If I Was: The Very Best of Midge Ure & Ultravox
	Previously released material
	Released on February 1993
	UK CHART POSITION #10
	Find it at GEMM
CDP 521995 cover

I f this was the very best of Ultravox, then what have I been listening to all these years? Midge’s fans may have no regrets about including so much of his solo work here, but invoking the Ultravox brand is misleading. There are five Ultravox songs on here, including only “Vienna” from that album and nothing from Rage In Eden. The other two-thirds of the disc features almost all of Ure’s solo singles as well as hits recorded with Philip Lynott, Mick Karn and Band Aid. To add confusion, the compilers tossed in a Visage tune, the classic “Fade To Grey,” and included discographical information from Midge’s work with Silk and Rich Kids. If you’re going to include it in the notes, why not throw listeners a bone like “Ghosts of Princes In Towers” or “Forever And Ever”? Both are better (and more flattering to Messr. Ure) than “After A Fashion,” which merely reprises “The Thin Wall” and tacks on a reference to David Bowie’s “African Night Flight,” or the Lion King wannabe “Cold, Cold Heart.” I suppose they had to include “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” since it was such a huge hit, but I’ve never felt particularly charitable towards that either. You could make the case that this is the very best of Midge Ure, but If I Was doesn’t even represent the best of Ultravox with Midge Ure, let alone Ultravox. For that, you’ll have to refer to The Collection; as far as the best of Ultravox from the beginning, it’s still an opportunity open for someone. I don’t mean to pick this compilation apart, since there is value in compiling Ure’s various exploits. For me, hearing “Call of the Wild,” “Reap The Wild Wind” and “All Fall Down” makes it a worthwhile purchase. Still, this is best left to listeners who wondered what happened to Midge after U-Vox and don’t mind plunking down fifteen bucks to find out.

CDP 521995 back sleeve

TRACK LISTING

1. IF I WAS    (Midge Ure/D. Mitchell)    5:20
2. NO REGRETS    (Tom Rush)    4:01
3. LOVE'S GREAT ADVENTURE    (Warrern Cann/Billy Currie/Midge Ure/Chris Cross)    3:06
4. DEAR GOD    (Midge Ure)    5:00
5. COLD, COLD HEART    (Midge Ure)    4:06
6. VIENNA    (Warren Cann/Billy Currie/Midge Ure/Chris Cross)    4:38
7. CALL OF THE WILD    (Midge Ure/D. Mitchell/C. King)    4:20
8. AFTER A FASHION    (Midge Ure/Mick Karn)    3:58
9. DANCING WITH TEARS IN MY EYES    (Warren Cann/Billy Currie/Midge Ure/Chris Cross)    4:10
10. ALL FALL DOWN    (Midge Ure/Chris Cross/Billy Currie)    5:08
11. YELLOW PEARL    (Philip Lynott/Midge Ure)    3:19
12. FADE TO GREY    (Billy Currie/Payne/Midge Ure)    3:47
13. REAP THE WILD WIND    (Warren Cann/Billy Currie/Midge Ure/Chris Cross)    3:42
14. ANSWERS TO NOTHING    (Midge Ure)    3:39
15. DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS?    (Bob Geldof/Midge Ure)    3:47
16. THAT CERTAIN SMILE    (Midge Ure/D. Mitchell)    4:09
17. THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD    (David Bowie)    5:30

CREDITS

Bruce Harris -- executive producer
Peter Sherrard -- photography
Vincent M. Vero -- project coordinator

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