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.
Options R
Wire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Repeating a word,
It becomes increasing,
Increasingly absurd.
SO LOVING,
I'm intending to,
Pretending.
I thought I was in,
But now I'm trying to get out,
I'm learning the twist,
Ignoring the shouts.
SO ADOR eye eyeing,
I'm enquiring,
Perspiring.
My options are open,
And it's up to me,
Things are so trying,
So trying for me.
SO TIR eye eyeing,
I'm spying something,
SO TIR eye eyeing,
I'm spying something.
In "Options R," Wire conveys a sense of frustration and uncertainty as the singer navigates romantic relationships. The song's opening lines suggest that communication breakdowns and the overuse of certain words can lead to confusion and absurdity. The repeated phrase "SO LOVING, I'm intending to, Pretending" implies that the singer may not be genuine in their expressions of love or may be questioning the authenticity of their partner's affections.
The middle section of the song introduces a twist and hints at conflict or tension between the singer and their loved one ("Ignoring the shouts"). The phrase "SO ADOR eye eyeing, I'm enquiring, Perspiring" could suggest that the singer is feeling pressure to live up to ideals or expectations of love, or that they are feeling anxious about the state of their relationship.
The final verse acknowledges that the singer has options and some agency in the situation, but still feels trapped or uncertain ("Things are so trying, So trying for me"). The repeated refrain of "SO TIR eye eyeing, I'm spying something" could be interpreted as a half-hearted attempt to convince themselves that there is hope or a way out of their current predicament. Overall, "Options R" paints a picture of someone struggling to make sense of their own feelings and desires in the midst of a complicated relationship dynamic.
Line by Line Meaning
If you keep on repeating,
Continuously repeating the same thing can make it senseless and meaningless.
Repeating a word,
Saying the same word repeatedly could make it sound irrational and ridiculous.
It becomes increasing,
Repetition can exaggerate the absurdity of a word, making it more ridiculous over time.
Increasingly absurd.
As time goes on, constantly repeating something nonsensical can make it even more absurd.
SO LOVING,
Expressing love in an extreme or overly enthusiastic way.
I'm intending to,
Having the intention of doing something, but not necessarily following through with it.
Pretending.
Acting like something is true when in reality it's not.
I thought I was in,
Being confident in your position or situation.
But now I'm trying to get out,
Realizing that your situation is not what you expected, and attempting to leave or change it.
I'm learning the twist,
Understanding the complexities and nuances of a situation.
Ignoring the shouts.
Not paying attention to warning signs, criticism, or advice from others.
SO ADOR eye eyeing,
Looking at something with admiration or affection.
I'm enquiring,
Asking questions and seeking information or advice.
Perspiring.
Feeling nervous or anxious in a situation, causing one to sweat.
My options are open,
Having choices and possibilities for the future.
And it's up to me,
Being in control of one's own decisions and actions.
Things are so trying,
The situation is difficult and challenging.
So trying for me.
It's especially hard for me to deal with.
SO TIR eye eyeing,
Looking at something with fatigue, exhaustion, or boredom.
I'm spying something,
Searching for something or trying to find a solution.
SO TIR eye eyeing,
Continuing to look for something with exhaustion and lack of interest.
I'm spying something.
Still trying to find a solution or answer to the challenge.
Contributed by Riley O. 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