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
Sweet Surrender
Ultravox Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sweet sweet sweet surrender
Sweet sweet sweet surrender
Sweet sweet sweet surrender
Searching the institution
Chasing the grand illusion
All the way, away
Turn every stone to find it
It falls away, away
Beats on my devotions
Like a hammer hits a nail
With your sweet surrender
Fill up my emotions
Like a wind fills out a sail
With your sweet surrender
Beats on my devotions
Like a hammer hits a nail
With your sweet surrender
Fill up my emotions
Like a wind fills out a sail
With your sweet surrender
Finding the key to open
A heart that was never broken
With a smile, a smile
Look for whoever sold me
On a feeling nobody told me
Could be wild, so wild
Sweet sweet sweet surrender
Sweet sweet sweet surrender
Sweet sweet sweet surrender
Sweet sweet sweet surrender
Searching the institution
Chasing the grand illusion
All the way, away
Turn every stone to find it
Filling my empty mind
It falls away, away
Beats on my devotions
Like a hammer hits a nail
With your sweet surrender
Fill up my emotions
Like a wind fills out a sail
With your sweet surrender
Beats on my devotions
Like a hammer hits a nail
With your sweet surrender
Fill up my emotions
Like a wind fills out a sail
With your sweet surrender
Beat on my devotions
Like a hammer hits a nail
It's a sweet surrender
Sweet sweet sweet surrender
Sweet sweet sweet surrender
Beat on my devotions
Like a hammer hits a nail
It's a sweet surrender
Sweet sweet sweet surrender
Sweet sweet sweet surrender
Beat on my devotions
Like a hammer hits a nail
It's a sweet surrender
Sweet sweet sweet surrender
Sweet sweet sweet surrender
The song "Sweet Surrender" by Ultravox talks about the feelings of surrendering to love and giving into the passion that it brings. The various lines in the song talk about searching for love in different places, including within an institution and chasing after an elusive idea of romance. Even though the search may be difficult and the heart may not have been broken before, the lyrics suggest surrendering to the power of love once it is found. The chorus repeats the phrase "Sweet sweet sweet surrender" as a way of emphasizing the theme of giving in to love.
The lyrics also use imagery to describe the emotions that are felt when someone surrenders to love. The lines "Beats on my devotions like a hammer hits a nail" and "Fill up my emotions like a wind fills out a sail" use metaphors to describe the impact that love has on a person's heart and mind. The use of these vivid descriptions adds depth to the meaning of the song.
Overall, "Sweet Surrender" is a song that celebrates the power of love and the emotions that come with it. The lyrics encourage listeners to surrender to love and allow themselves to feel the full range of emotions that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Sweet sweet sweet surrender
Repetitive phrase suggesting complete submission to a desirable outcome.
Searching the institution
Act of looking in organized systems for something that is elusive.
Chasing the grand illusion
Trying to catch an idea or hope in motion.
All the way, away
Going to great lengths to distance oneself from something.
Turn every stone to find it
Exhausting all possibilities to uncover something.
Filling my empty mind
Attempting to occupy thoughts with something meaningful.
It falls away, away
The desired thing is unattainable and drifts from view.
Beats on my devotions
Having a powerful effect on one's spiritual practices and beliefs.
Like a hammer hits a nail
The impact of the effect is strong, clear, and direct.
With your sweet surrender
The desirable outcome is made possible by giving oneself up to it.
Fill up my emotions
Undertaking an emotional experience in full.
Like a wind fills out a sail
The experience has a transformative impact.
Finding the key to open
Looking for the solution to unlock something.
A heart that was never broken
Discovering something that was thought to be completely unattainable.
With a smile, a smile
Through a happy and upbeat disposition.
Look for whoever sold me
Trying to find the person responsible for pushing a particular idea or hope.
On a feeling nobody told me
Pursuing a feeling that hasn't been explicitly communicated to you.
Could be wild, so wild
Expressing that the potential outcome could be extreme and beyond what was previously imagined.
Beat on my devotions
The previously mentioned spiritual practices and beliefs remain constant.
It's a sweet surrender
The surrender to a desired outcome is a pleasant experience.
Contributed by Josiah L. 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.