ULTRAVOX / MIDGE URE - DEAR GOD - Answers To Nothing (1988) HiDef :: SOTW #218

Bergo '45 Song of the Week #218 - Devon's Pick for 9/3/17:
"Dear God" by Midge Ure off the album, Answers To Nothing (1988)
Chrysalis Records

"Well, I promised. You remember?

Last time out, I swore I'd keep my
mouth shut with my next pick.

So let Midge do the talking instead.
His sentiments are heartbreaking.

And I vowed I wouldn't say a 'gottdam' word."

- Devon Beuschel

This is a weekly dive into the musical mind of Bergo '45. Each week, a new song is chosen by a different member of the band. Check out the playlist to see all of the past selections. Take a chair, grab a towel and give it a listen....

James "Midge" Ure, OBE (born 10 October 1953) is a Scottish musician, singer-songwriter and producer. His stage name, Midge, is a phonetic reversal of Jim, the diminutive form of his given name.

Ure enjoyed particular success in the 1970s and '80s in bands including Slik, Thin Lizzy, Rich Kids and Visage, and most notably as frontman of Ultravox. In 1984 Ure co-wrote and produced the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?", which has sold 3.7 million copies in the UK. The song is the second highest selling single in UK chart history. Ure co-organised Band Aid, Live Aid and Live 8 with Bob Geldof. Ure acts as trustee for the charity, and serves as ambassador for Save the Children.

Ure is known for being the producer and writer of several synthpop/new wave hit singles of the 1980s, including "Fade To Grey" (1980) by Visage and the Ultravox signature songs "Vienna" (1980) and "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes" (1984), for which he was also on lead vocals. In 1985 Ure's solo debut album The Gift, which reached number two in the UK Albums Chart, included the UK number one single "If I Was". Ure has had four other UK top-30 solo hit singles: "No Regrets", "That Certain Smile", "Call of the Wild" and "Cold, Cold Heart".

Ultravox (formerly known as Ultravox!) are a British new wave band, formed in London in 1973 as Tiger Lily. Between 1980–86, they scored seven Top Ten albums and seventeen Top 40 singles in the UK, the most successful of which was their 1981 hit "Vienna".

The band has been led by two different frontmen who never played together in the band at the same time. From 1974 until 1979, singer John Foxx was frontman and the main driving force behind Ultravox. Foxx left the band to embark on a solo career and, following his departure, Midge Ure took over as lead singer, guitarist and frontman in 1980 after he and keyboardist Billy Currie worked in the studio project Visage. Ure revitalised the band and steered it to commercial chart success lasting until 1987. Ure left the band in 1987 after establishing his own solo career and the group disbanded for a while.

A new line-up, led by Currie, was formed in 1992, but achieved limited success, with two albums failing to chart and one solitary single reaching 90 in the UK Singles Chart.

The band's best-known line-up of Currie, Ure, bassist Chris Cross and drummer Warren Cann reformed in 2008 and performed a series of reunion shows in 2009 and 2010 before releasing a new studio album, Brill!ant, in May 2012 which reached 21 in the British Album Charts. In November 2013, Ultravox performed as special guests on a four date UK arena tour with Simple Minds.

All rights belong to their respective owners
© Chrysalis Records

[BERGO]

"Well, I promised. You remember?

Last time out, I swore I'd keep my
mouth shut with my next pick.

So let Midge do the talking instead.
His sentiments are heartbreaking.

And I vowed I wouldn't say a 'gottdam' word."

- Devon Beuschel