Midge Ure — Answers To Nothing
Album: Answers To NothingAvg rating:
Your rating:
Total ratings: 940
Length: 4:22
Plays (last 30 days): 2
share
tweet
High upon a hillside,
A preacher tells a story to a crowd
He tells the same old story,
A thousand times he's read that story loud
He wants to give the answers but his words are only
Answers to nothing
Lying in my bedroom,
A man comes on my TV with a grin
He tells me to believe him,
He said that I should put my faith in him
He says he has the answers,
But his words are only
Answers to nothing
Oh, oh, oh, believed for the last time
Oh, oh, oh, deceived for the last time
Hear the chosen leaders
Say, we can't stay sitting on the fence
Believe the stuff they feed us,
They're buying guns and bombs for our defence
They think this is the answer,
But their thoughts are only
Answers to nothing
Where is all the friendship,
How can all the comradeship be done
What of all the teachings,
What of things we learned when we were young
It doesn't bear the asking,
'Cos the answers given were
Answers to nothing
Oh, oh, oh, lied for the last time
Oh, oh, oh, died for the last time
Oh, oh, oh, cried for the last time, this time
Oh, oh, oh, believed for the last time
Oh, oh, oh, deceived for the last time
Oh, oh, oh, believed for the last time, this time
High upon a hillside,
A preacher tells a story to a crowd
He tells the same old story,
A thousand times he's read that story loud
He wants to give the answers but his words are only
Answers to nothing
Lying in my bedroom,
A man comes on my TV with a grin
He tells me to believe him,
He said that I should put my faith in him
He says he has the answers,
But his words are only
Answers to nothing
Oh, oh, oh, lied for the last time
Oh, oh, oh, cried for the last time
Oh, oh, oh, died for the last time
Oh, oh, oh, deceived for the last time
Oh, oh, oh, believed for the last time, this time
A preacher tells a story to a crowd
He tells the same old story,
A thousand times he's read that story loud
He wants to give the answers but his words are only
Answers to nothing
Lying in my bedroom,
A man comes on my TV with a grin
He tells me to believe him,
He said that I should put my faith in him
He says he has the answers,
But his words are only
Answers to nothing
Oh, oh, oh, believed for the last time
Oh, oh, oh, deceived for the last time
Hear the chosen leaders
Say, we can't stay sitting on the fence
Believe the stuff they feed us,
They're buying guns and bombs for our defence
They think this is the answer,
But their thoughts are only
Answers to nothing
Where is all the friendship,
How can all the comradeship be done
What of all the teachings,
What of things we learned when we were young
It doesn't bear the asking,
'Cos the answers given were
Answers to nothing
Oh, oh, oh, lied for the last time
Oh, oh, oh, died for the last time
Oh, oh, oh, cried for the last time, this time
Oh, oh, oh, believed for the last time
Oh, oh, oh, deceived for the last time
Oh, oh, oh, believed for the last time, this time
High upon a hillside,
A preacher tells a story to a crowd
He tells the same old story,
A thousand times he's read that story loud
He wants to give the answers but his words are only
Answers to nothing
Lying in my bedroom,
A man comes on my TV with a grin
He tells me to believe him,
He said that I should put my faith in him
He says he has the answers,
But his words are only
Answers to nothing
Oh, oh, oh, lied for the last time
Oh, oh, oh, cried for the last time
Oh, oh, oh, died for the last time
Oh, oh, oh, deceived for the last time
Oh, oh, oh, believed for the last time, this time
Comments (71)add comment
MrStatenIsle wrote:
Agreed, reminds me of the dense backgrounds in so many Peter Gabriel songs.
Really diggin' the busy rhythm section on this!
Agreed, reminds me of the dense backgrounds in so many Peter Gabriel songs.
lee_sf wrote:
The band sound doesn't match at all, but Midge Ure's voice has similarities to Geddy Lee. I came and looked to see if it was some solo effort from Geddy.
Some serious disliking going on in the comments and the ratings. It doesn't seem that bad.
That pretty much sums it up, though I will add that the guitar sounds are also reminiscent of late 80s Rush.
The band sound doesn't match at all, but Midge Ure's voice has similarities to Geddy Lee. I came and looked to see if it was some solo effort from Geddy.
Some serious disliking going on in the comments and the ratings. It doesn't seem that bad.
That pretty much sums it up, though I will add that the guitar sounds are also reminiscent of late 80s Rush.
xrdstv wrote:
Why? It is a nice song. Has a message. Has a nice hook.
As a Scotsman I agree
Why? It is a nice song. Has a message. Has a nice hook.
As a Scotsman I agree
Foggymountain wrote:
Why? It is a nice song. Has a message. Has a nice hook.
Make it stop!
Why? It is a nice song. Has a message. Has a nice hook.
