The band has been highly influential in the electronic dance music scene, especially synthpop, techno, and trance, partly due to their innovative work, recording techniques, and use of sampling. Their most successful album is arguably 1990's Violator, which reached the #2 position in the UK, #7 in the US, and sold over 8 million copies worldwide. The band has released a long series of high-charting singles over their three-decades long career. Enjoy the Silence is their most recognized song and one of history's most covered songs.
The original line-up was Dave Gahan, Martin L. Gore, Andy Fletcher, and Vince Clarke. In December 1981, Clarke left the band and later formed Yazoo, The Assembly, and Erasure. Alan Wilder joined the group initially in January 1982 as a live keyboardist but became an official member in December 1982. He left in mid-1995 to fully concentrate on his Recoil project, and the band continued as a trio. In 2010 Wilder re-joined Depeche Mode on stage after 16 years for a performance of Somebody during a show at London's Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Depeche Mode's origins date back to 1977, when Vince Clarke and Andrew Fletcher formed a band called No Romance in China, with Clarke on vocals and guitar and Fletcher on bass. In March 1980, Clarke, Gore, and Fletcher formed a band called Composition of Sound, with Clarke on vocals/guitar, Gore on keyboards, and Fletcher on bass. Soon after the formation of Composition of Sound, Clarke, and Fletcher switched to synthesizers. Dave Gahan joined the band in 1980 after Clarke heard him perform at a local scout hut jam session, singing to a rendition of David Bowie's "Heroes" and Depeche Mode was born.
While playing a live gig at the Bridge House in Canning Town, Daniel Miller, the founder of Mute Records, approached the band, who proposed a verbal contract. The result was their first single, Dreaming of Me, recorded in December 1980 and released in February 1981, reaching number 57 in the UK charts and followed soon by a real contract with Mute.
To date, Depeche Mode have released:
15 studio albums: Speak & Spell (1981), A Broken Frame (1982), Construction Time Again (1983), Some Great Reward (1984), Black Celebration (1986), Music For the Masses (1987), Violator (1990), Songs of Faith and Devotion (1993), Ultra (1997), Exciter (2001), Playing the Angel (2005), Sounds of the Universe (2009), Delta Machine (2013), Spirit (2017), and Memento Mori (2023);
8 compilations: People Are People (1984), The Singles 81-85 (1985), Catching Up with Depeche Mode (1985), Greatest Hits (1987), The Singles 86>98 (1998), Remixes 81-04 (2004), The Best Of Depeche Mode Volume 1 (2006), The Complete Depeche Mode (2006);
5 live albums: 101 (1989), Songs of Faith and Devotion Live (1993), Recording the Angel (a series of live recordings; 2006), Tour Of The Universe: Barcelona 20/21:11:09 (2009) and Live In Berlin (Soundtrack) (2014) ;
Over 50 singles: including Just Can't Get Enough, Everything Counts, People Are People, Master and Servant, Shake the Disease, Stripped, A Question of Time, Strangelove, Never Let Me Down Again, Personal Jesus, Enjoy the Silence, World in My Eyes, Policy of Truth, I Feel You, Walking in My Shoes, In Your Room, Barrel of a Gun, It's No Good, Home, Dream On, Freelove, Precious, Wrong and Heaven ;
14 live / video collections (VHS/DVD/Blu-ray): The World We Live In and Live in Hamburg (1985), Some Great Videos (1985), Strange (1988), 101 (1989), Strange Too (1990), Devotional (1993), The Videos 86>98 (1998), One Night in Paris (2002), The Videos 86>98 (2002), Touring the Angel: Live in Milan (2006), The Best of - Volume 1 (2006), Tour of the Universe : Barcelona 20/21.11.09 (2009), Live in Berlin (2014) and Video Singles Collection (2016)
10
Depeche Mode Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Break the silence
Come crashing in
Into my little world
Painful to me
Pierce right through me
Can't you understand?
Oh my little girl
All I ever needed
Is here in my arms
Words are very unnecessary
They can only do harm
Vows are spoken
To be broken
Feelings are intense
Words are trivial
Pleasures remain
So does the pain
Words are meaningless
And forgettable
All I ever wanted
All I ever needed
Is here in my arms
Words are very unnecessary
They can only do harm
All I ever wanted
All I ever needed
Is here in my arms
Words are very unnecessary
They can only do harm
All I ever wanted
All I ever needed
Is here in my arms
Words are very unnecessary
They can only do harm
Enjoy the silence
The lyrics of "Enjoy the Silence" by Depeche Mode depict a love that is strong beyond the need for words. The opening lines, "Words like violence, break the silence, come crashing in into my little world," convey how words can be overwhelming and hurtful. The person singing talks directly to a lover, expressing how it is "painful" when they speak too much. The repetition of "oh my little girl" throughout the song creates a sense of intimacy between the two lovers, emphasizing the need for physical connection.
