Ultravox - Herr X (live)

Ultravox reformed in 2009, and this 10" disc was compiled from dates on their 2010 tour in Germany.

Mr X, suitably sung in German here, was a track from Ultravox's fourth album Vienna, released in 1980. This was the first Ultravox album with Midge Ure on board and it marked the start of a different direction for the group, with it's sonorous synth textures thumbing a nose at the guitar heavy sounds around at the time.

The lyrics of Ultravox songs were also a breath of fresh air, though never far from straying into pomposity and pretension. After a series of "best of" compilations, their 2012 album Brilliant, was arguably both pretentious and pompous!

Classic Ultravox albums always had great covers - Rage In Eden being my favourite - and this 2010 album shows they still had a flair for great design and graphics that enhanced the mood and impact of the music. I've used a scan from the booklet included with the disc in the video as an example.

Cartridge: Nagaoka MP-300

Phono amp: Graham Slee Accession

Turntable: Kenwood KD7010 direct drive

Ich fand ein vollkommenes Bild

Von einem vollkommenen Fremden

Nach dem Namen auf dem Bild

Müsste es in den Vierzigern aufgenommen sein

Er könnte ein Irrer sein oder

Ein Blinder mit einem Stock

Vielleicht starb er vor Jahren

In einem Autounfall

Heute kann man es unmöglich wissen

Danach glaubte ich, ich hätte ihn pfeifend

Auf einer Brücke stehen gesehen

Ich fragte ihn nach der Zeit

Aber als er sich umdrehte, sah ich

Dass er es gar nicht war

Ich suche ihn immer noch

Ich suche ihn immer noch

Ich sah ihn am Flughafen

Wo er auf einem Stuhle saß

Ich winkte ihm, aber ich glaube nicht, dass er mich bemerkte

Ich habe das komische Gefühl

Dass ich weiß, wer er ist

Herr X...

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I found the perfect picture of a perfect stranger

It looked as if it were taken in the forties sometime

Judging by the style

He could be a killer or a blind man with a cane

Perhaps he died in a car crash years ago

Right now, it's impossible to tell

I almost thought I saw him, standing, whistling on a bridge

I asked him the time, but when he turned around

I saw it wasn't him at all

I'm still searching

I'm still searching

I saw him in an airport while he was sitting on a wing

And I waved to him, but I don't think he noticed me

I've got a funny feeling I know who he is

Mr. X...

Click to enlarge