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)
But Not Tonight (Extended Remi
Depeche Mode Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I'm not complaining
It's filling me up
With new life
The stars in the sky
Bring tears to my eyes
They're lighting my way
And I haven't felt so alive
In years
Just for a day
On a day like today
I'll get away from this
Constant debauchery
The wind in my hair
Makes me so aware
How good it is to live
Tonight
And I haven't felt so alive
In years
The moon
Is shining in the sky
Reminding me
Of so many other nights
But they're not like tonight
Oh God, it's raining
And I'm not containing
My pleasure at being
So wet
Here on my own
All on my own
How good it feels to be alone
Tonight
And I haven't felt so alive
In years
The moon
Is shining in the sky
Reminding me
Of so many other nights
When my eyes have been so red
I've been mistaken for dead
But not tonight
The song "But Not Tonight" by Depeche Mode is about taking a break from the wild and debaucherous lifestyle associated with the music industry and enjoying a moment of tranquility. The singer, who is unnamed in the song, appears to be taking a walk outside in the rain, which is bringing him new energy and new life. The stars in the sky are lighting his way and bringing tears to his eyes, which show how moved he is by nature's beauty. The singer exclaims that he hasn't felt so alive in years, indicating that he feels alive and full of life in that moment.
The song is particularly interesting as it contrasts the intense nightlife often associated with the music industry with a peaceful moment of isolation. The singer enjoys the rain and being alone, showing that sometimes the most profound moments of peace and rejuvenation occur while not surrounded by other people. The chorus of the song - "But not tonight" - carries an implication that the wild and intense lifestyle of the music industry will start up again at some point, but for the moment, the singer is enjoying the present.
Interestingly, "But Not Tonight" was not initially included in Depeche Mode's album "Black Celebration." Instead, it was added to the American release of the album after director Tamra Davis used the song in her debut film "Guncrazy." Given that the song addresses the need for isolation and a moment of peace in the midst of intensity, it is particularly fitting that it was used in a film about a woman running from her abusive past.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh God, it's raining
It's raining and the singer is attributing the rain to a divine presence.
But I'm not complaining
Despite the rain, the singer doesn't have any complaints and actually feels grateful for it.
It's filling me up
The rain is making the singer feel full, sated, or invigorated.
With new life
The rain is providing the artist with a sense of freshness or rejuvenation.
The stars in the sky
The artist notices the stars and acknowledges their beauty and significance.
Bring tears to my eyes
The singer is moved emotionally by the stars, perhaps feeling a sense of appreciation or wonder.
They're lighting my way
The stars are serving as a guiding light for the singer, perhaps helping to provide direction or purpose.
Tonight
The events and emotions being described are happening presently, on this particular night.
And I haven't felt so alive
The artist is experiencing a heightened sense of aliveness, vitality, or energy.
In years
The artist hasn't felt this intensely alive for quite some time.
Just for a day
The singer is only taking a break from their normal routine for a limited time period.
On a day like today
The artist is specifically referring to the current day, which has specific qualities or significance.
I'll get away from this
The singer wants to distance themselves from a lifestyle or situation that involves excessive indulgence or recklessness.
Constant debauchery
The singer believes that they have been living in a state of consistent, unchecked indulgence or excess.
The wind in my hair
The singer is physically feeling the wind blowing through their hair, which is a sensory experience they enjoy.
Makes me so aware
The wind sensation is making the artist feel more attuned or conscious of their surroundings or emotions.
How good it is to live
The artist is reflecting on the positive aspects of being alive and appreciating their existence.
The moon
The singer takes notice of the moon.
Is shining in the sky
The moon is brightly visible and noticeable in the night sky.
Reminding me
The artist is associating the moon with something from their past, which triggers memories or emotions.
Of so many other nights
The artist has had multiple experiences similar to what they're feeling now, involving the moon or similar circumstances.
But they're not like tonight
Despite drawing connections to past experiences, tonight's experience is unique and incomparable.
And I'm not containing
The singer is unable to restrain themselves from expressing their pleasure or joy in the moment.
My pleasure at being
The artist is delighting in their current state of being, which is brought on by the rain and other surrounding events.
So wet
The singer is physically soaked from the rain, however they do not mind as it adds to their sense of pleasure.
Here on my own
The singer is currently alone, which has either caused or contributed to their positive emotions.
All on my own
The singer is emphasizing their solitude, as it is something they are appreciating in this particular moment.
How good it feels to be alone
The artist is reflecting on the positive aspects of being alone and perhaps needing some time to be introspective.
When my eyes have been so red
The artist is recalling a past experience where their eyes were bloodshot, perhaps due to a lack of sleep or excessive partying.
I've been mistaken for dead
The singer's appearance was so tired or haggard that others assumed they were deceased.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARTIN GORE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind