The Voice (Ultravox song)

"The Voice" is Ultravox's second single from the Rage in Eden album, recorded in Conny Plank's Studio in Cologne, Germany and released on 30 October 1981. It peaked at #16 in the UK singles chart,^[1] #27 in the Irish Singles Chart^[2] and #29 in the New Zealand Singles Chart.^[3]

"The Voice"
Single by Ultravox
from the album Rage in Eden
B-side	"Paths and Angles" "Private Lives (Live)" "All Stood Still (Live)"
Released	30 October 1981
Recorded	1981 at Conny’s Studio in Cologne, West Germany
Genre	Synthpop, new wave
Length	4:23
Label	Chrysalis
Songwriter(s)	Warren Cann, Chris Cross, Billy Currie, Midge Ure
Producer(s)	Ultravox and Conny Plank
Ultravox singles chronology
"The Thin Wall" (1981) "The Voice" (1981) "Reap the Wild Wind" (1982)

Written by the whole band, the song originated from Warren Cann, Chris Cross and Midge Ure, then Billy Currie added a little instrumental section in the middle of the song. Cann and Cross provided the vocals in the chorus section.

Track listings

7" vinyl

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Voice" (single edit)	4:23

Side two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Paths and Angles"	4:19

12" vinyl

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Voice"	5:59
2.	"Paths and Angles"	4:19

Side two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Private Lives" (recorded live at Crystal Palace Bowl, 13 June 1981)	4:51
2.	"All Stood Still" (recorded live at Crystal Palace Bowl, 13 June 1981)	4:19

Videos

A screenshot of the rare music video of the song which shows the band members appearing to stand at an unnatural angle as the camera is tilted to meet the same angle as the slanted room.

There were two different videos made for the single. One has the band miming a performance in a slanted room; the band members appear to be standing at an unnatural angle. The other video is more elaborate, contains war imagery, single-word slogans in knock-out text, features Billy Currie appearing as a radio announcer, and Midge Ure as a soldier. The Voice, was the fourth and final music video directed by Russell Mulcahy that was included on the Ultravox The Collection video compilation. Midge Ure and Chris Cross continued to direct Ultravox next music videos.^[4][5]

Live Performances

Live versions of The Voice appear on the live albums Monument and Return to Eden.