Hymn (Ultravox song)
| "Hymn" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 4:24 (single edit) 5:46 (album version) | |||
| Label | Chrysalis Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Warren Cann, Chris Cross, Billy Currie, Midge Ure | |||
| Producer(s) | George Martin | |||
| Ultravox singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Hymn" is a song from
History
The song was written by
The melody of the song was heavily inspired by
Lyrically, the song describes a time of corruption, in which "all that's good will fall from grace" and "Different words [...] have other meaning"; the protagonist expresses his worldly ambitions for "power and glory" in phrases from
In line with this theme, the music video, directed by Ure and Cross, depicts a diabolical figure (played by Oliver Tobias) seducing men struggling 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, though - as hinted at by the final scenes - at a cost.[3]
Multiple synthesizers are listed in the creation of the track, including the PPG Wave, Minimoog, ARP Odyssey, E-mu Emulator, and Yamaha CS-80.[4]
Track listing
7" version
- "Hymn" [single edit] – 4:24
- "Monument" – 3:16
12" version
- "Hymn" – 5:46
- "Monument" – 3:16
- "The Thin Wall (live 17 Oct 81 at Hammersmith Odeon)" – 5:54
Covers
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2023) |
The song has been covered by numerous acts including
References
- ^ "Ultravox". Official Charts.
- ^ Hymn - finnishcharts.com
- ^ a b "allmusic.com". AllMusic.
- ^ Beecher, Mike (January 1983). "Hymn (EMM Jan 1983)". Electronics & Music Maker (Jan 1983): 56–60.
- ^ PROXIMITY at Bandcamp, via the Internet Archive.
