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.
Pink Flag
Wire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The stores were gathered, the plans were laid
Synchronised watches at 18:05
How many dead or alive
In ninteen fifty-five?
The pink flags was screaming
Bugle boys sucked and blew
Books were cooked, on the fourth or the third
How many seen or heard
On the twelfth of the third?
How many dead or alive? (how many)
How many dead or alive? (how many)
How many dead or alive? (how many)
How many dead or alive? (how many)
How many, how many?
How many, how many?
How many, how many?
How many, how many?
How many, how many?
How many, how many?
How many, how many?
How many, how many?
How many
How many, how many?
How many, how many?
How many?
Yeah!
The lyrics to Wire's song "Pink Flag" are cryptic and open to interpretation, but they seem to be making a comment on war and violence. The singer is describing being sold up the river to the red slave trade, and then goes on to talk about plans being laid and synchronized watches. These phrases could suggest that the singer is a soldier being sent off to war, or that they are a victim of some kind of larger scheme. The question "How many dead or alive in nineteen fifty-five?" seems to be a reference to a specific event, but it is not clear what the singer is referring to.
The chorus of the song is where things get really ambiguous. The "pink flags" could be a symbol of surrender, or they could be a reference to a specific flag - perhaps a Soviet or Communist flag. The "bugle boys sucked and blew" could suggest a military conflict, and the singer's mention of "no time for expression, orders given" further supports this idea. The second verse continues with the ambiguous language, referencing cooked books and asking how many people were seen or heard on a specific date.
Overall, it seems like "Pink Flag" is a commentary on war and violence, and the way in which people are swept up into larger conflicts without really understanding what is happening. The questions about how many people are dead or alive feel like a call to wake up and pay attention to the human cost of these events.
Line by Line Meaning
I was sold up the river to the red slave trade
I was betrayed by someone I trusted and sold into a life of slavery
The stores were gathered, the plans were laid
Preparations were made for an event that was about to take place
Synchronised watches at 18:05
All involved parties made sure their watches were set to the same time for the event
How many dead or alive
What is the body count for this event, including those who may have survived?
In nineteen fifty-five?
This event happened in the year 1955
The pink flags were screaming
The warning signs were being ignored or overlooked
Bugle boys sucked and blew
People in positions of power were giving orders without any regard for the lives of those involved
No time for expression, orders given
There was no room for dissent or voicing of opinions, only strict adherence to orders given
Books were cooked, on the fourth or the third
The numbers were manipulated and false information was presented
How many seen or heard
How many people witnessed or knew about this event?
On the twelfth of the third?
This event happened on March 12th
How many dead or alive? (how many)
Once again, what is the body count for this event?
How many dead or alive? (how many)
Continuing the questioning of the number of casualties
How many dead or alive? (how many)
Still asking about the number of people involved in this event
How many dead or alive? (how many)
Keeping the focus on the number of people affected by this event
How many, how many?
Repeating the questions about the number of people involved
How many, how many?
Still questioning the number of people affected by this event
How many, how many?
Continuing to repeat the question about the number of people affected
How many, how many?
Still asking about the number of people involved
How many, how many?
Continuing to question the number of people affected
How many, how many?
Still asking for the total number of people involved
How many, how many?
Continuing to stress the importance of the number of people affected
How many?
The final question asking for the number of people involved
Yeah!
An expression of agreement or triumph
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRUCE CLIFFORD GILBERT, COLIN JOHN NEWMAN, GRAHAM LEWIS, ROBERT SELWYN GOTOBED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Big Rust
This has to be the most underrated punk album/band of all time. They’re are phenomenal.
Ja Hakon
Not underrated at all. Just not mainstream bullshit.
Mewt
underrated? nah. legends in everything they've done. from 12xU to drill to torch it to comet and beyond. if you know you know.
Kaz Man _
@Alpha Lax he's a bum. Opinion invalidated on Beefheart.
Sarah Mega-Hertz
@Mauzzy the post punk term was not yet coined when this album was released.
Sarah Mega-Hertz
Not underrated. Widely recognized as a brilliant, groundbreaking record. Plus look at all the comments. Comment reported.
DiamorphineDeath
Ex-Lion Tamer has one of the best sounds/tone/play style/etc out of anything out there one will find in regards to guitar. It's such a refined sense of sloppy playing; sort of like catching a wave on a surfboard almost carelessly and barely coming away from it, but just pure style. There is a distinct art in being able to carelessly play such style and raw sort of feeling based aspects. Very, very cool. Whole album is full of it, very hard to do and nail but when it comes together, it's effortless. Great album.
Lost Machinima
definitely!!!
No Thx
DiamorphineDeath There's an honest username! lmao. I'm definitely familiar with it myself. Stay safe and stay listening to good music my friend 👍
DiamorphineDeath
@Neal Stidham Very cool Neal, will have to google the term. Definitely one of my aspects of music. Cheers buddy