Foggymountain wrote:
There's a skip button for haters like you. Please move away.
Make it stop!
There's a skip button for haters like you. Please move away.
Make it stop!
CoYoT51 wrote:
Good Catch! It is. I can't believe I didn't hear that. Must mean it's time to dig out my Level 42 CD's. That's worth bumping up my rating.
The bass brings 50% of the whole interest of this tune.
Mark King, right?
Good Catch! It is. I can't believe I didn't hear that. Must mean it's time to dig out my Level 42 CD's. That's worth bumping up my rating.
I love how Bill still plays this a lot, even with the low rating and all the h8rs here. Midge Ure (the other mastermind behind Live Aid) and Ultravox are great. Keep up the good work sir. 
hayduke2 wrote:
Midge is Jim spelled backwards, a phonetic reversal of Jim.
His birth name is James.
is Midge his given name? (maybe full name is Kersmidgeonah Ure : p
Midge is Jim spelled backwards, a phonetic reversal of Jim.
His birth name is James.
The bass brings 50% of the whole interest of this tune.
Mark King, right?
Mark King, right?
Have the CD from back in the day. Wasn't into Ultravox, but since folks bring up Rush, Neil Peart had expressed appreciation for UV back in the 80s and 90s. The song, at least in the Midwest, which got airplay for this album was "Dear God," which I still enjoy.
talus wrote:
Limbaugh?
sounds like Rush
Limbaugh?
I just noticed that James Ure is the same age as my tractor..
Cordialement,
Cordialement,
Give Geddy the band and let's see what happens!
He's like bargain-rate Peter Gabriel.
MrStatenIsle wrote:
Yeah, all those off beats are quite catchy
Really diggin' the busy rhythm section on this!
Yeah, all those off beats are quite catchy
Oh man, I was a big Ultravox fan back in the day and really like his voice. Would love to hear some of those songs here. This isn't bad though.
I could swear this is a Haim song. This is so similar to their style that I had to google to check to see if they had covered it.
Now I think they should!
Either way - Great tune.
Now I think they should!
Either way - Great tune.
lee_sf wrote:
The band sound doesn't match at all, but Midge Ure's voice has similarities to Geddy Lee. I came and looked to see if it was some solo effort from Geddy.
Some serious disliking going on in the comments and the ratings. It doesn't seem that bad.
He sounds like Geddy if Geddy could actually sing.
The band sound doesn't match at all, but Midge Ure's voice has similarities to Geddy Lee. I came and looked to see if it was some solo effort from Geddy.
Some serious disliking going on in the comments and the ratings. It doesn't seem that bad.
He sounds like Geddy if Geddy could actually sing.
Awesome - some many great memories of fabulous 80s British groups. I enjoyed the more alternative styles of that time.
Really diggin' the busy rhythm section on this!
lee_sf wrote:
The band sound doesn't match at all, but Midge Ure's voice has similarities to Geddy Lee. I came and looked to see if it was some solo effort from Geddy.
Some serious disliking going on in the comments and the ratings. It doesn't seem that bad.
Agree: Ure vocals resemble some of Lee's. But IMHO this song overall is quite similar to Rush's 1989 "Hand Over Fist" from Presto - drum machines and all. That album was a bit of a departure for them in some ways. Purists might not have appreciated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=547O5uJh8SE
The band sound doesn't match at all, but Midge Ure's voice has similarities to Geddy Lee. I came and looked to see if it was some solo effort from Geddy.
Some serious disliking going on in the comments and the ratings. It doesn't seem that bad.
Agree: Ure vocals resemble some of Lee's. But IMHO this song overall is quite similar to Rush's 1989 "Hand Over Fist" from Presto - drum machines and all. That album was a bit of a departure for them in some ways. Purists might not have appreciated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=547O5uJh8SE
Wow...this after Mari Boine...that's two sub 6 rated songs in a row. That's skid row for RP. The only thing saving this track from the dreaded 1-sucko-barfo is the cool drums...I liked the Mongolian Smurf chants on Mari Boine's "In the Hand of the Night" much better.
*Edit* 6/21/2017 On my 2nd full and attentive listen to this track, I'm bumping my 2 all the way up to a 6. I'm not sure why my ears were so against it to begin with...maybe because it's unusual? Anyways, LONG LIVE RP!!I loved Ultravox back in the day but the talent ran dry pretty quickly, to my ears. He did a live, acoustic session recently on Radio 2 and it was dreadful.
This is a great album if you are so inclined to like the Ultravox singer!
Horrible song, period.
gntlemanartist wrote:
Oh no!!
Reminds me a bit of Yes.
Oh no!!
jbunniii wrote:
Oh yes!
This really is a bit crap.
Oh yes!
This really is a bit crap.
gntlemanartist wrote:
Really?
Reminds me a bit of Yes.
