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.
Magic Bullet
Wire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A sense of foreboding never tasted before
Fell through the floor, I’ve hit my ceiling
Out of my depth, over my head
Cloud Cuckoo-land was clearly in view
My magic bullet, blunt and unglued
Fell through the floor, bounced off the ceiling
Bolt for the door, out of my head
A voice from the north shouted: “Do it my way!”
I went through the roof in a no-no display!
I threw myself flat on to your border fence
The damage I did is in self defence
Fell through the floor, I reached my ceiling
Out of my depth, over my head
The song "Magic Bullet" by Wire is a mysterious and enigmatic tale of confusion and unease. The lyrics describe a sense of impending danger as the singer sees an armada in sight of the shoreline. They feel out of their depth and overwhelmed, falling through the floor and hitting their ceiling. They see Cloud Cuckoo-land, a reference to a mythical utopia, but realize it is out of reach. The singer then mentions their "magic bullet," which is blunt and unglued, further suggesting a feeling of helplessness.
The lyrics continue with the singer bouncing off the ceiling and bolting for the door, emphasizing their disorientation and confusion. Suddenly, a voice from the north orders them to "do it my way," causing the singer to explode in a "no-no display." The lyrics then refer to the singer throwing themselves flat on a border fence, causing damage in self-defense. Once again, they mention falling through the floor and reaching their ceiling, indicating a cyclical and never-ending state of confusion and anxiety.
Overall, the lyrics to "Magic Bullet" are open to interpretation, but they certainly evoke a feeling of unease and uncertainty. The reference to Cloud Cuckoo-land suggests a longing for a better place or a sense of disillusionment with reality. The mention of a magic bullet could symbolize a desire for a quick fix or a way to escape from their problems. Ultimately, the lyrics paint a picture of confusion and vulnerability in the face of an unknown threat.
Line by Line Meaning
Spied the armada in sight of the shore line
I saw a group of powerful people approaching the shore, which made me feel uneasy and anxious.
A sense of foreboding never tasted before
I felt a deep-seated fear and apprehension that was unfamiliar to me.
Fell through the floor, I’ve hit my ceiling
I felt like I had crashed down to the ground with an incredible force, only to feel stuck and unable to escape.
Out of my depth, over my head
I felt like I was in a situation that was beyond my level of experience or expertise, and that I was drowning in it.
Cloud Cuckoo-land was clearly in view
I realized that what I had thought was an achievable goal or ideal was, in fact, completely unrealistic and impossible.
My magic bullet, blunt and unglued
The method or solution I had hoped would solve my problems turned out to be ineffective and poorly thought-out.
Fell through the floor, bounced off the ceiling
I felt like I had hit rock bottom and was then hurled back up to the top, only to crash down again.
Bolt for the door, out of my head
I desperately wanted to escape from the situation and clear my mind of all the stress and pressure.
A voice from the north shouted: “Do it my way!”
Someone in a position of power or authority was demanding that I follow their rules and accept their methods.
I went through the roof in a no-no display!
I lost control and had an explosive emotional outburst that was inappropriate or unacceptable.
I threw myself flat on to your border fence
I made an aggressive move towards someone else's territory or boundaries.
The damage I did is in self defence
I justified my actions as being necessary to protect myself from harm or exploitation.
Fell through the floor, I reached my ceiling
I hit rock bottom and felt completely stuck, unable to rise any higher or escape the situation.
Contributed by Adeline L. 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