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.
Homeland
Midge Ure Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You'd think by this time
You'd be gone from my mind
But it isn't so
Sometimes I hear your voice ringing clear on the radio
Hearing you tell words that I knew so well
Not so long ago
I know you will always be near
And though you watch from afar
I know where you are
You walk the homeland
I remember that night
Of that year when the tears wouldn't clear my eyes
I'd seen it before
Like a dream I'd ignore
It was no surprise
I tried to pretend that the madness would end and you'd realise
That all that was left was the whisper of death and your children's cries
And though it's changed for us all
I know you will always be near
And though you watch from afar
I know where you are
You walk the homeland
You slipped away like snow in a warm hand
You welcomed that warm hand
You made it too easy
The lyrics of Midge Ure's song "Homeland" explore the prevalence of memories and the pain of loss. The singer speaks of a person who they thought they would have forgotten by now, but who still haunts them. The person's voice resonates over the radio, triggering emotions and thoughts that the singer is trying to bury. The singer reminisces about a night during which they witnessed the horrors of war and death, and it seems that they hold the person responsible for that event. Yet, despite everything, the singer recognizes that this person will always be present in their life, albeit from afar. They "walk the homeland," suggesting that there is something driving them to remain connected to their roots or their home.
The song has a reflective tone and appears to be a lament for a broken or lost relationship. It refers to themes of the past, memories, and nostalgic longing. The lyrics carry elements of sadness and longing, underscored by the melancholic tune. The singer seems to be grappling with emotions that they are unable to control or dismiss.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes I find that the ghost from behind me won't go
Occasionally, I feel that my haunting memories won't fade away.
You'd think by this time
Considering the length of time passed, one would assume that you'd be forgotten.
You'd be gone from my mind
You are no longer thought about or remembered.
But it isn't so
Unfortunately, the past is still very much present.
Sometimes I hear your voice ringing clear on the radio
At times, I hear your distinct voice on the radio.
Hearing you tell words that I knew so well
Listening to you repeat words that are etched in my memory.
Not so long ago
It wasn't very far back in history.
And though it's changed for us all
Even though things have transformed across the board.
I know you will always be near
I am aware that you'll always be close by.
And though you watch from afar
Despite observing from a distance.
I know where you are
I'm aware of where you are residing.
You walk the homeland
You are traversing your native land.
I remember that night
That particular evening is still fresh in my memory.
Of that year when the tears wouldn't clear my eyes
During that 12-month period when I couldn't stop crying.
I'd seen it before
I had witnessed something very similar previously.
Like a dream I'd ignore
Like an imaginary vision that I refused to acknowledge.
It was no surprise
It wasn't shocking, unexpected, or unforeseen.
I tried to pretend that the madness would end and you'd realise
I attempted to fake that the insanity would come to a conclusion and you would become aware of it.
That all that was left was the whisper of death and your children's cries
That all that remained was the sound of dying breath and the clamor of your kids.
You slipped away like snow in a warm hand
You vanished like snow in a warm palm.
You welcomed that warm hand
You embraced that cozy grip or comfortable situation.
You made it too easy
You facilitated the process too much.
Contributed by Lucy P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.