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)
Fly on My Windscreen
Depeche Mode Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There are flies on the windscreen
For a start
Reminding us
We could be torn apart
Tonight
Death is everywhere
There are lambs for the slaughter
And I can sense
The hours slipping by
Tonight
Come here
Kiss me
Now
Come here
Kiss me
Now
Death is everywhere
The more I look
The more I see
The more I feel
A sense of urgency
Tonight
Come here (touch me)
Kiss me (touch me)
Now (touch me)
(touch me)
There are flies on the windscreen
There are lambs for the slaughter
There are flies on the windscreen
Come here (touch me)
Kiss me (touch me)
Now (touch me)
(touch me)
Come here (touch me)
Kiss me (touch me)
Now (touch me)
(touch me)
The song "Fly On The Windscreen" by Depeche Mode is a haunting and introspective look at death and the fleeting nature of life. The lyrics paint a picture of death as a ubiquitous force that can strike at any moment, represented by the flies on the windscreen and the lambs waiting for slaughter. The singer senses the passing of time and the urgency to seize the moment and embrace life, represented by the repeated refrain of "Come here, kiss me now." The song is a reminder to live fully and passionately, even in the face of mortality.
The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song, with the ominous phrase "Death is everywhere." The flies on the windscreen are a visceral representation of death and decay, reminding the singer that life is fragile and can be torn apart at any moment. The second verse emphasizes the inevitability of death, with the lambs waiting to be slaughtered symbolizing the fact that every living thing must eventually face its own end. The repeated refrain of "Come here, kiss me now" is a plea to make the most of every moment, to love deeply and fearlessly before it's too late.
The song's overall message is one of urgency and passion, urging the listener to seize the day and live life to the fullest. It's a reminder that death is a certainty, but how we choose to live our lives is up to us. The song's intense, driving beat and dark, atmospheric sound perfectly capture the mood of the lyrics, creating a sense of foreboding and unease that lingers long after the song is over.
Line by Line Meaning
Death is everywhere
The inevitability of death is ever-present in life.
There are flies on the windscreen
Indicators of death, such as flies on a car windshield, are visible and impossible to ignore.
For a start
This is just the beginning of the realization of mortality.
Reminding us
These signs serve as a reminder of the fragility of life.
We could be torn apart
Our lives are vulnerable and could be taken from us suddenly and unexpectedly.
Tonight
The immediate sense of mortality is heightened with the looming darkness of night.
There are lambs for the slaughter
Innocent victims, like lambs being led to slaughter, are also at risk of death.
Waiting to die
Their fate is sealed and they are waiting for their unavoidable death.
And I can sense
The looming inevitability of death can be felt.
The hours slipping by
Time is passing quickly and death could come at any moment.
Come here
The singer longs for comfort and human connection in the face of death.
Kiss me
Physical touch provides temporary relief from the fear of mortality.
Now
The immediacy of the singer's desire for comfort illustrates the urgency of the situation.
The more I look
The more the singer observes the world around them,
The more I see
The more the inevitability of death is realized.
The more I feel
The emotions of fear and urgency intensify with this realization.
A sense of urgency
A heightened feeling of necessity to live fully in the face of death arises.
Come here (touch me)
The desire for physical touch and connection becomes even stronger.
Kiss me (touch me)
Physical touch becomes an even more important source of solace and comfort.
There are flies on the windscreen
The images of death and decay are overwhelming and inescapable.
Come here (touch me)
The desperate plea for human connection continues.
Kiss me (touch me)
The singer seeks comfort from the inevitability of death through physical touch.
Now (touch me)
The immediate desire for comfort and relief from fear is urgent and pressing.
(touch me)
The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the need for physical touch and comfort in the face of death.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARTIN GORE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind