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)
I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead
Depeche Mode Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Getting hot, never stop, just for me and you
Playing on my radio and saying that you had to go
New day, turn away, wipe away the tear
New night, feel right, knowing that you're here
Dancing with you all the time, and don't you think that it's a crime
I know where you go, but I don't know why
You say that it's from above, and I say this is modern love
The Depeche Mode song "I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead" is a reflection on the emptiness and isolation of modern life. The lyrics seem to be a commentary on the way technology and media have created a new world, where people are more connected than ever before, yet still feel disconnected from themselves and others.
The opening verse, "New sound all around, you can hear it too, getting hot, never stop, just for me and you" suggests that there is something exciting and new on the radio. However, the lyrics also suggest that this new sound is not necessarily something positive, as the singer wishes he was dead. He seems to be overwhelmed by the constant barrage of information, entertainment, and stimulation around him, and longs for a simpler time.
The second verse reflects a similar sentiment. The reference to the "back street" and the line "never meet, never say goodbye" suggest that the singer feels isolated and alone in this new world. He knows where people are going, but he doesn't understand why. However, he also acknowledges that there is something compelling about this new world, as he references "modern love."
Overall, "I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead" is a song that explores the tension between the excitement and isolation of modern life. The lyrics paint a picture of a world that is both alluring and alienating, leaving the singer feeling trapped and disconnected.
Line by Line Meaning
New sound all around, you can hear it too
There's a new sound in town that's catching on, and I can tell you hear it too.
Getting hot, never stop, just for me and you
This new sound is getting popular fast, and it's only for us to enjoy.
Playing on my radio and saying that you had to go
I hear this new sound on the radio all the time, but it makes me sad because it reminds me of your departure.
New day, turn away, wipe away the tear
Each day is a fresh start, so I try to shake off my sadness and move on.
New night, feel right, knowing that you're here
At night, I feel better because I know you're with me in spirit.
Dancing with you all the time, and don't you think that it's a crime
I can almost feel you here with me when I dance to this new music, and it's a shame you can't experience it too.
Back street, never meet, never say goodbye (never say goodbye)
We used to hang out in the back streets, but we don't anymore and never got a chance to say goodbye.
I know where you go, but I don't know why
I know where you've gone, but I don't know why you left or what you're doing now.
You say that it's from above, and I say this is modern love
You attribute your departure to a higher power, but I think it's just a product of modern relationships.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Vince Clarke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind