Wire's debut album, Pink Flag (1977), contains songs which are diverse in mood and style, but most use a minimalist punk approach, unorthodox structures, and several songs are under a minute in length; "Field Day For The Sundays" is only 28 seconds long.
Chairs Missing followed in 1978, and found Wire stepping back from the stark minimalism of Pink Flag, with longer, more atmospheric songs and synthesizer parts added by producer Mike Thorne. The experimentation was even more prominent on 154 (1979). Many of the songs had bassist Graham Lewis on lead vocals.
In 1979, creative differences pulled the band in different directions, leading to the Document and Eyewitness LP (1981), a recording of a performance that featured, almost exclusively, new material. The LP came packaged with an EP of a different performance of more new material. Some of these songs, along with others performed but not included on the album, were included on Colin Newman's post-Wire solo albums ("5/10", "We Meet Under Tables"), while others were released by Gilbert and Lewis' primary post-Wire outlet Dome ("And Then...", "Ritual View"). The band disbanded for the first time in 1980
Between 1981-85 Wire ceased recording and performing in favour of solo and non-Wire collaborative projects such as Dome, Cupol, Duet Emmo, and several Colin Newman solo efforts. In 1985, the group reformed as a "beat combo" (a joking reference to early 1960s beat music or even possibly beatniks), with greater use of electronic musical instruments. It released It's Beginning To And Back Again (IBTABA) in 1989, a "live" album of mostly re-worked versions of songs from The Ideal Copy and A Bell Is a Cup...Until It Is Struck, heavily re-arranged, edited, and remixed. A new song from the album, "Eardrum Buzz", became the band's biggest charting single.
Gotobed left the band in 1990, after the release of the album Manscape. After his departure, the band dropped one letter from its name, becoming "Wir" (still pronounced "wire"), and released The First Letter in 1991. Once again, the band disbanded in 1992 There followed a further period of solo recordings, during which Newman founded the Swim ~ label, and later Githead with his wife (ex-Minimal Compact bassist Malka Spigel), while Wire remained an occasional collaboration. It was not until 1999 that Wire again became a full-time entity.
With Gotobed back in the line-up (now using his birth name, Robert Grey), the group initially reworked much of their back catalogue for a performance at Royal Festival Hall on 26 February 2000. Wire's reception during a short tour of the US, and a number of UK gigs, convinced the band to continue. Two EPs and an album Send (2003) followed, as well as collaborations with stage designer Es Devlin and artists Jake and Dinos Chapman. In 2004 the band split once more.
In 2006, Wire's 1970s albums were re-released with original vinyl track listings. Rumours abounded of a renewal of activity to mark the 30th anniversary of the band's debut as a 4 piece and the re-release of Pink Flag in 2007. A third Read & Burn EP was released in November, 2007.
A full-length album of new material entitled Object 47 was released in July 2008. Bruce Gilbert was not involved in this recording, although according to Colin Newman, he did feature in a minimal capacity on the third Read and Burn EP. 2011 saw the release of the band's twelfth studio album Red Barked Tree.
In Vivo
Wire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To set the world on fire
To skid and leave the road
In a black and white life there's a column of smoke
You don't burst into flame, you stop
When you're broke
In vitrio in vivo
In vitrio in vivo
In a star-filled world the full moon crosses the sun
Four minutes up
Two million's gone
And bang: he invades
The son of a gun, the son
Of a gun
The chemical defeater saved the elephant's life
A wild type junk genie
With a car-bra heaven wide
And bang, he invades
The son of a gun, the son
Of a gun
The lyrics to Wire’s song In Vivo are enigmatic, cryptic, and filled with striking imagery. The song begins with contrasting colors: “With colour in your life there's a reason to explode / To set the world on fire.” The lyrics suggest that having color in one’s life can cause one to be more explosive, energetic, and impactful. In contrast, a black and white life only leads to stagnation: “In a black and white life there's a column of smoke / You don't burst into flame, you stop / When you're broke.”
The title of the song, In Vivo, suggests a biological or medical theme. The chorus “In vitrio in vivo / The revolution's begun” reinforces this idea since “in vitro” means “in a test tube” or in an artificial environment outside of a living organism, while “in vivo” means “inside a living organism.” The lyrics are cryptic and elusive, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact meaning of the revolution that has begun.
The song proceeds with more cryptic imagery: “In a star-filled world the full moon crosses the sun / Four minutes up / Two million's gone / And bang: he invades / The son of a gun, the son / Of a gun.” These lyrics may speak to the brevity of life, the hopelessness of trying to control one’s destiny, and the destructive power of human nature. The song concludes with a final, fantastical image: “The chemical defeater saved the elephant's life / A wild type junk genie / With a car-bra heaven wide / And bang, he invades / The son of a gun, the son / Of a gun.”
Line by Line Meaning
With colour in your life there's a reason to explode
The presence of vibrance and energy gives you a motivation to take bold action and push boundaries.
To set the world on fire
To make significant changes and influence the world in a dramatic way.
To skid and leave the road
To take risks and explore new paths, even if it means leaving behind the usual safe and predictable ways.
In a black and white life there's a column of smoke
A life lacking excitement and color is one marked by boredom and a lack of fulfillment.
You don't burst into flame, you stop
Without any excitement or passion, life can become stagnant and unproductive.
When you're broke
When you're struggling financially, it's difficult to find the motivation to live a vibrant life.
In vitrio in vivo
The revolution is happening both inside and outside the glass, alluding to a shift in a scientific or societal context.
The revolution's begun
Significant change is underway and has started to gain momentum.
In a star-filled world the full moon crosses the sun
A dramatic occurrence is happening which affects people in a large way.
Four minutes up
A time duration has expired without noticeably affecting the overall situation.
Two million's gone
Significant loss has occurred which affects a large group of people.
And bang: he invades
Something has happened with a significant impact and consequence.
The son of a gun, the son
The person responsible for the significant impact.
Of a gun
Symbolic reference to a powerful force or weapon.
The chemical defeater saved the elephant's life
In an unexpected event, a scientific discovery or advancement has significantly improved a situation.
A wild type junk genie
A mysterious force that has brought about a significant change or advancement.
With a car-bra heaven wide
With the potential to initiate or cause a major change on a large scale.
Contributed by Ethan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Pierre Clary
on Champs
i believe this song is about amphetamine abuse, endemic on the punk scene...Speed, "more speed than before ,less time than before (tolerance build up)........
Pierre Clary
on Champs
The song "Champs" by Wire is an intense and fast-paced track that addresses themes of competitiveness, the desire for success, and the sacrifices one must make in order to achieve their goals. The repeated phrases "The taste of champions, the pace, the pace, the speed, the need, the need to seed, the chance to die" suggest that the speaker is wholly dedicated to winning and will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. The subsequent line "Another dead don't cry" implies that the speaker has seen others perish in their pursuit of victory and is not phased by it. The stanza "You've still got speed, you'll maybe bleed, there's less time" highlights the idea that time is running out and that one must act quickly if they wish to be successful.
The next stanza begins with the phrase "More speed than before, you've done it before, there is no for, what are you doing it for?" which suggests that the speaker is no longer satisfied with their previous achievements and is compelled to push themselves even harder. The line "Want more, want more" is a clear indication that the speaker is never satisfied with what they have and will always strive for more. The repetition of "Another dead don't cry" throughout the song serves as a haunting reminder that the pursuit of success often has a cost, and that cost can be the lives of others.i think this so,
Pierre Clary
on Champs
YOU'RE RICH NOT POOR