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.
Two Minutes
Wire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shoot on Sight
Leaking while you vote, four days left
A dirty cartoon duck covers a village in shit
Possibly signalling the end of Western civilisation
As if I give a fuck
Evidently side tracked
Positively indisposed
And do you know what?
Coffee is not a replacement for food or happiness
The umbilical twangs
In f and ecstasy
In the ring, on the cut in 5 minutes
Just what I need
Deputise
Wear your star with pride
Shoot on sight
Compose questions later
Religious Vomit.
Opera in the age of fragmentation
Much Later

I'll tell you who I hate on a daily basis
Wire's song Two Minutes is a fast-paced and disjointed set of lyrics that seem to convey a sense of apathy towards the world around us. The first verse seems to be poking fun at political campaigns, with the phrase "leaking while you vote" implying that politicians are not to be trusted. The mention of a "dirty cartoon duck" covering a village in shit adds to the sense of absurdity that runs throughout the song, and the line "possibly signaling the end of Western civilization" suggests that the chaos in the world is beyond anyone's control.
The chorus of the song, "Just what I need / Shoot on sight" seems to be a nod to the violence that seems to be permeating society. The next few lines, "Composed questions later / Religious Vomit" suggest that people are quick to react to situations without fully understanding them, and that religious sentiment is often misguided and shallow.
The second verse adds to the sense of nihilism running through the song, with references to "coffee not being a replacement for food or happiness" and the "umbilical twangs" suggesting a sense of disconnection from the world. The final lines, "Opera in the age of fragmentation / Much later / I'll tell you who I hate on a daily basis" reinforce the idea that the world is broken and fragmented, and that individuals are more concerned with their own petty grievances than with any larger issues.
Line by Line Meaning
Just what I need
This situation is exactly what I want or need.
Shoot on Sight
Shoot immediately without any hesitation.
Leaking while you vote, four days left
With only a few days until the election, secrets are being exposed.
A dirty cartoon duck covers a village in shit
A metaphorical representation of something terrible happening.
Possibly signalling the end of Western civilisation
This event could indicate the downfall of Western society.
As if I give a fuck
I don't care at all.
Evidently side tracked
Being distracted or losing focus.
Positively indisposed
Not feeling well or in a positive state of mind.
Elevated by restitution
Being raised up or improved by compensation or reparation.
And do you know what?
An expression used to emphasize the following statement.
Coffee is not a replacement for food or happiness
Drinking coffee alone cannot provide sustenance or true happiness.
The umbilical twangs
A metaphorical representation of someone becoming independent.
In f and ecstasy
Experiencing intense euphoria.
In the ring, on the cut in 5 minutes
A reference to a boxing match or other fight about to take place.
Just what I need
This situation is exactly what I want or need.
Deputise
To give someone temporary authority or power.
Wear your star with pride
Be proud of your position or authority.
Shoot on sight
Shoot immediately without any hesitation.
Compose questions later
Act quickly and deal with the consequences later.
Religious Vomit.
A negative expression towards religious extremism or hypocrisy.
Opera in the age of fragmentation
The state of the music genre opera during a time of social fragmentation.
Much Later
At a time in the far future.
I'll tell you who I hate on a daily basis
Expressing disdain towards someone who is disliked on a regular basis.
Contributed by Max 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