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.
Let It Go?
Midge Ure Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wrapped in many shades of green
But I sat and watched the world go by
Confused by all the things I've seen
Should I stand up, say what's on my mind
Point my finger at the wrong I find
Let it linger till another time
I've seen forests turn to fields of sand
To satisfy a rich man's greed
Now the tears that fall upon this land
Won't help to grow a nation's needs
Should I shout out from the highest tower
Should I take it to the highest power
Show the plague that turns a whole world sour
Or let it go?
I seek comfort in a sea of fools
And wrap their lies around for protection
But if lies were any answer at all
We're just adding to this world infection
Can I turn and smile and kiss it away?
Leave it lying for another day
Should I fall down on my knees and pray
Or let it go?
There's a passion that destroys all the caring (ah-ah, ah-ah)
And walks across the flowers of affection (ah-ah, ah-ah)
Breaks them down into the soil we are sharing (ah-ah, ah-ah)
And leaves us with this life of rejection (ah-ah, ah-ah)
Am I strong enough to stand my ground? (ah-ah, ah-ah)
Lift my head and show the strength I've found (ah-ah, ah-ah)
Try to keep from hell or heaven bound (ah-ah, ah-ah)
Or let it go?
Don't let it go
Should I shout out from the highest tower
Should I take it to the highest power
Show the plague that turns a whole world sour
Or let it go?
(Ahahahahaaa)
(Ahahahahaaa)
(Ahahahahaaa)
(Ahahahahaaa)
Can I turn and smile and kiss it away?
Leave it lying for another day
Should I fall down on my knees and pray
Or let it go?
(Ahahahahaaa)
(Ahahahahaaa)
(Ahahahahaaa)
(Ahahahahaaa)
Should I stand up, say what's on my mind
Point a finger at the wrong I find
Let it linger till another time
Or let it go?
(Ahahahahaaa)
(Ahahahahaaa)
(Ahahahahaaa)
(Ahahahahaaa)
(Ahahahahaaa)
(Ahahahahaaa)
(Ahahahahaaa)
(Ahahahahaaa)
(Ahahahahaaa)
(Ahahahahaaa)
(Ahahahahaaa)
(Ahahahahaaa)
Midge Ure's "Let It Go" is a song that touches on themes of environmentalism, social justice, and personal responsibility. The song opens with the singer describing a "promised land" that is now destroyed by greed and corruption, leaving him confused and wondering whether he should speak out or remain silent. The chorus poses the question of whether to confront injustice or let it pass unchallenged. The second verse describes the singer seeking comfort in the company of others, but recognizing that they are also complicit in spreading lies and perpetuating problems. The bridge examines the destructive power of passion on relationships and society as a whole, and asks whether the singer is strong enough to make a stand.
Overall, "Let It Go" is a call to action for individuals to take responsibility for the world around them and speak out against injustice, even when it is difficult or uncomfortable to do so. The song encourages listeners to consider the impact of their actions and to confront problems head-on, rather than hoping they will magically disappear.
Line by Line Meaning
Once I saw a promised land
There was a time when I had hope for a better future.
Wrapped in many shades of green
The world was a beautiful, diverse place.
But I sat and watched the world go by
I didn't take action to try and prevent the negative changes I saw.
Confused by all the things I've seen
I was overwhelmed by the hurt and destruction caused by greed.
Should I stand up, say what's on my mind
Should I speak out and make my opinion known?
Point my finger at the wrong I find
Should I attribute blame where I see wrongdoing?
Let it linger till another time
Should I put off confronting the issue to a later date?
Or let it go?
Maybe it's best to simply let it be and move on.
I've seen forests turn to fields of sand
I've witnessed the destruction of the environment for the sake of profits.
To satisfy a rich man's greed
The destruction was for the benefit of a wealthy individual or corporation.
Now the tears that fall upon this land
The harm caused cannot be undone, and the suffering continues.
Won't help to grow a nation's needs
Crying about the damage won't repair the damage, nor provide for the needs of the people.
Should I shout out from the highest tower
Should I make a public declaration about the wrong that's been done?
Should I take it to the highest power
Should I appeal to the government or other authorities to right the wrong?
Show the plague that turns a whole world sour
Should I draw attention to the greed that's causing harm on a global scale?
I seek comfort in a sea of fools
I'm taking solace in ignorance because the truth is overwhelming.
And wrap their lies around for protection
I'm allowing myself to believe in false information becuase it's easier.
But if lies were any answer at all
If believing false information could solve problems then maybe I'd be on the right track.
We're just adding to this world infection
In fact believing lies can only make things worse.
Can I turn and smile and kiss it away?
Can I pretend like everything is fine and avoid the issue?
Leave it lying for another day
Should I just postpone dealing with the problem for a later date?
Should I fall down on my knees and pray
Should I entrust the problem to a higher power?
There's a passion that destroys all the caring
There is a destructive force gaining strength by eroding the empathy of the people.
And walks across the flowers of affection
This force tramples on the love and kindness that binds people together.
Breaks them down into the soil we are sharing
It destroys the foundation of society and renders it fragile and unstable.
And leaves us with this life of rejection
It destroys the individual and collective psyches of those affected, resulting in lives of despair.
Am I strong enough to stand my ground?
Do I have the courage to face the issue head on?
Lift my head and show the strength I've found
Can I stand tall and demonstrate my resolve?
Try to keep from hell or heaven bound
Should I strive for neutrality and avoid extremes in search of a solution?
Don't let it go
Bear in mind the importance of the issue and the need to take action.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MIDGE URE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind