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
Vienna
Ultravox Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Freezing breath on a window pane
Lying and waiting
A man in the dark in a picture frame
So mystic and soulful
A voice reaching out in a piercing cry
It stays with you until
It means nothing to me
This means nothing to me
Oh, Vienna
The music is weaving
Haunting notes, pizzicato strings
The rhythm is calling
Alone in the night as the daylight brings
A cool empty silence
The warmth of your hand and a cold grey sky
It fades to the distance
The image has gone only you and I
It means nothing to me
This means nothing to me
Oh, Vienna
This means nothing to me
This means nothing to me
Oh, Vienna
The lyrics to Ultravox's song "Vienna" paint a vivid image of a cold and lonely night. We see a man walking through the cold air, his breath freezing on a windowpane. He's lying and waiting, and we see him in the dark, framed like a picture. The man is soulful and mystic, and his voice pierces through the night. The singer tells us that this feeling will stay with us until it's gone, only you and I.
The music that accompanies the lyrics is haunting, and the notes weave together to create a melancholy feeling. The rhythm of the song is almost hypnotic, calling the singer in as she finds herself alone in the night. The warmth of a hand is all she has as she looks up at a cold grey sky. The image of the man in the picture frame has faded away, leaving only the singer and her emotions behind. She repeats that this means nothing to her, but the power of the music and the haunting lyrics suggest otherwise.
"Vienna" is a powerful song that explores themes of loneliness, isolation, and the power of memory. The music and lyrics work together to create a powerful emotional experience that has resonated with listeners for decades. The song's timeless quality is due in part to its unique combination of electronic and classical elements, as well as its poetic lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
We walked in the cold air
We stepped out into the chilly winter air
Freezing breath on a window pane
Our breath crystallized on the window pane
Lying and waiting
We were lying in wait
A man in the dark in a picture frame
A man in a portrait hung in the dark room
So mystic and soulful
The image was mysterious and full of emotion
A voice reaching out in a piercing cry
The singer's voice was emotive and reached out like a scream
It stays with you until
The feeling lingers even after the singer has quieted
The feeling has gone only you and I
The emotion of the song has disappeared, but it remains between us
It means nothing to me
The song has lost its significance
This means nothing to me
The singer feels unattached to the song and its message
Oh, Vienna
The city of Vienna, Austria, is being referenced
The music is weaving
The melody is intricate
Haunting notes, pizzicato strings
The instrumentation is eerie, with the use of plucked strings
The rhythm is calling
The beat is commanding
Alone in the night as the daylight brings
The singer is alone at night as the day approaches
A cool empty silence
The atmosphere is cool and desolate
The warmth of your hand and a cold grey sky
The singer remembers the warmth of a hand on a cold, overcast day
It fades to the distance
The memory of that moment fades away
The image has gone only you and I
The recollection of that moment is shared only between us
This means nothing to me
The memory holds little significance for the singer
This means nothing to me
The singer is detached and uninterested in reliving the memory
Oh, Vienna
The song returns to referencing the city of Vienna, where the memories were made
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Tom Norris
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jen Sethi
Wow, absolutely phenomenal.
Wow
Great job
awesome editing
Darren Criss smashed this role as much as i ever saw someone smash a role.
Wow, absolutely phenomenal.
Wow, absolutely phenomenal.
Wow
Great job
A-ma-zing.
James B
I didn't even know who Darren Criss was before watching this show, and now I adore him!!
Not many actors on this earth could make you despise someone so much for brutally killing five innocent people, then actually feel heartbroken for him during the last episode. DC has made a fan for life!!
Mariam Fofana
@tropical Same 😂
tropical
i knew him from glee only lol
Yat Grave
THIS❤
Yudish Suharye
i hit on this series spontaneously one day without even checking the trailer and now i become so obsessed that i rewatched it twice. Darren Criss protrayed the role so fckg good im so in love with him. I really miss this series :'( IT WAS A PERFECT after i watched killing eve
Lee Lorenz
Darren Criss smashed this role as much as i ever saw someone smash a role.
Greeklings
This video, like the show and this song, is incredibly haunting! You really captured this season's aesthetics and pathos.
WKA DESIGNS
The editing here is so well done. This series seriously affected me, and the parallels and cuts that you organized in this video are just stellar. Fantastic job!
אליסה
Brilliant. I miss this series 😢
Danny Charles
I hadn't heard this song until hearing it in this incredible show! It made me fall in love with it ever since. Brilliant editing bravo!