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.
Too Late
Wire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's never hard to find
She's tender-trusting, she's everlasting
Can I change my mind?
Is it too late to change up my mind?
Mirror, mirror, icy sister
Love is never blind
Can I change my mind?
Is it too late to change up my mind?
Pisses icy water on poetic mornings
Got to be cruel to be kind
Is this real life, is it for life?
Can I change up my mind?
Is it too late to change up my mind? (too late to change up my mind)
Is it too late to change up my mind? (too late to change up my mind)
Is it too late to change up my mind? (too late to change up my mind)
Is it too late to change up my mind? (too late to change up my mind)
Is it too late to change up my mind? (too late to change up my mind)
Is it too late to change up my mind? (too late to change up my mind)
Is it too late to change up my mind?
Is it too late to change up my mind?
Is it too late to change up my mind?
Is it too late, too late, too late, too late?
Too late, too late, too late, too late?
Too-too-too-too-too-too-too-too-too-too-too-too-too-too-too late?
Is it too late to change up my mind?
Is it too late to change up my mind?
Is it too late to change up my mind?
Is it too late to change up my mind?
Is it too late?
Is it too late?
Is it too late?
Is it too late?
Is it too late?
Is it too late?
Is it too late?
Is it too late, too late, too late, too late?
Too late, too late, too late, too late?
Too late, too late, too late, too late?
Too late, too late
T-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-aah!
Wire's song "Too Late" is a melancholic piece about regret and missed opportunities. The singer is regretting his decision to end a relationship with someone, possibly a woman identified as his sister. The opening line, "Oh you should miss her, she says she's my sister," raises the question of whether the relationship was incestuous or not. It could also be interpreted as a metaphorical way of saying that the woman in question was close to him like a sibling. The woman is described as being "tender-trusting" and "everlasting," which implies that she was loving and faithful. The singer feels guilty for letting her go and wonders if it's too late to make things right.
The next stanza suggests that the woman is slowly slipping away from him, perhaps moving on with her life. The line "mirror, mirror, icy sister" could be a reference to Snow White's evil stepmother, who was vain and cold-hearted. It may indicate that the woman is becoming more detached and uncaring towards him. The line "love is never blind" means that the singer can now see the flaws in his previous judgment and regrets not appreciating the woman's positive qualities. The line "got to be cruel to be kind" is borrowed from Shakespeare's Hamlet and refers to the idea that sometimes tough love is necessary. The singer wants to know if the relationship was meant to be forever and wonders if it's too late to change his mind.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh you should miss her, she says she's my sister
She's telling me I should miss this person who she claims is her sister.
She's never hard to find
Finding her is never a problem.
She's tender-trusting, she's everlasting
This person is loving, trustworthy and always there for me.
Can I change my mind?
I'm starting to have doubts and wondering if I can change my decision.
Mirror, mirror, icy sister
The person I'm referring to is cold and unforgiving like a frozen mirror image.
Love is never blind
I can see clearly now that the initial attraction is gone.
She's slowly turning, mouth gently burning
This person is changing and becoming more difficult to deal with.
Can I change my mind?
I'm still questioning if it's possible to change my mind and get out of this situation.
Pisses icy water on poetic mornings
The person I'm talking about has a way of ruining perfectly good moments.
Got to be cruel to be kind
Sometimes you have to be harsh in order to help someone see what's best for them.
Is this real life, is it for life?
I'm unsure if this relationship is something that will last forever or if it's just a temporary thing.
Can I change up my mind?
Once again, I'm asking if I'm too far gone or if I can still change my decision.
Is it too late to change up my mind? (too late to change up my mind)
I'm reiterating that I'm not sure if I can still get out of this situation.
Too-too-too-too-too-too-too-too-too-too-too-too-too-too-too late?
I'm emphasizing that it may be too late for me to change my mind.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRUCE CLIFFORD GILBERT
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