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Vienna Lyrics

Vienna


We walked in the cold air
Freezing breath on a window pane
Lying and waiting
A man in the dark in a picture frame
So mystic and soulful
A voice reaching out in a piercing cry
It stays with you until

The feeling has gone only you and I
It means nothing to me
This means nothing to me
Oh, Vienna

The music is weaving
Haunting notes, pizzicato strings
The rhythm is calling
Alone in the night as the daylight brings
A cool empty silence
The warmth of your hand and a cold grey sky
It fades to the distance

The image has gone only you and I
It means nothing to me
This means nothing to me
Oh, Vienna

This means nothing to me
This means nothing to me
Oh, Vienna
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Cover art for Vienna lyrics by Ultravox

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzoFjdBWPuE

Midge Ure explains about a minute and a half into the clip.

Cover art for Vienna lyrics by Ultravox

a) Vienna is the name of the girl he is in love with ... or b) Vienna is the place where he fell in love and their relationship ended..

Cover art for Vienna lyrics by Ultravox

Despite Wikipedia, I don't see a single textual reference to 'The Third Man' in the song ‘Vienna’ The Third Man is about a pharmaceutical distributor in post-war Vienna who is responsible for a number of patient deaths because he dilutes medicines delivered to hospitals. The man fakes his own death and disappears when he fears the authorities are closing in on him, but his American friend tracks the man down and eventually kills him. ‘The Third Man’ is a horrifying film that looks into the motivations of a character who commits unspeakable acts for profit and puts the viewer into the position of looking at it based on the question; “What if this were my best friend?”

The song ‘Vienna’ is about the ebb and flow of sights, sounds and sensations. I like the interpretation of a brief love affair because the lyrics describe sensations that are felt strongly and then fade or fail to have meaning. This focus on severe but transient sensation was a key theme for the new romantics. (“Save a Prayer,” “The Killing Moon,” “Cars,” “Forever Young,” “A Forrest”)

I don’t see how the images in ‘Vienna’ could possibly relate to ‘The Third Man.’ There are no references to death or any sense of unconscionable acts. The internal emotional focus in the song ‘Vienna’ isn’t consistent with the sense of social morality from the ‘The Third Man.’ Also, It seems unlikely that ‘Haunting notes, pizzicato strings’ refers to the soundtrack from ‘The Third Man.’ It is more likely that the line refers to the gypsy style of music that was common in the streets and cafés of Wien in which instruments are frequently plucked rather than bowed. The most telling element is that ‘Vienna’ references ‘the warmth of your hand.’ Although there is an unrequited love aspect to ‘The Third Man,’ there is no interaction between characters that would really qualify as ‘warmth.’ This line seems very out-of-place for a reference to ‘The Third Man.’

I did 20 minute interview with Midge Ure once, but intentionally avoided questions about Ultravox. I wasn’t aware then of a potential reference to ‘The Third Man.’ I wish could go back and get him to comment on it.

I agree in every aspect.

Not Valid

Julian - I agree with you regarding that fact that the song is NOT about the movie The Third Man. However, you sound like someone who hasn't seen the movie but has read a synopsis of it. [No offence ment. Please hear me out with the rest of my reply].

I can see where people can get an impression that the movie influenced the song. After all, the movie is not horrific as you claim it is (the idea behind it is though). It is actually quiet atmospheric, with it's unusual score, strange camera angles and lighting that...

Not Valid

All very intersting and I certainly agree with the moodiness of the Third Man... howver my initial thoughts are that Vienna is simply refering to the phrase 'Goodnight Vienna' ie it is over .. it is finished...

I think that its about the emotion felt when a guy loves a woman and after a brief romance the woman calls it off.... the tension in the lyrics of 'it means nothing to me' I think are actually a denial of 'it means everything to me'... he remembers a selection of detail... but as he is pained... he has to tell himself that...

Not Valid
Cover art for Vienna lyrics by Ultravox

For the longest time I didn't fully know what this song meant. Then I saw an interview with Midge Ure and he explained that it was a song about a fleeting love affair. For example you go away on holiday for a few weeks, meet a girl and date for a while then once holiday ends so does the romance. It's a favorite of mine as well and I believe it's one of the greatest recordings ever made by any artist. It came out around the same time some British new wave bands were deteremined to maintain a European identity...and Ultravox and all of their albums (including the ones with John Foxx) were a good example of that attitude.

Cover art for Vienna lyrics by Ultravox

Midge Ures explanation in the youtube clip (see comment below) basically explains the song, The song is about the memory of a love affair fading. Initially I thought it was the other way around: The memories of Vienna fading but the love to the girl (only you and I) staying intact. Not the case - its the love affair turning into a collection of sensations and losing meaning. so thats nice one sorted.

However its true, as also commented on, that the underlying - or meta - theme is alienation meets romance and that fits perfectly in with the new romantics. As such its a great story in tune with the 80s zeitgeist. However it also reveals the airless hole that Ultravox never escaped from - encapsulated in the engraved line "It means nothing to me "

Cover art for Vienna lyrics by Ultravox

Err, it means nothing to me.

Cover art for Vienna lyrics by Ultravox

This has been one of my favorite songs for 20 years! I agree, it IS haunting. I remember hearing some statistic that said out of all the teenage suicides in Europe in the 80's (once this song was released) it was the most common song in their musical reportoire. HOW they got that statistic I don't know, and it very well could have been bunk, but I find it interesting nonetheless.

@PhoebeQ Probably not for nothing that they use this song at a particular point in "13 Reasons Why".

Cover art for Vienna lyrics by Ultravox

What does "Vienna" refer to?

@Ashley765 The capital of Austria

Cover art for Vienna lyrics by Ultravox

always wondered on this one but keep coming to the same conclusion its either drugs or a prostitute

Cover art for Vienna lyrics by Ultravox

the instumental bit about a minute before the song finishes is absolutely amazing, as is the whole song :) yeah, matthewsheffield on wikipedia it says the song has references to that