The band was formed in 1973 in London, United Kingdom on the initiative of vocalist, songwriter and keyboardist John Foxx (born Dennis Leigh). Originally known as Tiger Lily, the first lineup included Foxx plus Chris Cross (bass guitar), Billy Currie (keyboards/violins), Stevie Shears (guitar) and Warren Cann (percussion). The group released one single in 1974, a cover of "Ain't Misbehaving," before changing their name to Ultravox!, the exclamation point being a reference to the krautrock band Neu! that was produced by Conny Plank (who later produced some Ultravox albums). On the strength of their live act, they signed to Island Records in 1976, releasing their eponymous debut album in February 1977.
In common with many other bands which would go on to form Britain's punk and New Wave movements, Ultravox drew inspiration from the art-school side of glam rock, from bands such as Roxy Music and the New York Dolls, as well as from David Bowie and Brian Eno's early pop-fueled albums. Their eponymous debut album was self-produced by the band, yet Brian Eno (whose next job after these sessions was working with Bowie on 'Low') co-produced two songs and Steve Lillywhite also contributed. Sales were disappointing, and neither 'Ultravox!' nor the associated single "Dangerous Rhythm" managed to enter the U.K. charts.
Ultravox returned later in 1977 with the punkier 'Ha!-Ha!-Ha!'. Although sales of both the album and its lead single "ROckwrok" (which, despite a chorus featuring the lines "Come on, let's tangle in the dark/Fuck like a dog, bite like a shark", was played on BBC Radio 1) were still unimpressive, they had a growing fan-base. Steve Shears was sacked, later deciding to form the new band Faith Global. Although most of 'Ha!-Ha!-Ha!' was dominated by guitars and electric violin, the final track, "Hiroshima Mon Amour," was a prototypical synth pop song which gave a hint to the band's new direction. It remains a critical and fan favourite of the group's early incarnation, and it was even performed by the group on the 'Old Grey Whistle Test'. In 1978, the group quietly dropped the exclamation mark, becoming simply "Ultravox".
Their third album, 1978's Systems of Romance, was recorded under the ear of Conny Plank at his studio in rural Germany and featured new guitarist Robin Simon. It also failed commercially and Island dropped the band. After a US tour in 1979, John Foxx left to pursue a solo career whilst Robin Simon left to join the band Magazine. Musically, the album was a distinct development from the band's previous work and provided a blueprint for Ultravox's subsequent work, bringing synthesisers to the forefront of the group's sound. Island released a compilation of highlights from the group's first three albums in 1979, Three Into One, which was until the mid-1990s the most widespread of Ultravox's early releases.
Midge Ure, an already accomplished musician, was asked to join the band. He had achieved minor success with semi-glam outfit Slik and Glen Matlock's more punk-inspired The Rich Kids, although in 1979 he was temporarily playing with hard rock band Thin Lizzy. Midge Ure and Billy Currie had met in the Visage project, a studio project fronted by Steve Strange. Midge therefore replaced John Foxx for their next album, which would become their most successful to date, taking the already influential Ultravox sound and giving it a commercial appeal it had previously lacked.
Recorded in London and mixed by Conny Plank and the band once more in Germany,
Vienna was released on the new label Chrysalis Records in 1980, achieving a substantial hit with the title track (inspired by Carol Reed's The Third Man), which was accompanied with a distinctive video. It topped out at number two (Joe Dolce's "Shaddap You Face" infamously kept it from the top spot) on the UK Top 40 in 1981. The album reached number five, and was soon followed by Rage in Eden (1981), the band returning to Conny Plank's studio for what turned out to be a difficult recording session.
Ultravox teamed up with legendary producer George Martin for 1982's Quartet, which became their most successful album in the USA.
After touring with their 1984 Lament, and appearing at Live Aid, Warren Cann was fired and pursued a career in acting in the USA. The remaining members, along with Big Country's Mark Brzezicki, resurfaced with U-Vox in 1986 before going their separate ways the following year. Billy Currie and singer/guitarist Tony Fenelle reformed the band in 1992 to record Revelation, and Sam Blue lent his voice to their final release, Ingenuity (1996).
The band's international legion of followers yearned for some sort of reconcilliation. Both Billy Currie and Midge Ure pursued solo careers after the band were put officially on ice by Currie in 1996, Ure continuing to peform solo versions of Ultravox hits live.
Fans were therefore delighted when an announcement came in November 2008 that the 'classic' Cann/Cross/Currie/Ure line-up were to reform and play a fourteen-date UK tour entitled Return To Eden in April 2009. With Vienna and Rage In Eden being remastered and re-released and plans for a greatest hits compilation to accompany the tour, Ultravox are now set for a return to prominence.
After their successful 'Return to Eden Tour', Ultravox signed a deal with Universal Records and talk of new studio albums heated up. On February 21st 2011, a new EP, Moments from Eden, came out.
The band's latest album is 2012's 'Brilliant', featuring the 80s line-up of Midge Ure, Billy Currie, Chris Cross, and Warren Cann. Picking up a strong fan response, their recent touring has brought them to big crowds alongside rockers Simple Minds.
Website: http://www.ultravox.org.uk
Life at Rainbow's End
Ultravox Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Addresses were rearranging
The cold boy from the suburbs, he left there
He'd read the book of no return
And me, I burnt your picture
For the ashes of the lords
For you had played your games too well
I suppose I chose a
Good introduction
From a formerly trusted friend
A good introduction
To life at rainbow's end
Life at rainbow's end
Life at rainbow's end
Here I am a millionaire
Sewn into these dreams
I burnt all the maps that lead here
So no one can ever follow me
Only lonely parties start
At the dark side of this world
The gangster with the golden arm
Plays death cards for the girls
I saw the final vicar
Make confession to a dancer
We stood upon the bridge at dawn
And the dancer kissed my cancer
I suppose I chose a
Good introduction
From a formerly trusted friend
A good introduction
To life at rainbow's end
Life at rainbow's end
Life at rainbow's end
The lyrics to Ultravox!'s "Life At Rainbow's End" evoke feelings of sadness, loneliness and disillusionment. The opening lines paint a picture of a changing world, with the streets and addresses shifting around the singer. The "cold boy from the suburbs" is a figure who has left behind his old life, perhaps seeking something more fulfilling or exciting. The reference to the "book of no return" suggests a sense of finality - this person has made a choice to give up what they once knew and embark on a new journey with no way back.
The next verse shifts the focus onto the singer's own feelings about a former lover. They have burned a picture of this person, using it as a symbol of their own anger and disappointment. The language used is vivid and dramatic, with references to "ashes of the lords" and the lover playing "games too well". The imagery suggests that this person was manipulative and controlling, acting like a martyr while also exerting power over the singer. It's clear that the relationship has left a lasting mark on the singer, who now sees no value in following a predefined path.
The chorus of the song features the line "life at rainbow's end", which is repeated several times. This phrase could be interpreted in a number of ways - perhaps it refers to a sense of hope and possibility, with the rainbow symbolising the promise of better things to come. Alternatively, it could be read as a sombre acknowledgement that life is always moving towards its conclusion, and that the singer sees themselves as nearing the end of their own journey. The final verse includes some surreal but evocative images, like the final vicar making a confession to a dancer and the dancer kissing the singer's cancer. There is a sense of darkness and uncertainty to these lines, suggesting that the singer has encountered strange and unsettling experiences on their path to wherever they are now.
Line by Line Meaning
Streets I knew were raining, changing
The familiar streets and surroundings are changing and being altered by the rain, indicating that the world is continuously evolving and nothing remains stagnant forever.
Addresses were rearranging
The changes taking place are so vast that even the addresses of buildings are being altered, indicating a time of significant flux and turmoil.
The cold boy from the suburbs, he left there
A boy from a suburban background has left his home and moved on to something more; he is seeking something beyond what the suburbs can offer him.
He'd read the book of no return
The boy has read or learnt something that has now courageously pushed him to leave behind the place that he once called home, knowing that he will not return there.
And me, I burnt your picture
The singer burned a picture of someone who had played a significant role in their life, symbolizing the end of that particular chapter or relationship.
For the ashes of the lords
The burnt ashes symbolize an end or death of a certain aristocratic aspect of society, the metaphorical lords, that the singer was trying to disengage from.
For you had played your games too well
The person whose picture was burned had been playing games skillfully, perhaps manipulating their partner in some way, and the singer was not willing to play along any longer.
As the martyr and the boss
This line indicates that the person who was playing games was perhaps a martyr or a victim while also taking on the role of the boss, being in control of the situation.
I suppose I chose a
The artist recognizes that he may have willingly entered this unfamiliar, unsettling world.
Good introduction
While the world he has entered is strange and new, he is ultimately grateful for the introduction to it, as it has changed him and helped him grow.
From a formerly trusted friend
The introduction came from someone the singer had trusted prior to entering this world, making the experience more complicated and difficult to navigate.
To life at rainbow's end
The life that the artist has entered is colorful, chaotic, and likely full of unexpected twists and turns.
Here I am a millionaire
Despite being in a strange and at times challenging place, the singer has achieved a level of prosperity in the world he has entered.
Sewn into these dreams
The singer is fully immersed in this world and has built his life around his new reality, tied up so completely in this place that it is hard to imagine him ever returning to his old life.
I burnt all the maps that lead here
The singer has intentionally destroyed any possibility of someone else following in his footsteps, indicating that this surreal place is dangerous and he would not recommend others taking the same path.
So no one can ever follow me
The artist would rather explore and make mistakes on his own than lead someone else into this enigmatic, mystical world.
Only lonely parties start
There are parties being thrown in this dark, uncertain world, but the artist recognizes that they ultimately lead nowhere and are empty and unfulfilling.
At the dark side of this world
The singer recognizes that this world is not entirely bright or happy and that there is a darkness and an unknown to it that must be confronted.
The gangster with the golden arm
The singer is describing a specific figure in this world, perhaps a dangerous or influential person who holds a lot of power.
Plays death cards for the girls
This figure is perhaps using dangerous methods or games to attract women, something that the artist sees as dark and troubling.
I saw the final vicar
The artist is describing a religious figure, perhaps someone who holds great power and influence in this particular world.
Make confession to a dancer
This powerful figure is essentially confessing or unburdening himself to a dancer, a figure who may be less powerful but still carries influence in this world.
We stood upon the bridge at dawn
The singer is describing a specific moment that they shared with these figures, perhaps a moment of vulnerability and openness for all involved.
And the dancer kissed my cancer
The dancer comforted the artist in some way, providing temporary relief from the negative, destructive aspects of this world.
Contributed by Cameron C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Philip Kassabian
on The Frozen Ones
A great Ultravox song.
Philip Kassabian
on Dancing With Tears in My Eyes
A great and emotional song.