"Visions in Blue" is Ultravox's third single from the Quartet album, recorded in Air Studios, Montserrat and released on Chrysalis Records on 11 March 1983. The single peaked at #15 in the UK charts on 26 March.[1][2][3] A video was produced, but was banned by the BBC and MTV due to brief nudity; an edited version was later provided for broadcast on Top of the Pops.[3]

"Visions in Blue"
Single by Ultravox
from the album Quartet
B-side
Released11 March 1983
Recorded1982 at AIR Studios
Length4:13 (single edit)
4:38 (album version)
LabelChrysalis
Songwriter(s)Warren Cann, Chris Cross, Billy Currie, Midge Ure
Producer(s)George Martin
Ultravox singles chronology
"Hymn"
(1982)
"Visions in Blue"
(1983)
"We Came to Dance"
(1983)

The track also appears in live form on the CD version of Ultravox's 1983 in-concert album, Monument. The 12" version of "Visions in Blue" also contains an edited version of the same Monument performance of "Reap the Wild Wind".[3]

Critical reception edit

David Hepworth of Smash Hits reviewed the song negatively, saying it "sounded awfully dirge-like."[4]

Track listing edit

7" version edit

  1. "Visions in Blue" [single edit] – 4:13
  2. "Break Your Back" – 3:31

12" version edit

  1. "Visions in Blue" - 4:38
  2. "Reap the Wild Wind (live 6 Dec 82 at Hammersmith Odeon) " – 3:53
  3. "Break Your Back" – 3:31

Covers edit

The track has been covered by UK ebm/synthpop act Stok:holm and appears on their 2013 album City Lights.

References edit

  1. ^ Betts, Graham (2006). Complete UK Hit Singles 1952-2006, HarperCollins. ISBN 0-00-720077-3
  2. ^ "The Official Charts Company - Ultravox - Visions in Blue". Official Charts. Retrieved 18 March 2009.
  3. ^ a b c "Ultravox discography, Vladimir Kruglov". Archived from the original on 15 November 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2009.
  4. ^ Hepworth, David (17–30 March 1983). "Singles: Ultravox – "Visions in Blue" review" (PDF). Smash Hits. Vol. 5, no. 6. Peterborough: EMAP National Publications, Ltd. p. 29. ISSN 0260-3004. Archived from the original on 6 August 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2022 – via World Radio History.