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
Some of Them
Ultravox Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some of them flicker then they fade
Some of them are triggered off by any crazy thing
Some of them are all that's left
Some of them are just dead regrets
Some of them are shining out through everything I see
Some of them
Some of them
Some of them are brittle, some are sad
Some of them are aching, some are glad
Some of them are gone so long they're hard to recognise
Stand close to the long parade
Watch them passing by in their million ways
Walk on through the evergreens
Pass from scene to scene through all these yesterdays
Some of them are friends just as they were
Some of them are gentle, some can fret
Some of them are crowding closer every passing year
Some of them live in photographs
Some of them still give me a laugh
Some of them I've out-absorbed (?) as they're changing me
Some of them
Some of them
Some of them
The lyrics of Ultravox's "Some of Them" explores the changing nature of human relationships and the memories associated with it. The song reflects on the various types of people that we encounter in our lives and how each one of them leaves a mark on us. Some of them change constantly, they flicker and then fade away, and we remember them only as fleeting glimpses of our past. Some of them are triggered off by any crazy thing, their presence evoked by a sound or a scent or simply a memory.
The song's lyrics also acknowledge the bittersweet nature of memories as some of them are all that's left while others are just dead regrets. Memories can be brittle and sad, or they can be aching and glad. Some of them are gone for so long that they're hard to recognize while others are shining through everything we see. We walk through the evergreens of our memories, passing from scene to scene through all these yesterdays.
The song concludes by acknowledging that some of the people we encounter in our lives are still our friends, just as they were. Some are gentle and some can fret, but they are all crowding closer with every passing year. Some of them live in photographs, and some of them still make us laugh. But ultimately, all of these memories have helped to shape us into the person we are today.
Line by Line Meaning
Some of them are changing day to day
There are people who change their thoughts, opinions or decisions every day.
Some of them flicker then they fade
There are people who come into one's life temporarily and quickly fade away.
Some of them are triggered off by any crazy thing
Some people get affected or influenced by anything unusual or irrational.
Some of them are all that's left
Some people are the only ones that remain in one's life.
Some of them are just dead regrets
Some people are nothing but regrets from the past that cannot be changed.
Some of them are shining out through everything I see
Some people brighten up everything in one's life and are visible in every aspect of it.
Some of them are brittle, some are sad
Some people are fragile or weak, while others are unhappy.
Some of them are aching, some are glad
Some people are in pain, while others are happy or content.
Some of them are gone so long they're hard to recognise
Some people have been gone for so long that it is difficult to recognize or identify them.
Stand close to the long parade
Be near the large number of people who are passing through life.
Watch them passing by in their million ways
Observe the various ways in which people live their lives.
Walk on through the evergreens
Move forward through the enduring experiences of life.
Pass from scene to scene through all these yesterdays
Travel through the past experiences and memories of life.
Some of them are friends just as they were
Some people are still friends as they have always been.
Some of them are gentle, some can fret
Some people are calm, while others worry or are anxious.
Some of them are crowding closer every passing year
Some people are becoming more and more present in one's life every year.
Some of them live in photographs
Some people are only present in photographs or memories.
Some of them still give me a laugh
Some people still bring joy and laughter to one's life.
Some of them I've out-absorbed (?) as they're changing me
Some people have become a part of one's life and now have an impact on who they are becoming.
Some of them
There are still some people left to mention.
Some of them
There are even more people to speak about.
Some of them
There is an endless number of people in the world.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DENNIS LEIGH, ROBIN SIMON, WILLIAM CURRIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
on The Frozen Ones
A great Ultravox song.
Philip Kassabian
on Dancing With Tears in My Eyes
A great and emotional song.