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.
Fade To Grey
Midge Ure Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One case sitting by his side
Two eyes staring cold and silent
Shows fear as he turns to hide.
Ohoh... We fade to grey, Ohoh... We fade to grey, Ohoh... We fade to grey, Ohoh... We fade to grey, Ohoh... We fade to grey, Ohoh... We fade to grey... verse two:
Feel the rain like an English summer
Hear the notes from a distant song
Stepping out from a back-drop poster
Ohoh... We fade to grey, Ohoh... We fade to grey, Ohoh... We fade to grey, Ohoh... We fade to grey, Ohoh... We fade to grey, Ohoh... We fade to grey
Ohoh...
The song "Fade to Grey" by Midge Ure is a melancholic, synth-pop track that evokes feelings of sadness and isolation. The lyrics describe a man standing alone on a lonely platform with a suitcase by his side. He seems to be frightened and wants to hide. The ominous opening lines set a dark and mysterious tone for the song. The repetition of "fade to grey" throughout the song reflects the feeling of losing color and vibrancy in life. As the song progresses, it talks about feeling the rain like an English summer and hearing the distant notes of a song, which creates a sense of nostalgia and longing for something that is lost. The chorus repeats itself to emphasize the theme of fading away.
The lyrics are open to interpretation, but many have seen it as a commentary on the decline of post-World War II Britain. The image of a man standing alone on a platform could represent the isolation that many people felt in a society that was becoming increasingly fragmented. The idea of fading to grey could symbolize the loss of hope and optimism that many felt at the time.
Line by Line Meaning
One man on a lonely platform
A single person stands alone and isolated on a platform.
One case sitting by his side
The person has a suitcase next to them, indicating they may be a traveler or on a journey.
Two eyes staring cold and silent
The person appears to be emotionless, with a blank and unresponsive expression.
Shows fear as he turns to hide
Despite their cold exterior, the person is afraid and tries to conceal themselves.
Ohoh... We fade to grey
The repetition of this line emphasizes the idea of fading, disappearing, or losing oneself.
Feel the rain like an English summer
The sensation of rain is described as similar to what one might experience during a summer in England.
Hear the notes from a distant song
There is a feeling of distance and disconnection from the music that is heard in the background.
Stepping out from a back-drop poster
It feels as though one is exiting from a staged or manufactured world, returning to reality.
Wishing life wouldn't be so long
There is a sense of weariness or boredom with the length and monotony of life.
Ohoh... We fade to grey
The repetition of this line is a reminder that we all eventually disappear or fade away.
Writer(s): Chris Payne, Midge Ure, Billy Currie
Contributed by Alaina A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rob Tyman
This is such a great live version of this iconic song. Midge's love of performing is infectious, and he's still got an amazing voice. Very talented man.
Ronin Heart
One of the most simple, effective and game changing compositions in the history of music. Thanks to Chris, Billy and Midge!
Dirk McQuickly
So if its an instrumental, is it actually called Toot City, and with lyrics is it Fade To Grey 😉😂?
Ronin Heart
No worries, cheers!@Cathal Sweeney
Cathal Sweeney
@Ronin Heart ok .thanks 👍
Ronin Heart
@Cathal Sweeney It was Billy and Chris in the first place and Midge in the second.
Cathal Sweeney
I thought it was only midge on this as he wrote it and played on the original song
AdventuresOfTheKanFam
There’s no way to describe how cool New Wave music was when it first broke. It really was a new British wave, and it was awesome. Gen X was a great Gen
Заводной Алекс
Это потрясающе! Покойся с миром Стив Стрендж, но этот шедевр написал Midge Ure! 80 годы - "Золотой век" прекрасной, свободной и вечной музыки!
Paul Barry
What a superb vocal from Midge, his voice just seems to get better as he gets older. Really enjoyed this and thanks for posting.