UMF is the eighth track on The Wedding Album, which means we are trekking our way right through! Let’s see what this one has in-store for us this week.
Lyrics
Here we stand
in the shadow of the master plan
making trouble wherever we can
stir it up, stir it up, stir it up
Can’t you see this boy is going cheap
knockdown to a basement deal
but I really won’t stop ’til I get to the top
Take it from me
I’m waiting here on my knees
and I love the way you tease me
oh such a wonderful person
Don’t play rough
easy when you know your stuff
say please and sure enough
So kind, I’m making love to the ultimate mind
Come and take a look put it to me baby
you could feel love come tumbling down
I just wanna wrap myself in ya baby
We can tell the world we’re fooling around
Ultimately I’d say she’s toying with me
It’s a case of wait and see
but right now I’m gonna keep my pants on
A to Z
she’s doing it to my head
We don’t need to go to bed you’ll find
to make love to the ultimate mind
(whistle)
Put it to me baby
you could feel love
Wanna wrap myself in ya baby
we could tell the world
Talk me round
Let’s do it right here and now
I don’t want you cooling down
turn it up, turn it up, turn it up, turn it up
We can fit realities two way split
personality life’s a bitch
But I’m fine
making love to the ultimate mind
Heaven’s bent
we’re completely innocent
We all got to pay the rent
and in time we learn to compromise
Talking tall and I feel invisible
can you see me after all
that I said there’s only one thing for it
Take a look put it to me baby
you could feel love come tumbling down
I just wanna wrap myself in ya baby
We can tell the world we’re fooling around
Come and take a look put it to me baby
you could feel love come tumbling down
I just wanna wrap myself in ya baby
We can tell the world we’re fooling around
Come and take a look put it to me baby
you could feel love come tumbling down
I just wanna wrap myself in ya baby
We can tell the world we’re fooling around
Come and take a look put it to me baby
I’m making love to the ultimate mind
Ultimate mind
ultimate mind
Uh-huh, whoa, aaouh…
Audio
Rhonda
When I listen to UMF, I hear a distinct Prince influence. Occasional falsetto lyrics, syncopated rhythm, and cheeky lyrics do their job to remind me that the year is 1993. I could never really decide if the lyrics are truly about another person, cleverly written about the music industry in general. I wouldn’t be surprised either way.
Musically though, I think this is one of the more interesting tracks on The Wedding Album, but one I typically forget, and I can’t put my finger on why. Even more curious, it is difficult for me to reconcile the fact that this band is indeed at least 3/5 of the band who wrote Rio. Regardless of where UMF or even The Wedding Album as a whole falls in your ranking of their catalog—the differences between UMF and any song on Rio is, shocking, nonetheless. Is it really even the same band?
I think that when you consider UMF on it’s own, it isn’t a bad track. I wouldn’t call it a single, but not every song needs hit that mark. On the other hand, this song tends to fall into a category of adult contemporary music that unfortunately, blends into the background. There’s nothing shocking on it, but also nothing that stands up and screams to be heard. Ultimately, UMF becomes a forgettable song on an album that had a couple of big hits in the 90s.
Amanda
When I think of this song, the first thing that comes to mind is the lyrics. How can it not with the letters, UMF, as the song title but standing for the ultimate mind fuck or, at least that is what I have always assumed. When I think of this song and its placement in the album, it makes me wonder. Earlier in the album we have Love Voodoo, which talks about a relationship with some “manipulation” then there is this one that implies that someone is deeply attracted to a woman who “..toying with me”. Then, of course, later in the album, they cover the song, Femme Fatale which clearly is about a woman who broke someone’s heart and a lot of someones. I have to wonder if there is a reason for this “theme”. Does it make me more or less like the song? I’m not sure. I do appreciate the fact that Duran has never been a band to have songs about simple romantic relationships. They appreciate complexities.
All that being said, I have to appreciate that the lyrics are fun. Lines like “making trouble wherever we can” and “say please and sure enough” make it fun to sing along with. Yes, they also make the song a little silly. It is not quite the ridiculousness of Bedroom Toys or Danceophobia of post-reunion albums but you can get a sense that this song is a step in that direction. Heck, even Simon’s vocals make it feel more fun and silly as his vocals feel like they are teasing the listener to convey the meaning of the song.
So, what about this song musically? First of all, the instrumentation feels like it fits with the rest of this album. While Love Voodoo is a slower song, there feels like musical continuity between that song and this one. What is interesting to me is how now when I listen to it, it feels very 1990s. There is something about the subtle funk that is there mixed with the very obvious rhythm. Rhonda mentioned the Prince feel and I cannot disagree.
Overall, the song is generally fun and gets me moving but not one that I feel the need to listen to all the time.