The chorus, "All I ever wanted, all I ever needed, is here in my arms, words are very unnecessary, they can only do harm," emphasizes the theme of physical touch and the idea that words are not necessary for deep connections. It’s a plea for non-verbal communication. In contrast, the second verse speaks to the transitory nature of words and vows. The singer believes that feelings are intense and real, but promises to feel them forever is brittle.
Overall, the song “Enjoy the Silence” is a testament to the power of silence and touch, portraying how silence can be louder than words in conveying emotions. The song speaks to the idea that speech isn't always the best method of communication, and sometimes intimacy can be more powerful than words.
Line by Line Meaning
Words like violence
The harsh words spoken by someone can be as violent and painful as physical violence.
Break the silence
These words shatter the peaceful and quiet state of mind, disturbing and disrupting the natural flow of life and thoughts.
Come crashing in
These words enter abruptly and forcibly, without any warning or concern for the receiver's well-being or their emotional state.
Into my little world
The words invade the artist's personal space and thoughts, causing emotional turmoil and turmoil to their own inner world.
Painful to me
The artist is expressing how the words cause them hurt and pain, affecting them emotionally and mentally.
Pierce right through me
The words strike deep and penetrate the singer's soul, leaving an indelible mark and causing long-lasting emotional effects.
Can't you understand?
The singer is pleading with the listener to empathize with them, to try and understand the pain and suffering that these words cause them.
Oh my little girl
The artist is addressing the listener with a term of endearment, trying to appeal to their conscience and humanity.
All I ever wanted
The artist expresses their yearning for something in life, possibly love, affection, or attention.
All I ever needed
The artist expresses their belief that the thing they want in life is an essential necessity for them, without which they cannot live a fulfilling life.
Is here in my arms
The singer is describing a moment of happiness and togetherness with their loved one, where they feel safe and secure in each other's embrace.
Words are very unnecessary
The artist believes that words are often overrated and that actions speak louder than words when it comes to showing love and affection.
They can only do harm
The singer is warning that words can have negative consequences, such as hurt, pain, and broken relationships, if not chosen carefully and thoughtfully.
Vows are spoken
The singer is talking about the promises made by people, often in marriage or relationships, which are meant to be kept forever.
To be broken
The singer is lamenting the fact that people often break their promises, leading to disappointment, mistrust, and heartbreak.
Feelings are intense
The artist acknowledges the fact that emotions can be very strong and powerful, causing people to act irrationally or impulsively.
Words are trivial
The artist is suggesting that words are often superficial and insincere, compared to the intensity of emotions and actions that they are meant to represent.
Pleasures remain
The singer is acknowledging that there are moments of joy and happiness in life, which can be remembered and cherished even after they are gone.
So does the pain
The singer is acknowledging that there are also moments of pain and suffering in life, which can cause long-lasting emotional trauma and scars.
Words are meaningless
The artist is expressing their belief that words, without any sincerity or action behind them, are empty and meaningless, devoid of any real value or impact.
And forgettable
The artist is suggesting that words that are not backed up by actions are easy to forget and have no lasting impact on our lives.
Enjoy the silence
The artist is advising the listener to embrace moments of peace and quiet in their lives, away from the noise and chaos of the world, where they can find happiness and inner peace in their own thoughts.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARTIN GORE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Fulade
My top ten:
10. The sweetest perfection
9. Useless
8. Behind the wheel
7. John the Revelator
6. Question of lust
5. In your room
4. Waiting for the night
3. Enjoy the silence
2. Walking in my shoes
1. Never let me down again
donsbombs
My top 15
1.Enjoy The Silence
2.Walking In My Shoes
3.In Your Room
4.Home
5.Never Let Me Down Again
6.Precious
7.It's No Good
8.Halo
9.A Question Of Time
10.Nothing
11.One Caress
12.Black Celebration
13.Policy Of Truth
14.Personal Jesus
15.Higher Love
Waschmittel 03
My top 20
1-Enjoy the silence
2-Strangelove
3- Everything counts
4-Shake the Diseas
5-Never let me down again
6-A question of time
7-Blashpemous Rumours
8-Behind the wheel
9-Precious
10-Personal Jesus
11-People are People
12-But not tonight
13-Master and servant
14-New life
15-Just can't get enough
16-World in my eyes
17-Walking in my shoes
18-Halo
19-Policy of truth
20-See you
Marek Zaleski
My 23 :)
1. Everything Counts
2. Strangelove
3. Never Let Me Down Again
4. Behind the Wheel
5. Stripped
6. People are People
7. Enjoy the Silence
8. Policy of Truth
9. A Question Of Time
10. Personal Jesus
11. A question of lust
12. Master and servant
13. Shake the Disease
14. Things you said
15. Blasphemous rumors
16. Just Can't Get Enough
17. Pleasure, Little Treasure
18. Sacred
19. Black Celebration/ Flies on the Windscreen
20. Nothing
21. The Things You Said
22. Halo
23. It's No Good
Greetings to all fans DM :)
himura357
I'm not concerned about anything except the quality of the song, so here is my list as a Depeche mode fan:
1. Halo
2. Stripped
3. Nothing
4. Shake the Disease
5. Enjoy the Silence
6. In your Room
7. Strangelove
8. Policy of Truth
9. Here is the House
10. Somebody
Very hard to rank Depeche mode songs.