Really?
is Midge his given name? (maybe full name is Kersmidgeonah Ure : p
keller1 wrote:
The band sound doesn't match at all, but Midge Ure's voice has similarities to Geddy Lee. I came and looked to see if it was some solo effort from Geddy.
Some serious disliking going on in the comments and the ratings. It doesn't seem that bad.
Sounds like Rush on quaaludes with their hands and feet bound ... as in, not at all.
The band sound doesn't match at all, but Midge Ure's voice has similarities to Geddy Lee. I came and looked to see if it was some solo effort from Geddy.
Some serious disliking going on in the comments and the ratings. It doesn't seem that bad.
Midge Ure is still alive. Now that is news.
talus wrote:
Sounds like Rush on quaaludes with their hands and feet bound ... as in, not at all.
sounds like Rush
Sounds like Rush on quaaludes with their hands and feet bound ... as in, not at all.
Ultavox played at 7:08 AM and now Midge Ure. It's red letter day for fans of 80's British new wave music.
Midge Ure on RP?? 
Nice one! 
ft wrote:
I thought the basswork sounded mighty tasty ... I didn't realize Mark King was responsible! Nice!
I've always liked this song/album, not to mention the tasty bass from Level 42's Mark King (who did quite a bit with Midge). Timely subject matter, too, ugh. I guess Midge has been busy with the "Band Aid 20" lately, too...
I thought the basswork sounded mighty tasty ... I didn't realize Mark King was responsible! Nice!
Never heard of 'em and really just want them to go away at this point.
kyle wrote:
Great, post us a link to it when you're done, please. I love a good mashup/mix/cover/whatever.
A decent voice accompanied by truly mediorce music. I could do better in GarageBand in 5 minutes.
Great, post us a link to it when you're done, please. I love a good mashup/mix/cover/whatever.
Atrocious... changing channels now..
I don't think Midge and Ultravox would ever have minded being compared to Rush, but they never would have measured up. I far prefer Midge on his own compared to the band, though that's not saying much. Decent at best.
Reminds me a bit of Yes.
A decent voice accompanied by truly mediorce music. I could do better in GarageBand in 5 minutes.
I've always liked this song/album, not to mention the tasty bass from Level 42's Mark King (who did quite a bit with Midge). Timely subject matter, too, ugh.
I guess Midge has been busy with the "Band Aid 20" lately, too...
I've seen Midge Ure twice in the past (including this tour) and was never disappointed. This is an awesome song and album. So why has it been over a year since the last time it was played?
I think that the 3.6 rating this had before Bill started begging was a bit generous but not totally unreasonable.
Midge Ure - Answers To Nothing I like it a lot, remember back in SoCAL on KROQ, Blast from the past, it's a keeper in my book
great song, Bill. he is such an under-appreciated artist, especially his work with Ultravox. i also love his duet with Kate Bush. keep playing this song, maybe others will boost it up to it's rightful place
Bill, stop pimping this song and BEGGING for a ratings boost. It is what it is. Ridiculous.
veegez wrote:
Well Bill, looks like 4.2 is the best we can come up with for now. At least I did my part. :D
me too.. a great song.
I don't understand why the ratings are so low for this song. I must have Unusual Ears. 8-<
I first heard this in the early 90's when world class rock was still on the air in L A. I bought the album. I think most of it is very good. there's a song called sister with Kate Bush that I think is quite cool.
This tune sounds nothing like Slopknot or Rush. The bass line was funk oriented. Midge Ure would probably vomit after being compared to these bands, not that they aren\'t great bands, but we\'re talking very different types of music.
Well Bill, looks like 4.2 is the best we can come up with for now. At least I did my part. :D
Originally Posted by talus:
I completely agree I was just going to ask if anyone thought they sounded like a bad Rush.
Gee...... I was going to say it was really quite good. Think I\'d only heard Midge Ure on RP once before and noted that I liked his voice. This was fresh for me and I think it rocks.
3.6 ? Absolutely no way.
Originally Posted by Patterned:
This sounds -exactly- like a slipshod Rush imitation. It's bloody surreal. Too bad it's not very good.
I completely agree I was just going to ask if anyone thought they sounded like a bad Rush.
Midge. The name says it all. :roll:
I can\'t say that I enjoy this tune very much either. It\'s not bad, just....mediocre.
Not a fan of the high vocals..
Up until that point in the song, I didn\'t have complaints.
Originally Posted by talus:
sounds like Rush
I don't think Neil Peart would like being compared to a drum machine. :p
Oops, I guess I have to take that back. It's the drummer from Big Country. Still think it would piss Neil off, though. :D Ugh. This song is to music as Velveeta is to cheese.
sounds like Rush
Agreed. This album is stellar! There is a duet with Kate Bush on the track Sister and Brother that is a beauty. Thank you Bill!!