Vienna (Ultravox song)

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“Vienna”
Single by Ultravox from the album Vienna
B-side	"Passionate Reply" "Herr X" (12" single only)
Released	December 15, 1980
Format	7" single, 12" single
Recorded	RAK Studios, London, 1980
Genre	New Romantic, Electronic
Length	04:37 [single edit]
Label	Chrysalis Records
Writer(s)	Midge Ure Chris Cross Warren Cann Billy Currie
Producer	Conny Plank, Ultravox
Ultravox singles chronology
"Passing Strangers" (1980) "Vienna" (1980) "All Stood Still" (1981)

“Vienna”
Single by Ultravox
Released	1993
Format	CD single (x2)
Recorded	1993
Genre	Electronic
Length	16:34
Label	Chrysalis Records
Ultravox singles chronology
"Vienna '92" (1992) "Vienna (reissue)" (1993) "I Am Alive" (1993)

"Vienna" is Ultravox's third single from their fourth album of the same name (and the first under Midge Ure's leadership). The single was released on Chrysalis Records on November 15, 1980, peaking at #2 in the UK singles chart. It was infamously kept off the #1 spot by the novelty single "Shaddap You Face" by Joe Dolce Music Theatre.

Contents 1 Background 2 Media references 3 B-sides 4 Track listing 4.1 7" version: CHS 2481 4.2 12" version: CHS 12 2481 4.3 CD re-issue: 5 Chart positions 6 Cover versions 7 Notes

[edit] Background

"Vienna" is a haunting ballad filled with piano and violin compositions and is renowned for Midge Ure's loud and strained vocals during the chorus. The song is regarded as a staple of the New Romantic music and fashion that was popular in the early 1980's.

The song (especially the music video) takes inspiration from the 1948 film The Third Man, which is based around the Austrian capital Vienna.

The single was re-released by Chrysalis in 1993 in the UK to promote a Midge Ure/Ultravox greatest hits compilation and peaked at #13 in the UK charts. It remains to this date Ultravox's signature song, being their most commercially successful release and is often performed live by Midge Ure on solo performances.

[edit] Media references

It was jokingly suggested on "A Song for Europe", an episode of TV sitcom Father Ted, that "Vienna" was written and performed by a priest called Father Benny Cake who changed his name so that nobody would know he was a priest, presumably referring to Ure.^[1]

In 2008, "Vienna" was used in the BBC trailer for Ashes to Ashes. It appeared in the first episode when Alex Drake initially arrived in 1981, and again in the sixth episode.

[edit] B-sides

The b-side to the single is "Passionate Reply", a light, poppy synthpop song similar to many tracks on the Vienna album. The 12" single also features "Herr X", a version of the Kraftwerk-esque album track "Mr. X" sung entirely in German by Warren Cann with the aid of native German producer Conny Plank.

Both tracks were included on the remastered CD version of the Vienna LP as bonus tracks.

[edit] Track listing

[edit] 7" version: CHS 2481

1. "Vienna" [single edit] – 4:37
2. "Passionate Reply" – 4:17

[edit] 12" version: CHS 12 2481

1. "Vienna" – 4:53
2. "Passionate Reply" – 4:17
3. "Herr X" – 5:49

• All songs written by Warren Cann, Chris Cross, Billy Currie, Midge Ure.

[edit] CD re-issue:

Disc one: CDCHS 3936

1. "Vienna" - 4.37
2. "Answers to Nothing" - 3.40
3. "The Voice" - 4.24
4. "Wastelands" - 4.22

Disc two: CDCHS 3937

1. "Vienna" - 4.37
2. "Call of the Wild" - 4.18
3. "One Small Day" - 4.27
4. "Hymn" - 4.24

• "Vienna", "The Voice", "One Small Day" and "Hymn" all written by Cann, Cross, Currie, Ure.
• "Answers to Nothing" and "Call of the Wild" written by Midge Ure.
• "Wastelands" written by Midge Ure, D. Mitchell, Ian Anderson.

[edit] Chart positions

1981 release (CHS 2481):

Chart	Peak position
The Netherlands	#1
Belgium	#1
Ireland	#1
United Kingdom	#2
New Zealand	#2
Sweden	#7
Austria	#8
South Africa	#8
Australia	#11
West Germany	#14

[edit] Cover versions

The song has been covered by various artists since its release:

• Kirlian Camera (Todesengel. The Fall of Life, 1991)
• Celestial Season (Solar Lovers, 1995)
• Gregorian (Masters of Chant, 2000)
• Clawfinger (A Whole Lot of Nothing, 2001)
• Infernal (From Paris to Berlin, 2005)

[edit] Notes

v • d • e Ultravox John Foxx • Chris Cross • Billy Currie • Stevie Shears • Warren Cann • Robin Simon • Midge Ure • Tony Fenelle • Sam Blue Studio albums Ultravox! • Ha!-Ha!-Ha! • Systems of Romance • Vienna • Rage in Eden • Quartet • Lament • U-Vox • Revelation • Ingenuity Live albums Live In Concert 1981 • Monument • Future Picture Compilations Three into One • The Collection • Slow Motion • Rare, Vol. 1 • Rare, Vol. 2 • The Voice: The Best of Ultravox • Dancing with Tears in My Eyes • Extended Ultravox • The Island Years • The Very Best Of Midge Ure & Ultravox • Finest Singles Dangerous Rhythm • Young Savage • ROckwrok • Slow Motion • Quiet Men • Sleepwalk • Passing Strangers • Vienna • All Stood Still • New Europeans • The Thin Wall • The Voice • Reap The Wild Wind • Hymn • Visions in Blue • We Came To Dance • One Small Day • Dancing with Tears in My Eyes • Lament • Heart of the Country • Love's Great Adventure • Same Old Story • All Fall Down • All In One Day • Vienna 92 • I Am Alive • There Goes a Beautiful World