The Thin Wall
"The Thin Wall" is Ultravox's first single from the Rage in Eden album, recorded in Conny Plank’s Studio in Cologne, Germany and released on Chrysalis Records on 14 August 1981.
The music video, directed by Russell Mulcahy, features Midge Ure struggling to cope among strange and nightmarish imagery, similar to a haunted house setting, while the other band members seemingly plot his demise.
The song is a fast and stark synth melody with obscure lyrics like many Ultravox songs and New Romantic music in general. It peaked at #14 in the UK Single Charts.
There is no extended version of "The Thin Wall" unlike other Ultravox singles; the A-side on the 12" is identical to the album version, while the 7" version is an edit.
Track listings
7" vinyl
12" vinyl
Chart performance
References
Podcasts:
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by Ultravox
The Thin Wall
by: UltravoxThe sound is on the visions move
The image dance starts once again
They shuffle with a bovine grace
And glide in syncopation
Just living lines from books we've read
With atmospheres of days gone by
With paper smiles the screenplay calls
A message for the nation
And those who sneer will fade and die
And those who laugh will surely fall
And those who know will always feel
Their backs against the thin wall
The thin wall, thin wall
Grey men who speak of victory
Shed light upon their stolen life
They drive by night and act as if they're
Moved by unheard music
To step in time and play the part
With velvet voices smooth and cold
Their power games a game no more
And long the chance to use it
And those who sneer will fade and die
And those who laugh will surely fall
And those who know will always feel
Their backs against the thin wall
The thin wall, thin wall
And those who dance will spin and turn
And those who wait will wait no more
And those talk will hear the word
And those who sneer will fade and die
And those who laugh will surely fall
And those who know will always feel
Their backs against the thin wall
Thin wall
And those who dance
The thin wall
And those who wait
The thin wall
And those who talk
The thin wall
And those who sneer
The thin wall
And those who laugh
The thin wall
And those who know
The thin wall
And those who dance
The thin wall