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.
Over Theirs
Wire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can only help to jeopardize
The lives of lambs, the shepherd cries
An afterlife for a silverfish
Eternal dust less ticklish
Than the clean room, a house guest's wish
He lies on his side, is he trying to hide?
In fact it's the earth, which he's known since birth
A roof falls, an underliner
Of leaf structure, the egg timer
The lyrics of "Over Theirs" are a testament to Wire's ability to craft abstract lyrics with evocative imagery. The opening line, "No blind spots in the leopard's eyes," suggests an animal that is fully aware of its surroundings and is thus able to effectively hunt its prey. The line "Can only help to jeopardize / The lives of lambs, the shepherd cries" can be interpreted as a warning that those who are too aware and always on the lookout for danger may end up causing harm to those who are more vulnerable.
The lines "An afterlife for a silverfish / Eternal dust less ticklish / Than the clean room, a house guest's wish" are particularly interesting. The image of an afterlife for a tiny insect like a silverfish is intriguing and unsettling, while the phrase "eternal dust less ticklish" suggests a sense of detachment from the physical world. The clean room, which is often used in scientific and technological settings, is a stark contrast to the natural world and may represent the limits of human knowledge and control.
The final lines, "Face worker, a serpentine miner / A roof falls, an underliner / Of leaf structure, the egg timer," leave the listener with a sense of ambiguity. The idea of a "face worker" suggests a laborer or someone who is physically connected to the earth, while the miner and the roof falling suggest danger and risk. The phrase "a roof falls, an underliner / Of leaf structure, the egg timer" is particularly mysterious, as it seems to suggest the passing of time and the interconnectedness of all living things.
Line by Line Meaning
No blind spots in the leopard's eyes
The leopard can see everything and is a danger to its prey.
Can only help to jeopardize
This all-seeing ability only makes the situation worse.
The lives of lambs, the shepherd cries
The shepherd is mourning the loss of his flock to the leopard.
An afterlife for a silverfish
The life of a silverfish is insignificant and goes unnoticed.
Eternal dust less ticklish
Death is mundane and not the extravagant experience some may imagine.
Than the clean room, a house guest's wish
A clean and pristine environment is desired, but in death, it is simply more of the same dust.
He lies on his side, is he trying to hide?
A character is possibly hiding, but it is unclear.
In fact it's the earth, which he's known since birth
The character lies on the ground, his resting place since birth.
Face worker, a serpentine miner
A serpent-like miner works with their face to extract valuable resources.
A roof falls, an underliner
The miner is not exempt from danger and experiences a collapsing roof.
Of leaf structure, the egg timer
The miner's life is fleeting, like the passing of time measured by an egg timer.
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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