Danila Drozhdenyuk
1. Never Let Me Down Again
2. Personal Jesus
3. A Pain That I'm Used To
4. Enjoy the Silence
5. Stripped
6. Precious
7. Just Can't Get Enough
8. Freelove
9. People are People
10. Strangelove
11. Where's the Revolution
12. Heaven
13. Little 15
14. Policy Of Truth
15. Dream On
Kiedru
My Top 15:
1. Enjoy the Silence
2. I Feel You
3. Never Let Me Down Again
4. Policy of Truth
5. Walking in my Shoes
6. Everything Counts
7. People are People
8. Personal Jesus
9. Shake the Disease
10. Just can't Get Enough
11. Stripped
12. See You
13. If you Want
14. But not Tonight
15. New Life
EDIT: thanks to my mum, this is my favorite band as well i'm 13 years old :-)
Kaylyn Zoe
My top 10 from Best to Worst
1. Blasphemous Rumours
2. The Sun And The Rain Fall
3. Something To Do
4. A Question Of Lust
5. Black Celebration
6. Two Minute Warning
7. Never Let Me Down Again
8. The Sweetest Perfection
9. New Life
10. The Sweetest Perfection
Margarita S
My Top Fifteen:
1. The Things You Said
2. Get the Balance Right!
3. Shake the Disease
4. Enjoy the Silence
5. People are People
6. Stripped
7. Black Celebration/ Flies on the Windscreen
9. Policy of Truth
11. Lie to Me
12. Halo
13. Strangelove
14. New Dress
15. Everything Counts
(I'm betting I missed some! The top 5 are at least accurate!)
C
I'm 18 and Depeche Mode is my favorite band ever ^^ If I had to make a top 10, it could be like that :
1 : Mercy in You
2 : Higher Love
3 : Master and Servant
4 : Barrel of a gun
5 : Question of time
6 : Enjoy the Silence
7 : Cover Me
8 : Clean
9 : Shine
10 : Personal Jesus/ Walking in my shoes
Jethro Fairley
I was only properly introduced to Depeche Mode 2-3 years ago. I saw them at the Isle of Wight festival in 2018. Since then I’ve listened to their songs pretty much every day. BUT I think their “popular” songs are massively different to my personal favourites...
From their albums as I have them on my iTunes/Apple Music my top songs are:
• Speak & Spell
- New Life
- Nodisco
- Dreaming of Me
• A Broken Frame
- A Photograph of You
- Shouldn’t Have Done That
• Construction Time Again
- Love, in itself
- Pipeline
- Everything Counts
- Two Minute Warning
• Some Great Reward
- Something to Do
- Somebody
- Blasphemous Rumours
• Black Celebration
- Black Celebration
- Fly on the Windscreen (Final)
- A Question of Lust
- Stripped
- New Dress
- Shake the Disease
- But Not Tonight
• Music for the Masses
- The Things You Said
- Strangelove
- Sacred
- Nothing
• Violator
- World in my Eyes
- Halo
- Blue Dress
- Clean
• Songs of Faith & Devotion
- Walking in my Shoes
- Condemnation
- Mercy in You
- In Your Room
- Rush
- One Caress
• Ultra
- Barrel of a Gun
- The Love Thieves
- Home
- Useless
- Sister of Night
- Freestate
- Only When I Lose Myself
- Surrender
• Exciter
- When the Body Speaks
- The Dead of Night
- Freelove
• Playing the Angel
- A Pain That I’m Used To
- I Want it All
- Damaged People
• Sounds of the Universe
- Wrong
- Corrupt
• Delta Machine
- Soothe my Soul
• Spirit
- Going Backwards
- Where’s the Revolution
- The Worst Crime
- Cover Me
- Eternal
- Poison Heart
- Poorman
Having put that list together (and leaving out some obvious ones) it’s fair to say I have bloody loads of favourite Depeche Mode songs... I absolutely love them!
Lana 22
1. Enjoy the silence
2. Condemnation
3. Policy of truth
4. Never let me down again
5. Halo
6. Walking in my shoes
7. Stripped
8. Shake the disease
9. I feel you
10. Black celebration
These are my top ten this week but next week it will be completely different
Jake
Some more great songs not on this list...
