Ultravox - White China

[Helthfreak12]

This song is about the west becoming like China, "in the not to distant days' and freedem slipping away, I cant believe people can't see what this song is about! its so in your face!!! and if you dont know Idaho to become 1st Chinese Owned State. kiss goodbye to all you ever knew. :(

[zpoyly]

i love white china ..... but in my veins

[GvWeir]

You're all talking nonsense..... Midge had just bought a new tea set from Harvey Nics and was impressed by how white the china was.....doh :D

[keith4usa]

@GvWeir your comment was absolutely hilarious !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Did you know that heart in the country was really written as Fart in the country !!!!! and vienna was about a short bread cake he bought from tescos,

and feed the world was really about, when he once worked in a soup kitchen one xmas.....but the best one of all

all was ALL STOOD STILL that was when the music stopped in a party game at his house that same xmas !!

[FroobleToo]

The song is actually about the hand over of Honk Kong from the British to the Chinese, then due in 1997, after a 99 year "lease" from the Chinese. "White China" actually refers to Hong Kong when in Britain's hands.... it becomes "Red" when Red China takes over. I think the confusion over what this song is actually about is because it was written so long before Hong Kong was actually handed over, if you check out the lyrics you'll realise this is indeed the case. :)

[PhantomLord00]

@FroobleToo UK and China in fact came to the agreement for the future cession of Hong Kong exactly in 1984

[SonikkuzaHejiihoggu]

needed some pyrotechnix

[TheSandsie13]

love this song. even the daft "dancing" our midge does. but if a guy looks like that in black and a poytail who cares how he dances. love you a lot midge.

[TheSandsie13]

i liked the little mustache. but midge with a clean shaven face is nice to look at too. and those blue blue eyes. love ya mr ure truely, maddly, deeply.

[FoodSexRecords]

Fantastic song, one of my favorites. I often play it on repeat. More often have it in my head all day!

[2137080]

ultravox always sounded brilliant live this however is mimed and probaly contributed to their break up as they would never do this in the early years fantastic song should have been a single release but as usual they did'nt follow any common sense approach to releasing records

[TriumVirateABAP]

It WOULD be super keen if fyou posted the lyrics for all here

eckerry

[casm2003]

billys shades also looked a bit stupid too! kick ass song tho, always loved it!

[crazybillt]

The great old days of White China Heroin

[Delsanar]

I never understood this song, even when I had to listen to it constantly repeat throughout a Warcraft 3 custom RPG, rated quite well. It was a good song though.

[ShiningRayde]

I played that map as well. The song was beautifully used, if a little grating (it was just the intro part, up to the lyrics, looped.) The entire idea of 'losing control' and having everything worked out for you to follow along with, and whether or not you heel to these masters is explored quite well. The medium helped to tell a very interesting story, and the song enhanced and matched with it's themes.

[ShiningRayde]

As a side note to those interested, it's entitled "When the freedom slips away".

[FFThis]

Mr. Ponytail

[cedarjet707]

God those headset mics look daft.

[Noblelox]

God, I had forgotten that daft dance he did back then...

[wildwindsca]

midge is just a fan of the "Big Swing!" and a monster mullet!! had one once as well.

[ohstudio]

delicious song !

[khorrumg]

The only decent track on the album....they should have packed it in by We Came to Dance single.....They had been at the forefront of Futurism...with the Minds, Associates, D-Mode et al.

[penetrator9]

GREAT SONG....

[FLORENT2222]

still good 25 years after !!!

[emt4242]

Love how Midge looks in this vid!!! clean face, pony tail..yummy!!!xxxx

[fliznid]

I agree - sexy as anything!!

[mondykf05]

excellent rythms at 2.40, don't do those any more do they

[Mpftmead]

Does anyone know what the meaning behind the song is!? I was thinking that in some way it could be related to heroin (China White)?

[carzyhorse138]

I don't think it's about heroin, though I could be wrong. I think it's an anti-Communist song: 'when pale turns to pink'; 'when white turns to red'; 'when crimson takes a hold'. Listen to the lyrics again and see what you think. Perhaps this should have been the theme music for the coverage of the Beijing Olympics in the freedom-loving democracies of the West? Great song, whatever brand of politics you favour.

[Mpftmead]

Excellent! I was thinking about that too! That makes sense. lol It's an intriguing song...thanks so much for replying!

[emt4242]

A lot of songs off of "Lament" have a communist/nuclear threat theme..One of my fave albums!!!

[Mpftmead]

Good point.

[Cougari72]

English china clay?? lol

[Mpftmead]

Lol

[brj1966]

This song is about one thing - freedom, or a lack thereof. It was written in 1983 as a reaction to Britain's Thatcher government whose (ironically) far right policies were increasingly encroaching on individuals freedoms bringing about a bizarre type of capitalist or 'white' China. I enjoyed the fact that Midge often wrote obliquely about poilitcs rather than conventional subject matter. Refer also 'Heart of the Country' which hauntingly expands on the theme of disillusion with governance.

[Mpftmead]

Thanks!

[karasmith42]

I did NOT know that - thanks for the insight!!

[CaptainFootos]

thx for sharing this info - i'd heard somewhere it was about CIA interrogation techniques... well your take makes way more sense!

[MyWhiteChina]

Actually the song is about Hong Kong being handed back to Chinese rule. Britain had had a lease on part of HK for150 years and it ran out in 1997. This song was written in anticipation of the historic event..

[brj1966]

To be honest, I don't think this is true. This was one theory purported by a reviewer, namely one Bob Widnes and I quote him here: "White China looks forward to the return of Hong Kong to China" but I understand that this was just a guess by dear old Bob which still remains unconfirmed by Midge. No-one was really thinking about the handover of HK in late '83. I suspect it is more likely to be about the UK itself. Wouldn't it be cool if Midge could write in here and clarify it for us mortals...

[MyWhiteChina]

I did ask Midge when I briefly met him after once of acoustic gigs.  He confirmed it was about HK - as I said...:)

[brj1966]

Ok. In that case I stand entirely corrected. Congrats on talking to the man himself and the confirmation here.

[AlmicheV]

@brj1966 It's a song about drug addiction - a drug that mimics heroin. HOTC is about government for sure.

[hunkahillbilly]

@brj1966 Bullshiite! This song was obviously prophesying about the influence China would have in the West in the future.

"When pale turns to pink in the not too distant days"...."When all you ever know is worked out for you" - typical liberal leftist agenda.

These guys are prophets!

[slanyah]

@brj1966 what the fuck u on about

[slanyah]

Respond to this video... brj 1966

[EdMcF1]

@brj1966 Thatcher increased spending, keeping to Callaghan's plans, and she raised VAT. Get your facts right, it sounds to me more like a criticism of socialism.

[mandrillfoden]

FANTASTIC