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.
No Cows On the Ice
Wire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is it true? Or as before
Is it true? You still need more
Is it true? No marks are left
Is it true? Upon the snow
Is it true? No one will know
No cows on the ice
Whilst the cat's away
Blind mice will play
Can it be? And is it true?
Or can it be? There's nothing new
Or can it be? It's new to me
Or can it be? You milked the moon
Or can it be? You jumped too soon
Or can it be? You milked the moon
No cows on the ice
Every dog has its day
Whilst the cat's away
Blind mice will play
No cows on the ice
Every dog has its day
Whilst the cat's away
Blind mice will play
Is it true? Your days are long
What was right has become wrong
In a room without a view
Your past slips by, no calls come through
No cows on the ice
Every dog has its day
Whilst the cat's away
Blind mice will play
The meaning of Wire’s song “No Cows On the Ice” is up for interpretation, as the lyrics are somewhat cryptic. However, the overall feeling of the song is one of suspicion, questioning, and disorientation. The repeated refrain of “Is it true?” suggests that the singer is questioning something that they once believed, or perhaps someone they once trusted. The lines “No marks are left upon the snow/No one will know” suggest either a cover-up, or a lack of evidence for whatever the subject of the song might be. Additionally, the verse “Can it be? And is it true?/Or can it be? There’s nothing new” could suggest a feeling of monotony or a lack of innovation in the subject at hand.
The titular line, “No cows on the ice”, is almost nonsensical, but it adds to the mood of confusion in the song. The following lines “Every dog has its day/Whilst the cat’s away/Blind mice will play” suggest that perhaps there is an opportunity for someone to take advantage of a situation when they are not being watched. This adds to the overall feeling of suspicion that runs through the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Is it true? It's enough for you
Do you believe it? Is this amount satisfying for you?
Is it true? Or as before
Is this fact accurate? Or is it the same as previously?
Is it true? You still need more
Is this statement correct? Or do you still require additional information?
Is it true? No marks are left
Is this claim valid? There are no signs or traces left behind.
Is it true? Upon the snow
Is this statement true? It pertains to the snow.
Is it true? No one will know
Is this factual? No one will have knowledge of it.
No cows on the ice
There are no bovine animals on the ice.
Every dog has its day
Everyone has their moment of glory or success.
Whilst the cat's away
When the person who is responsible for something is away, others may do as they please.
Blind mice will play
Those who are unaware of the situation will act recklessly or without caution.
Can it be? And is it true?
Is this feasible? Is this statement accurate?
Or can it be? There's nothing new
Could it be that there is no novelty or originality to this?
Or can it be? It's new to me
Is it possible that it is novel and unique, but only to the singer?
Or can it be? You milked the moon
Could it be that you have attempted something absurd or impossible?
Or can it be? You jumped too soon
Is it plausible that you acted too hastily, without sufficient preparation?
No cows on the ice
There are no bovine animals on the ice.
Every dog has its day
Everyone has their moment of glory or success.
Whilst the cat's away
When the person who is responsible for something is away, others may do as they please.
Blind mice will play
Those who are unaware of the situation will act recklessly or without caution.
No cows on the ice
There are no bovine animals on the ice.
Every dog has its day
Everyone has their moment of glory or success.
Whilst the cat's away
When the person who is responsible for something is away, others may do as they please.
Blind mice will play
Those who are unaware of the situation will act recklessly or without caution.
Is it true? Your days are long
Is this statement about your long days accurate?
What was right has become wrong
What was once correct or just has now turned into an error or injustice.
In a room without a view
In a location where there is no scenery to observe or admire.
Your past slips by, no calls come through
Your former life passes you by, and no one contacts you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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