25: Eternal
24: The Bottom Line
23: Something to do
22: Wrong
21: Condemnation
20: The Sun and the Rainfall
19: Freelove
18: Peace
17: Get the Balance Right
16: It's Called a Heart
15: Blue Dress
14: New Dress
13: Pipeline
12: Black Celebration
11: Shake the Disease
10: Halo
9: Sinner in Me
8: Clean
7: Barrel of a Gun
6: Suffer Well
5: In Your Room
4: It Doesn't Matter
3: Darkest Star
2: Dressed in Black
1: Behind the Wheel
Just Megan
My favorites
1. I Feel You
2. Never Let Me Down Again
3. Enjoy The Silence
5. Martyr
6. Policy of Truth
7. Dangerous
8. Slow
9.Soothe My Soul
10. The Things You Said
11. Nothing
12. Lie To Me
13. Shake the Disease
14. Strangelove
15. Suffer Well
Bystander Behind A Mask
My top ten list of Depeche Mode Songs
01. Shake The Disease
02. Question Of Time
03. It's Called A Heart
04. If You Want
05. Question Of Lust
06. Lie To Me
07. The Sun And The Rainfall
08. Dreaming Of Me
09.Two Minute Warning
10. Nothing
ArtSoльд
My top 25:
01. Black Celebration (BC)
02. Barrel of a Gun (U)
03. Fly on the Windscreen (All versions (Final, Demo, Single)) (BC)
04. Stripped (Album version, single version just good) (BC)
05. People are People (SGR)
06. Entire Violator album
07. Master and Servant (Album) (SGR)
08. If You Want (SGR)
09. Entire Music for the Masses album
10. Walk in my Shoes (SOFAD)
11. Higher Love (SOFAD)
12. In Your Room (SOFAD)
13. Love, in Itself (Album) (CTA)
14. Everything Counts (CTA)
15. Just Can't get Enough (SAS)
16. Mercy in You (SOFAD)
17. I Feel You (SOFAD)
18. A Question of Time (BC)
19. A Question of Lust (BC)
20. Photographic (SAS)
21. Blasphemous Rumours (SGR)
22. Something to Do (SGR)
23. Here is the House (BC)
24. It's no Good (U)
25. Shake the Disease (BC in 86, and StD released in 85, but it StD exist in Deluxe edition, so BC)
P. S. Numbers doesn't make sence, and sorry 4 my English
Nutzungs Bedingungen
My Top 10:
1. Enjoy The Silence
2. Master And Servant
3. People Are People
4. Stripped
5. Just Can't Get Enough
6. A Question Of Time
7. Never Let Me Down Again
8. Shake The Disease
9. Everything Counts
10. Leave In Silence
(Btw, I'm 19😆🇩🇪)
Benedikt Graf
1. In your Room (Zephyr Remix; Video version)
2. Precious
3. Strangelove
4. It's no good
5. Policy of Truth
6. Enjoy the Silence
7. Behind the Wheel
8. Personal Jesus
9. Never let me down again
10. Shake the Disease
Atomic Blonde
My Top 10 :
1. Enjoy The Silence
2. Strangelove
3. Policy Of Truth
4. Personal Jesus
5. Shake The Disease
6. Just Can't Get Enough
7. I Feel You
8. People Are People
9. Everything Counts
10. Never Let Me Down Again
Honourable Mentions :
Blasphemous Rumours, It’s No Good, Freelove, Question Of Time, Stripped, Master And Servant
Ben M
My top 10 as a die hard fan -- although another 20 songs could possibly make it into a variant top 10 :)
1- In Your Room
2- Walking In My Shoes
3- World In My Eyes
4- Barrel of Gun
5- A Pain That I'm Used to
6- Stripped
7- Home
8- Never Let Me Down Again
9- Everything Counts
10- Question of Time
Speaking the Truth
I always get goosebumps by hearing 'Enjoy the Silence'.
Alberto Cabezas
Me too. That wonderful feeling comes whenever the song starts to play on the radio, a mall, even on TV.
Shadek
I get goosebumps because they recorded the song on the twin towers.
Matt Thompson
Same
Isaac Nunez
It is the best song not just of DM but ever.
anthony is my name
i always get goosebumps by hearing ,,Blasphemous Rumours''
Edward Snowden
Most underrated band ever. RIP Andy Fletcher x
GERMAN GAMER
Way too underrated
Fulade
My top ten:
10. The sweetest perfection
9. Useless
8. Behind the wheel
7. John the Revelator
6. Question of lust
5. In your room
4. Waiting for the night
3. Enjoy the silence
2. Walking in my shoes
1. Never let me down again
Savin Petru
Dude, it is his opinion, respect others ffs