Hymn (Ultravox Song)
| Hymn | |
|---|---|
| Ultravox | |
| publication | October 15, 1982 (album) November 10, 1982 (single) |
| length | 4:24 (7 ″), 5:46 (12 ″, album) |
| Genre (s) | Synth pop , new wave |
| Author (s) | Warren Cann , Chris Cross , Billy Currie , Midge Ure |
| Producer (s) | George Martin |
| Label | Chrysalis Records |
| album | Quartet |
Hymn is a song by Ultravox from 1982. It was released as the second single from their sixth studio album Quartet .
Origin and content
The song was written by Warren Cann , Chris Cross , Billy Currie and Midge Ure and produced by George Martin . The single cover shows some symbols of Freemasonry , especially the compass and the square.
Drummer Warren Cann wrote the chorus of Hymn and was heavily inspired by the 1979 song Mourning Star from The Zones . Chris Cross wrote the verse with the help of Midge Ure, while Billy Currie wrote the bridge .
Lyrically, the song describes a time of corruption, in which "all good things fall from grace" and "different words [...] have different meanings". The protagonist expresses his worldly ambitions for “power and fame” in idioms from the Bible (“the fairy tale book”), especially with the help of the Our Father. The text was written by Midge Ure.
Music video
In keeping with this theme, the music video shows a diabolical figure (played by Oliver Tobias ) seducing men fighting in their fields (an actor, a politician, a musician and an office assistant played by the four Ultravox members). After signing a contract they all achieve success, but - as indicated in the last scenes - it comes with a price. A film poster for the film Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981, German Hunter of the Lost Ark ) can be seen in the actor's scenes . The contract signed by the four band members is dated August 19, 1982.
reception
The single was released on November 10, 1982 and reached number eleven in the United Kingdom , number nine in Germany and number six on the Swiss charts.
Track list
- 7 "version
- Hymn [Single Edit] - 4:24 (Text: Midge Ure - Music: Warren Cann, Chris Cross, Billy Currie, Midge Ure)
- Monument - 3:16 (Warren Cann, Billy Currie)
- 12 "version
- Hymn - 5:46
- Monument - 3:16
- The Thin Wall (Live) - 5:54 (Text: Midge Ure, Warren Cann - Music: Warren Cann, Billy Currie, Midge Ure)
Cover versions
The song has been covered by numerous artists, including Magna Charta (1990), Cabballero (1994), Cosmo (1994), the German electro project Music Instructor (1995) - the cover version reached number eight in Germany -, Supporters (1997), The Stunned Guys (1998), Edguy (1998), DJ Jaxx (2000), 4 Clubbers (2002), Gigi D'Agostino (2003), Lunatica (2004), Tina Cousins (2004), DJ Psychophaze (2005), Mägo de Oz ( Mañana empieza hoy ) (2005), Raz Ohara (2005), Age Pee (2006), Trancemission (2006), Parasytic (2008), Proximity (2010), Kirlian Camera (2011), Mägo de Oz (2013) and Marnik & Danko (2018).