveals his fear of facing his insecurities. The chorus repeats, emphasizing his need for help.
The verse beginning with "Sat behind the walls" reveals that the singer has built walls around himself to protect himself from his feelings of isolation. However, these walls have also prevented him from experiencing anything else in his life. He feels trapped behind these walls and does not know how to break them down. The final verse presents two options for the singer: he can either work to piece his life back together or remain stuck in his current mindset. The line "better than the dream I've got" suggests that the singer recognizes that his current situation is not what he wants for himself.
Overall, "Alone" is a powerful song about the struggles of loneliness and the need for help. The singer is stuck in a dark place and is seeking someone to help him navigate his way out. He is aware of his situation but is unsure if he has the strength to change it. The wall that he has built around himself serves as a metaphor for the emotional barriers that keep people from connecting with others and moving forward in their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Save me, save me, save me
A plea for help and support.
Give this soul a helping hand
Asking for a positive influence to help the singer find hope.
Help me, help me, help me
The need for assistance is being emphasized.
Help revive and cure this hopeless man
Assistance is being sought to help the artist feel better about himself and his circumstances.
Nothing comes from nothing
If nothing is done, nothing will come of it.
And that's exactly what I am alone
The singer feels helpless and alone in his current situation.
D'you think if I
The singer is beginning a questioning thought.
Let a little light into my safe, dark world
If the artist opens himself up to new ideas or perspectives, would he find them frightening?
That what I'd see was frightening?
The artist is questioning his own fears and doubts about change or progress.
Sat behind the walls I'd built
The artist has shut himself off from others, either through fear or insecurity.
To hide me from my feeling all alone
The singer is using self-imposed isolation to cope with his feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Alone
Emphasizing the artist's sense of seclusion from the world.
What if your hand
The singer is imagining the help and support of another person.
Plucked me out from obscurity
The singer feels he is unnoticed and uncared for, and seeks a positive influence to help him out of this state.
And pushed my stupid face around
The singer's self-esteem is so low that he perceives himself as beneath others, even physically unattractive.
To face my insecurity
The artist recognizes his own insecurity, and wants help confronting it.
Would I have the strength
The artist is questioning his own ability to change.
To change my ways, not be alone?
The singer is hoping for a positive outcome, and wants to be able to overcome his fears and feelings of isolation.
Get myself a future
The singer is seeking hope for the future.
Find myself a new religion
The artist is looking for a new way of life, an alternative to his current circumstances.
Piece my life together
The artist is looking for a way to bring purpose and meaning to his existence.
Or maybe not
The artist acknowledges that change is not easy, and is willing to accept the possibility of failure.
I could revise so I could make it so much better
The singer sees the possibility of personal growth and is willing to put in the effort to achieve it.
Better than the dream I've got.
The artist believes that he can achieve a better future than he has ever imagined.
Contributed by Isaiah T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.