Here is my list of the top 10 Ultravox songs from the '80s:

1. Vienna - An absolute '80s diamond. I'm so glad that this song was named as an honorary UK Number One single by the Official Charts Company.

2. The Thin Wall - Am I weird for liking the sound of this song with the view of spinning ceiling fans?

3. Lament - An essential listen for anyone wanting a comprehensive idea of who Ultravox were.

4. Passing Strangers

5. Love's Great Adventure - I sometimes forget about this song because it wasn't included on a studio album. Now, I finally know why I have frequently forgotten about it.

6. The Voice

7. All Stood Still

8. Reap The Wild Wind

9. Mr. X

10. Dancing With Tears In My Eyes - This almost missed the list but I decided to exclude the song Hymn because it reminded me too much of the Lord's Prayer. This is still a pretty good song, in my opinion.

Granted I'm not familiar with a lot of their material, but the only Ultravox song I'm really big on is "Dangerous Rhythm". But that's from 1977 and the John Foxx era. I was never big on Midge Ure. "Dangerous Rhythm" is a terrific song, though. In the past I have posted it on the "70s Song of the Day" thread.

"Dancing With Tears In My Eyes" is the only one I know well. However, I have heard "Vienna" a few times but would need to hear it again in order to remember how it sounds.

Ultravox were not big stars in North America.  Their lone hit in the US Hot 100 was Reap the Wild Wind and their lone hit in the Canadian Top 100 was Dancing With Tears in My Eyes.  I love British music of the 80s though, so I know all the Midge Ure-era hits

1. Love's Great Adventure
2. One Small Day
3. Dancing With Tears in My Eyes
4. Hymn (The Power and the Glory)
5. Visions in Blue
6. Vienna
7. Lament
8. Reap the Wild Wind
9. The Thin Wall
10.  The Voice

Yes I was thinking Ultravox was a type of instrument, not a band. I’ll have to listen.

Ultravox were not big stars in North America.  Their lone hit in the US Hot 100 was Reap the Wild Wind and their lone hit in the Canadian Top 100 was Dancing With Tears in My Eyes. 


Correct. I only knew them in the late 70s because they got played in punk clubs here and on college radio in the punk days. All that pretty much stopped in the 80s Midge Ure era of Ultravox. I only even knew the name Midge Ure because he played at Live Aid (which took place 36 years ago yesterday).

Correct. I only knew them in the late 70s because they got played in punk clubs here and on college radio in the punk days. All that pretty much stopped in the 80s Midge Ure era of Ultravox. I only even knew the name Midge Ure because he played at Live Aid (which took place 36 years ago yesterday).
Also, co-wrote with Bob Geldof "Do They Know It's Christmas?". It was first recorded in a single day on 25 November 1984 by Band Aid, a supergroup put together by Geldof and Ure and consisting mainly of the biggest British and Irish musical acts at the time.

Also, co-wrote with Bob Geldof "Do They Know It's Christmas?". It was first recorded in a single day on 25 November 1984 by Band Aid, a supergroup put together by Geldof and Ure and consisting mainly of the biggest British and Irish musical acts at the time.


The name "Midge" is pretty much exclusively a female name here in the US. I may be the only one who has noticed this, but the name "Midge" occupies a certain odd place in mid-20th Century culture in the US. It seems that on every sitcom in the 50s and 60s the main female character always had a best friend or next door neighbor named "Midge". Midges were everywhere on TV back then.  Yet, I can't think of anybody who ever actually knew anybody named "Midge" in real life. I even remember commercials in the 60s for the famed Barbie doll and even SHE had a "best friend" named, you guessed it, MIDGE. I couldn't figure out why anybody would want to buy a "sidekick" doll when they could have the "main character", so to speak. I must have been right about this, because "Midge" dolls soon faded away.

The name "Midge" is pretty much exclusively a female name here in the US. I may be the only one who has noticed this, but the name "Midge" occupies a certain odd place in mid-20th Century culture in the US. It seems that on every sitcom in the 50s and 60s the main female character always had a best friend or next door neighbor named "Midge". Midges were everywhere on TV back then.  Yet, I can't think of anybody who ever actually knew anybody named "Midge" in real life. I even remember commercials in the 60s for the famed Barbie doll and even SHE had a "best friend" named, you guessed it, MIDGE. I couldn't figure out why anybody would want to buy a "sidekick" doll when they could have the "main character", so to speak. I must have been right about this, because "Midge" dolls soon faded away.


I had a friend who’s nickname was Midge. This is from a U.K. children’s tv show called Mary, Mungo and Midge

Regarding the Barbie sidekick. I could see having a friend for Barbie so they can do things together. I only had one “proper” Barbie doll, but I had a bunch of knock offs. They all went shopping together, on a camping holiday, etc.

Was Skippy Barbie’s younger sister, or was that a fever dream I had?

The name "Midge" is pretty much exclusively a female name here in the US. I may be the only one who has noticed this, but the name "Midge" occupies a certain odd place in mid-20th Century culture in the US. It seems that on every sitcom in the 50s and 60s the main female character always had a best friend or next door neighbor named "Midge". Midges were everywhere on TV back then.  Yet, I can't think of anybody who ever actually knew anybody named "Midge" in real life. I even remember commercials in the 60s for the famed Barbie doll and even SHE had a "best friend" named, you guessed it, MIDGE. I couldn't figure out why anybody would want to buy a "sidekick" doll when they could have the "main character", so to speak. I must have been right about this, because "Midge" dolls soon faded away.
Midge Ure's name at birth was James Ure, and Midge is an diminutive of Jim.

Well, to be honest I never heard of them until I saw their appearance at Live Aid.  I've heard some of their songs on the radio since then

Midge Ure's name at birth was James Ure, and Midge is an diminutive of Jim.


Midge is Jim spelled backwards.

Midge is Jim spelled backwards.
Also, a midge is any small fly, including species in several families of non-mosquito Nematoceran Diptera. Midges are found (seasonally or otherwise) on practically every land area outside permanently arid deserts and the frigid zones. Like Midge Ure, are popular in Scotland.

Here in Canada, Midge actually performed better outside of Ultravox.
Both the 1984 Band-Aid and 2004 Band Aid 20 versions of Do They Know It's Christmas, which he was involved as producer, peaked at #1
His solo hits If I Was peaked at #13 in 1986 and Dear God peaked at #42 in 1989
Dancing With Tears in My Eyes only peaked at #52

Always loved Ultravox. Answers To Nothing, by Midge Ure resides in my collection.