Ultravox - I Can't Stay Long Lyrics






I can feel
The turning of the tides
Pulling away the night
Like a sheet from over me

In summer time
I dissolve to a beach
And everywhere seems to be
Just a flicker on a silent screen

Because I
I can't stay long
Let the sky roll on
Just a flicker and the crowd moves on

In winter
Overcoats close in
And the snow tastes of tin
On the steps of any station

I'd like to glide
In the long green light
Of a July afternoon
Sliding down a vague conversation

Because I
I can't stay long
When the moment comes
Just a glance and the glance is gone

Watch closely
As a man with a hat
And a girl with a map
Synchronize with the track and they go away

I need to drift
Through all the walls
And let the scenery dissolve
Into some other life

Because I
I can't stay long
Let the sky roll on
Just a glance and the glance is gone

I
I can't stay long
When the right time comes
I'll dissolve





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Ultravox I Can't Stay Long Comments
  1. J.... R....

    this album wouldnt be half as good without the late producer,Conny Plank....RiP:Conny Plank!!

  2. C.... M....

    fabulous!

  3. R.... v....

    Excellent lyrics yes, but the musicianship is awesome!

  4. s.... 1....

    Music like this simply isn't made l in 2019.And yes John Foxx is really a professor.

    s.... 1....

    I agree. That's why I started a future retro night at the club I DJ at. I just did a remix of this song. Staying true to the original but making it more current.

  5. m.... ....

    Wow! This is still amazing thanks Ultravox and Conny Plank!

  6. R.... R....

    ...listening to this....on a august summery afternoon....

  7. s.... ....

    dining lightly, retirng. https://youtu.be/mti2xEiVKUQ

  8. E.... ....

    I’ve always loved a John Foxx, but all these years later his music sounds better than ever. This is the best Ultravox even tho I do like some of the Midge Ure stuff. 👍

  9. �.... ....

    synthetic punk

  10. B.... ....

    Sounds impossibly like Midge Ure singing. At first I wondered if they had re-recorded the album when he arrived.

    B.... ....

    It's John Foxx on vocals; I hate Midge Ure's voice--Foxx doesn't sound anything like him!!!

  11. A.... R....

    Space ROCK

  12. A.... R....

    I agree the best song...

  13. D.... E....

    One of the best tracks one of the best albums ever. Desert Island Disc.

  14. C.... M....

    Nice song.

  15. D.... E....

    Another great track from a brilliant lp. John Foxx last one before Midge.

  16. A.... T....

    I never heard this when I was making my first music - but Gary Numan was right - it was what I loved to hear

  17. B.... M....

    This song and its sound as a whole is the pure essence of Ultravox until now, the only thing that has changed is the vocalist, there are even times when it seems Midge Ure who sings. After Foxx with Ure the songs had more quality, but the sound was already consolidated and ahead of its time. It's a great song.

  18. P.... S....

    Ultravox with the genius of Conny Plank producing, in my opinion, the best album ever recorded.

    P.... S....

    Just about . John Foxx = Genius . This LP has aged like fine 🍷 well.

    P.... S....

    I've never heard another record that sounds like this - and probably never will.

  19. P.... R....

    Systems of Romance was a perfect fusion of poetry & sound. For me its the final statement of pop. It is finished.

  20. J.... R....

    and this is the second greatest U-Vox composition - the other being Artificial Life.

  21. P.... R....

    Foxx's lyrics are superb.

  22. A.... C....

    This whole album was amazing.

    A.... C....

    Agreed !

  23. M.... C....

    Must have the lyrics to hand when listening to this existential opus
    Lol!

  24. M.... C....

    "I Can't Stay Long"

    I can feel
    The turning of the tides
    Pulling away the night
    Like a sheet from over me

    In summer time
    I dissolve to a beach
    And everywhere seems to be
    Just a flicker on a silent screen

    Because I
    I can't stay long
    Let the sky roll on
    Just a flicker and the crowd moves on

    In winter
    Overcoats close in
    And the snow tastes of tin
    On the steps of any station

    I'd like to glide
    In the long green light
    Of a July afternoon
    Sliding down a vague conversation

    Because I
    I can't stay long
    When the moment comes
    Just a glance and the glance is gone

    Watch closely
    As a man with a hat
    And a girl with a map
    Synchronize with the track and they go away

    I need to drift
    Through all the walls
    And let the scenery dissolve
    Into some other life

    Because I
    I can't stay long
    Let the sky roll on
    Just a glance and the glance is gone

    I
    I can't stay long
    When the right time comes
    I'll dissolve

    M.... C....

    Sorry for the lyrical mistakes- that’s what you get when you copy and paste!!

