Vienna (song)

For other uses see Vienna (disambiguation).

"Vienna"
Single by Ultravox from the album Vienna
B-side	"Passionate Reply" "Herr X" (12" single only)
Released	January 15 1981
Format	7" single, 12" single
Recorded	1980
Genre	New Romantic, Electronic
Length	04:37 (Single edit)
Label	Chrysalis Records
Writer	Midge Ure, Chris Cross, Warren Cann, Billy Currie
Producer	Conny Plank, Ultravox
Ultravox singles chronology
"Passing Strangers" (1980) "Vienna" (1981) "All Stood Still" (1981)

Vienna was Ultravox's third single, coming 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 at #2 in the UK singles chart. It was infamously kept off the #1 spot by the novelty single "Shaddap You Face" by Joe Dolce Music Theatre. The single was inspired by the 1948 film The Third Man, which is based around the Austrian capital Vienna. "Vienna" was also released in some European countries, reaching #1 in the Netherlands. The song spent 14 weeks on the Austrian chart, peaking at #8. Outside Europe, it peaked at #11 on the Australian singles chart. The b-side to the single is "Passionate Reply", a light, poppy synth track similar to many songs on the Vienna album. The 12" single also features "Herr X", a version of the Kraftwerk-esque album track "Mr. X" sung entirely in German by Warren Cann with the aid of producer Conny Plank. It was jokingly suggested on the comedy TV show Father Ted episode "A Song for Europe" that Vienna was written and performed by a priest called Father Benny Cake who changed his name so that nobody would know he was a priest, presumably referring to Ure.^[1] It is Asda FM's most requested song.

Track listing

7" version:

1. "Vienna" [single fade] – 4:37
2. "Passionate Reply" – 4:17

12" version:

1. "Vienna" – 4:53
2. "Passionate Reply" – 4:17
3. "Herr X" – 5:49

Cover versions

The song has been covered by various artists of more recent times:

• Kirlian Camera (Todesengel. The Fall Of Life, 1991)
• Gregorian (Masters of Chant, 2000)
• Clawfinger (A Whole Lot Of Nothing, 2001)
• Celestial Season

Notes