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
Visions of Blue
Ultravox Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Caught for a second by the light
Ashes of memories still aglow
Only for you
Portraits and pictures you once saw
Visions in blue
Read while the letters still remain
Sip from the wine of youth again
Only for you
Cast like a shroud you're clutching on
Visions in blue
Catch aimless smiles from passers by
Blistered and broken in reply
Breath seems to mist the hazy view
Only for you
Tears coat your lifeless eyes with dew
Visions in blue
Visions in blue
Ashes of memories still aglow
Portraits and pictures you once saw
Ashes of memories still aglow
Portraits and pictures you once saw
Ashes of memories still aglow
Portraits and pictures you once saw
Face in the window in the night
Caught for a second by the light
Ashes of memories still aglow
Only for you
Portraits and pictures you once saw
Visions in blue
The lyrics of Ultravox's song "Visions of Blue" depict a person stuck in a time warp, perhaps looking back at their life and memories, frozen in a melancholic state of mind. The face in the window in the night caught by the light briefly signifies how quickly life passes by. The ashes of memories still aglow and portraits and pictures that were once seen are glimpses of the past that the person still clings onto. The letters that remain to be read and the wine of youth to be sipped again are an indication of the longing to relive the past.
The lyrics also highlight the importance of the significant moments in a person's life that hold value, the oaths made in silence return only for that person. The visions in blue are symbolic of the memories that are not forgotten. The passers-by with their aimless smiles and broken replies signify that the person's world has come to a standstill, as life moves on around them. The tears that coat the lifeless eyes with dew showcase the pain and feelings of loss that the person still holds on to.
Line by Line Meaning
Face in the window in the night
Looking out the window during the night
Caught for a second by the light
Barely illuminated by light
Ashes of memories still aglow
Long gone memories still present in mind
Only for you
Thoughts applicable to the person being addressed
Portraits and pictures you once saw
Images of the past recollected by the person being addressed
Visions in blue
Blue-colored, negative perceptions from the past
Read while the letters still remain
Read old written records while they still exist
Sip from the wine of youth again
Recapture moments of the past
Oaths made in silence still return
Silently sworn promises still manifest
Cast like a shroud you're clutching on
Holding onto painful memories like a death shroud
Catch aimless smiles from passers by
Notice smiles from strangers
Blistered and broken in reply
Receiving negative response even when trying to be friendly
Breath seems to mist the hazy view
Breathing and fogging up the view
Tears coat your lifeless eyes with dew
Crying till your eyes look wet
Visions in blue
Blue-colored, negative perceptions from the past
Ashes of memories still aglow
Long gone memories still present in mind
Portraits and pictures you once saw
Images of the past recollected by the person being addressed
Ashes of memories still aglow
Long gone memories still present in mind
Portraits and pictures you once saw
Images of the past recollected by the person being addressed
Ashes of memories still aglow
Long gone memories still present in mind
Portraits and pictures you once saw
Images of the past recollected by the person being addressed
Face in the window in the night
Looking out the window during the night
Caught for a second by the light
Barely illuminated by light
Ashes of memories still aglow
Long gone memories still present in mind
Only for you
Thoughts applicable to the person being addressed
Portraits and pictures you once saw
Images of the past recollected by the person being addressed
Visions in blue
Blue-colored, negative perceptions from the past
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRISTOPHER THOMAS ALLEN, MIDGE URE, WARREN REGINALD CANN, WILLIAM CURRIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pantera338
U L T R A V O X --- ''Visions in Blue'' ---
Face in the window in the night.
Caught for a second by the light.
Ashes of memories still aglow. (Only for you)
Portraits and pictures you once saw.
Visions in blue.
Read while the letters still remain.
Sip from the wine of youth again.
Oaths made in silence still return. (Only for you)
Cast like a shroud your clutching arm.
Visions in blue.
Catch aimless smiles from passers-by.
Blistered and broken in reply.
Breath seems to mist the hazy view. (Only for you)
Tears coat your lifeless eyes with dew.
Visions in blue.
Visions in blue.
Ashes of…
@gaiafrog
MIdge and Ultravox deserve to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! Who agrees?
@maxsamuel1253
Agreed
@lizardlogic2564
Lately, it seems the HOF waits until a band member passes away before induction. It's cruel and criminal. So many in the music industry find the HOF as meaningless.
@richardcochrane1966
And considering his major contribution to Live Aid, where is Midge's bloody knighthood?
@01aleph
Of course I agree
@sampopaakkonen2198
What is this Hall of fame? Who has given them the right to define who is worthy and who is not? I do agree that Ultravox is worthy to be there. However, to me it is absolutely irrelevant. The real Hall Of Fame is in our hearts. And that - at least to me - is the only HOF that matters.
@covidwasacon
What a sad world when songs like this have less views than the absolute dross of the last 20 years... bless anyone who appreciates such masterpieces
@TheWacoKid1963
More like dross of the last 30 years, that is how long music has stood still
@robertk4156
Thank You YT and Black Agenda!!!
@mariesamsung7723
Bin da voll und ganz bei dir! 👍