Herr X
Ultravox Lyrics


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I found the perfect picture, of a perfect stranger.
It looked as if, it were taken in the forties sometime,
Judging by the style.

He could be a killer or a blind man with a cane,
Perhaps he died in a car crash, years ago.
Right now, it's impossible to tell.
I almost thought I saw him, standing, whistling on a bridge.
I asked him the time, but when he turned around,
I saw it wasn't him at all.

I'm still searching.
I'm still searching.

I saw him in an airport, while he was sitting on a wing.
And I waved to him, but I don't think he noticed me.
I've got a funny feeling I know who he is.





Mr. X (Repeat 14 times and fade)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Ultravox's song Mr. X suggest the singer's obsession over a stranger whose image he found on a picture. The picture seems to have been taken in the forties, and the stranger's appearance is uncannily enigmatic. The singer muses over numerous possibilities ranging from the stranger being a killer or a blind person with a cane to him dying in a gruesome car crash. However, he remains unsure, and the stranger's identity continues to elude him.


As the song progresses, the singer claims to have seen the stranger twice, but both times, he realizes his mistake. First, he sees him standing and whistling on a bridge, but when he asks him the time and turns around, he sees it's not him at all. Secondly, he spots him sitting on a wing in an airport and waves at him, but the stranger doesn't seem to acknowledge him. The singer believes he knows the stranger's identity, but it remains a mystery.


The song's theme revolves around the significance of identity, its impermanence, and how we often struggle to make sense of the unknown. The lyrics highlight how appearances can be deceiving, and we may never know the truth behind a stranger's identity, just like the singer's obsessions with Mr. X. The haunting melody and evocative lyrics create a sense of intrigue and uncertainty, making it one of Ultravox's unforgettable songs.


Line by Line Meaning

I found the perfect picture, of a perfect stranger.
I came across a photograph that showcases an individual I know nothing about. The photo looks like it was taken in the 1940s.


It looked as if, it were taken in the forties sometime,
Based on the style and appearance of the photo, it seems like it was captured in the 1940s.


Judging by the style.
I'm making assumptions about the photo's timing based on the fashion and trends within it.


He could be a killer or a blind man with a cane,
I don't know who the person in the photo is or what kind of life or situation they had. They could have been an innocent, disabled man or someone who could have caused harm to others.


Perhaps he died in a car crash, years ago.
It's possible that the person in the photo is dead now due to a car accident, but I can't be sure.


Right now, it's impossible to tell.
I cannot make any definitive conclusions about the man in the photograph with the information I have at hand.


I almost thought I saw him, standing, whistling on a bridge.
I had a momentary thought that I saw this same person on a bridge, but I can't be sure it was him.


I asked him the time, but when he turned around,
I attempted to interact with the man I thought I saw on the bridge by asking him the time.


I saw it wasn't him at all.
Unfortunately, when the person I spoke to on the bridge turned around, I realized that it wasn't the same man from the photograph.


I'm still searching.
Even though I haven't found the answers I'm looking for yet, I haven't given up.


I saw him in an airport, while he was sitting on a wing.
Sometime later, I thought I saw the same person sitting on a plane wing at an airport.


And I waved to him, but I don't think he noticed me.
I attempted to interact with the man in the airport by waving at him, but I don't believe he noticed my gesture or my presence.


I've got a funny feeling I know who he is.
Despite the lack of definitive proof that this person is the one from the photograph, I still have an inkling that he's the one I'm searching for.


Mr. X (Repeat 14 times and fade)
The mystery of trying to find out who Mr. X is continues, and that the search remains unsolved.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRISTOPHER THOMAS ALLEN, MIDGE URE, WARREN REGINALD CANN, WILLIAM CURRIE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Philip Kassabian


on The Frozen Ones

A great Ultravox song.

Philip Kassabian


on Dancing With Tears in My Eyes

A great and emotional song.