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.
White China
Midge Ure Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With a soft unnerving ease
And all you've built around
May just tumble to the ground
We stand or fall
With your future in another's hands
We stand or fall
When white turns to red
In the not too distant days
Will force and misery
Be the life you have to lead?
We stand or fall
With your children in anothers world
We stand or fall
When your town is not your own
Chorus:
White China
White China
When crimson takes a hold
When the lights go down on all you've ever known
When all you'll ever do
Is worked out for you
We stand or fall
When the thoughts you have are not your own
We stand or fall
When the freedom slips away
(Repeat chorus 3 times)
The lyrics to Midge Ure's song White China are a poignant commentary on the fragility of our lives and the power dynamics that control our existence. The song begins by describing the fleeting beauty of pale turning into pink, which can quickly crumble into chaos and destruction. This metaphor is representative of the delicate balance that exists in all aspects of our lives, whether it be personal relationships or global politics. The second verse is a warning about a future where white turns to red, symbolizing violence and bloodshed. Ure questions whether force and misery will be the new reality that we have to face.
The chorus, "White China," is an enigmatic phrase that can be interpreted in many ways. Some people believe it is a reference to the fragility of porcelain, while others think it's an allusion to the phrase "White man's burden." Regardless of its meaning, the repetition of this phrase throughout the song creates a haunting and foreboding atmosphere. The final verse of the song is a lament about losing our freedom and our ability to think for ourselves. Ure acknowledges that we can only stand or fall, and our fate is often in the hands of others.
Line by Line Meaning
When pale turns to pink
As the situation transitions from bad to worse
With a soft unnerving ease
In an almost unnoticeable and unsettling manner
And all you've built around
Everything you have worked hard to establish
May just tumble to the ground
Could fall apart in an instant
We stand or fall
Our fate is uncertain
With your future in another's hands
Controlled or influenced by another person
When your life is not your own
When you don't have control over your own life
When white turns to red
When things get violent
In the not too distant days
In the foreseeable future
Will force and misery
Coercion and great suffering
Be the life you have to lead?
Will these negative aspects become a part of your life?
With your children in another's world
Your children living in a different reality or under someone else's control
When your town is not your own
When you feel like a stranger in the place you call home
Chorus:
Refrain
White China
Metaphor for the fragility of life
White China
Repetition of the refrain
When crimson takes a hold
When things get even worse or more violent
When the lights go down on all you've ever known
When everything you are familiar with disappears
When all you'll ever do
When your life is predetermined or when you have no options
Is worked out for you
When your life is planned for you and you have no say in the matter
When the thoughts you have are not your own
When someone else's ideas or beliefs are enforced upon you
When the freedom slips away
When you lose your freedom or your ability to make your own choices
(Repeat chorus 3 times)
Repetition of the refrain three more times
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRISTOPHER THOMAS ALLEN, MIDGE URE, WARREN REGINALD CANN, WILLIAM CURRIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind