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
Systems of Love
Ultravox Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And walls are closing in
There's no-one to hear you
No-one at all
Don't tell me what to believe in
Wake up and start again
Be part of the vision
Be part of it all
Just give me it all
[Chorus:]
Are you strong enough?
Can you stand above?
This is survival
Not systems of love
Don't you give up
It's never enough
Live for survival
Not systems of love
One way conversation
Won't you let me in
Don't let indecision
Ruin it all
Inside information
What a fool I've been
I spend every moment
Regretting it all
Just reliving the moment
That I heard the call
(Chorus)
Be my disciple
All I ask is put your faith in me
There's a better way, you know it
Don't be afraid of divine technology
(Chorus)
The lyrics of Ultravox's song "Systems of Love" convey a message of hope and resilience in a world that often feels overwhelming and uncertain. The opening lines suggest a feeling of isolation - when "everyone else is uncertain" and it feels like the walls are closing in, it's easy to feel like there's no one listening. But the next lines encourage listeners to take charge of their own beliefs and attitudes: "Don't tell me what to believe in / Wake up and start again." The singer urges listeners to be part of a larger vision, rather than getting bogged down in their own problems: "Be part of the vision / Be part of it all."
The chorus reinforces this message of strength and survival: "Are you strong enough? / Can you stand above? / This is survival / Not systems of love." The singer is cautioning against getting too caught up in romantic relationships, which can distract from the bigger picture of living life to the fullest. Instead of giving up or relying on others for compassion, listeners should focus on their own survival and making the most of their lives. The final lines of the song suggest that there is hope for a better future, and that listeners should put their faith in a "divine technology" that will guide them towards a better way of living.
Line by Line Meaning
When everyone else is uncertain
In times of uncertainty when there is no clarity among people
And walls are closing in
When situations are turning claustrophobic
There's no-one to hear you
There's no one to listen to your thoughts and feelings
No-one at all
Absolutely no one to support or help you out
Don't tell me what to believe in
I do not want to be dictated about my beliefs
Wake up and start again
It's time to get up, start anew, and move on
Be part of the vision
Join the movement, the mission, and contribute towards the larger goal
Be part of it all
Be an integral part of the whole process
Don't you give me compassion
I don't need your sympathy
Just give me it all
All I need is your support, your best effort, and everything you've got
Are you strong enough?
Do you possess the strength and resilience to overcome this?
Can you stand above?
Can you rise above the situation and conquer it?
This is survival
This is a matter of survival - we need to fight to survive
Not systems of love
This is not some romantic notion, it's a harsh reality we need to face
Don't you give up
Don't lose hope, keep trying
It's never enough
No matter how much you try, it never seems enough
Live for survival
Live every day like it's the end, never give up, and fight for survival
One way conversation
A conversation where only one person is speaking and the other is not actively involved
Won't you let me in
Won't you allow me to be a part of this?
Don't let indecision
Don't let your indecisiveness ruin everything
Ruin it all
Destroy everything that has been built so far
Inside information
Information that is known by only a select few
What a fool I've been
How foolish I have been in terms of my decisions and actions
I spend every moment
Every moment of my life is spent
Regretting it all
Constantly repenting and rueing over the past
Just reliving the moment
Living in the past, unable to move on
That I heard the call
The moment I received the calling or the message
Be my disciple
Follow my teachings and be my loyal follower
All I ask is put your faith in me
All I expect is your trust and confidence in me
There's a better way, you know it
There's a superior way of doing this- you're aware of it
Don't be afraid of divine technology
Do not be apprehensive about the intuitive tools, techniques, or strategies
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: BILLY CURRIE, RODERICK ALLEN GAMMONS, TONY FENELLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Andrew J
I like this one!
Richard Brandson
i like this song,but the cd is so damn rare :-(
StillCloser
I have a CD that is a bit of compilation - It has the whole album plus some remixes. It has a green sleeve, pretty different from the original, but who cares?
Isabel Veidt
Esto es realmente horrible. Quien te oyera y quien te oyó...