Hymn (Ultravox song)

"Hymn"
Single by Ultravox
from the album Quartet
B-side "Monument"
"The Thin Wall (Live)"
Released 19 November 1982
Format 7" single, 12" single
Recorded 1982 at AIR Studios in London
Genre Synthpop, post-punk, new wave
Length 4:46
Label Chrysalis Records
Writer(s) Warren Cann, Chris Cross, Billy Currie, Midge Ure
Producer(s) George Martin
Ultravox singles chronology
"Reap the Wild Wind"
(1982)		 "Hymn"
(1982)		 "Visions in Blue"
(1983)

"Hymn" is a 1982 hit single from Ultravox's sixth studio album Quartet (the third studio album recorded with vocalist Midge Ure) that reached #11 on the UK Top 40 singles chart and the Top 10 in Germany and Switzerland.[1]

History

The song was written by Warren Cann, Chris Cross, Billy Currie and Midge Ure and produced by George Martin. The cover art depicts certain symbols of Freemasonry, most notably the compass and the square.

Lyrically, the song is more of a sermon than a hymn (or, at the very least, a psalm), with Midge Ure taking his lesson broadly from the Bible.

Musically, the chords are reminiscent of the National Anthem of the Soviet Union, known in Russian as "Hymn of the Soviet Union" ("Государственный гимн СССР").[2]

The music video for the song describes the folly of four men seeking either fame, power or glory via a deal with the devil.

Track listing

7" version

  1. "Hymn" [single edit] – 4:24
  2. "Monument" – 3:16

12" version

  1. "Hymn" – 5:46
  2. "Monument" – 3:16
  3. "The Thin Wall (Live)" – 5:54

Covers

The song has been covered by numerous acts including Magna Charta (1990), Cabballero (1994), Cosmo (1994), German electro project Music Instructor (1995), Supporters (1997), The Stunned Guys (1998), Edguy (1998), DJ Jaxx (2000), 4 clubbers (2002) Gigi D'Agostino (2003), Lunatica (2004), Tina Cousins (2004), Polish DJ Psychophaze (2005), Mägo de Oz (under the name "Mañana Empieza Hoy") (2005), Raz Ohara (2005), Age Pee (2006), Trancemission (2006), Parasytic (2008), PROXIMITY (2010), Kirlian Camera (2011) and Mägo de Oz again (2013)

References

  1. ↑ Hymn - finnishcharts.com
  2. ↑ Gamboa, Glenn (7 January 2013). "Midge Ure's five best songs". Newsday.com. Newsday. Retrieved 15 August 2013.

External links


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