    M.... C....

    Near enough ;)

  25. M.... C....

    Sublime

  26. C.... B....

    Classic Si-Fi psychedelic Euro Gold made for 3001

  27. r.... ....

    #themetune

  28. F.... M....

    This album is still pure class like a building brick thrown at you at 30 mph

    F.... M....

    An underrated masterpiece!

  29. U.... W....

    To this very day . . . very Futuristic.

  30. R.... L....

    Motorik beat all the way! I still find this song fascinating after 39 years. Think Neu meets Tubeway Army.

    R.... L....

    This is a million times better than Tubeway Army!!!

  31. M.... M....

    The best Foxx-era Ultravox track imo . Systems Of Romance will always be in my top ten greatest albums.

  32. M.... ....

    excellent lyrics.

  33. g.... c....

    Their masterpiece.

  34. G.... W....

    This song is so immense..grand!!!

  35. W.... W....

    My fave Ultravox! track. This really takes me back !!! :)

  36. N.... C....

    One of their finest.

  37. M.... M....

    Genius.

  38. D.... M....

    Cannot help myself; the best song by Ultravox.

    D.... M....

    It is brilliant, but, then, that whole album is!

  39. C.... D....

    Simple words turned into futuristic avant-garde poetry, only John Foxx can do that!

  40. I.... B....

    Seminal !

  41. G.... L....

    SUBLIME GENIUS

  42. h.... ....

    This song and Maximum acceleration were my two favourites off the album. Just awesome!

  43. M.... R....

    Is the John Foxx era Ultravox??

  44. M.... ....

    when the time is right, he'll resign!

  45. N.... S....

    gggrrrreeeeaaatttt       JOHN FOXX                       RESPECT

  46. G.... B....

    Incredible album,paved the way for the electric sound in the 80s,its in my top 3 albums of all time

  47. J.... O....

    Brilliant! Still fresh after 36 years.

  48. A.... G....


    One of many amazing songs by Mr Foxx, always reminds me of a live John Foxx performance at the Tin Can in Digbeth Birmingham early 80's.

  49. D.... W....

    I like to glide in the long green light......

    D.... W....

    Dan Wininger
    Me too

    D.... W....

    In summer time I dissolve to a beach and everywhere seems to be a flicker on a silent screen...

    D.... W....

    I like to glide in the long green light of a July afternoon sliding down a vague conversation... Beautiful!

    D.... W....

    https://youtu.be/VNS6sZLkRLY

  50. R.... P....

    AMAZING THIRD ALBUM OF THE ULTRAVOX!!!!!! RESPECT TO THE INCREDIBLE JOHN FOXX!!!!!!!!!!!

    R.... P....

    Agreed. 'Systems of Romance' is absolutely marvellous.

  51. p.... ....

    Bought this when it came out, such heady day's they were, never could imagine that music would stagnate as it has today, I thought with the punk outlook on things music was going to change, open up to new frequencies, not wishing to sound like some boring old fart , but what went wrong? Now I have to keep looking back for inspiration in music.

    p.... ....

    @permaveg There's still great stuff going on if you know where to look. Try Boards of Canada - been quietly getting on with their own brand of electronica for 20 years. But yeah, this is still epic! :-)

  52. A.... P....

    Class act

  53. s.... ....

    Years ahead of its time....

    s.... ....

    I don't want to be rude, but how can you say that? I mean, this song is from 1978 and the band Neu! were doing this like 6 years before. 

    s.... ....

    In UK music terms. No one had heard of Neu !

    s.... ....

    @sweetknuckle More's the pity but we caught up in time! :-)

    s.... ....

    Well Joy Division most definitely did ...This whole album was a Blitz Club Classic every track

    s.... ....

    What he said. Years ahead of their time.

  54. p.... ....

    I agree this is the best track. I also love When You Walk Through Me and Dislocation, plus the whole album is great.

    p.... ....

    And Just For A Moment at the end of the album. Good ending song.

  55. F.... ....

    Yeah - it seems like this album did much of the heavy lifting that later artists got rich off of.

  56. �.... V....

    Hey produced by Conny Plank !!!!(Kraftwerk, NEU!,Michael Rother, La Düsseldorf,...)

  57. m.... ....

    @Flook68 great album from start to end, though!

  58. F.... ....

    My fave from Systems of Romance. Not as robotic as the lead-off track. The last 2 minutes or so of this song are incredible.

  59. G.... P....

    Un album..incredibile <3

  60. G.... ....

    you can't beat a bit of john foxx .tune.

  61. T.... ....

    A fucking great upload !! Thanks a lot. Excellento !!