"Vienna" is Ultravox's third single from their fourth album of the same name (and the first under Midge Ure's leadership). The single was released on Chrysalis Records on January 15, 1981, peaking for 4 weeks at #2 in the UK singles chart. It was kept off the #1 spot by the novelty single "Shaddap You Face" by Joe Dolce Music Theatre as well as by John Lennon's Woman.
The song takes inspiration from the 1948 film The Third Man, which is based around the Austrian capital Vienna.
The black-and-white music video, directed by Russell Mulcahy, is particularly evocative of The Third Man. It was Ultravox' second video, after Passing Strangers (also with Mulcahy), and cost £6000–£7000, footed by the band after Chrysalis refused to fund it.
It may come as a surprise to know that approximately half of it was shot on locations in central London, mainly at Covent Garden and also in the old Kilburn Gaumont Theatre in North London (sadly, now a Bingo hall). The embassy party scene was in some house we’d rented in town. Can’t remember where, but I do remember that it took the crew a long time to set up the lights to prepare for filming. So long that we all got impatient with waiting and dipped into the many cases of wine we’d laid on for refreshment after the shoot. By the time the crew was ready to film, we were all well partying for real.
The other half was in Vienna. We did it on the cheap. There was just us and Nick, our trusty camera man. We took an early morning flight to Vienna, ran round like loonies in and out of taxis as we filmed, and soon discovered that, due to it being the winter off-season, many of the splendid places we’d been counting upon filming were either shut for redecorating or covered with webs of scaffolding. “What do you mean it’s ‘closed for repairs’?!” We finished up in the cemetery for the shots with the statue which had been used for the single’s cover (a gentleman who made pianos for the rich and famous of his time, I believe), did the sunset shot, and then dashed back to London to start editing.
Lyrics
We walked in the cold air Freezing breath on the window pain Lying waiting
A man in the dark in the picture frame So mystic and soulful. A voice reaching out and a piercing cry
It stays with you until The feeling is gone only you and I This means nothing to me This means nothing to me
Oh Vienna
The music is weaving Haunting notes pizzicato strings The rhythm is calling Alone in the night as the daylight brings a cold empty silence The warmth of your hand and a cold grey sky
It fades to the distance.
The image is gone only you and I This means nothing to me This means nothing to me
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