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)
Personal Jesus
Depeche Mode Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your own personal Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers
Someone who cares
Your own personal Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers
Someone who's there
Feeling unknown
And you're all alone
Flesh and bone
By the telephone
Lift up the receiver
I'll make you a believer
Take second best
Put me to the test
Things on your chest
You need to confess
I will deliver
You know I'm a forgiver
Reach out, touch faith
Reach out, touch faith
Your own personal Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers
Someone who cares
Your own personal Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers
Someone who's there
Feeling unknown
And you're all alone
Flesh and bone
By the telephone
Lift up the receiver
I'll make you a believer
I will deliver
You know I'm a forgiver
Reach out, touch faith
Your own personal Jesus
Reach out, touch faith
Reach out, touch faith
Reach out, touch faith
(Reach out, reach out)
Reach out, touch faith
Reach out and touch faith
Depeche Mode's song "Personal Jesus" has been interpreted in various ways by different people, but the most common interpretation of the song is that it's about the desperation and need for redemption. The lyrics "Your own personal Jesus, someone to hear your prayers, someone who cares" suggest the feeling of hopelessness and loneliness, which is a common feature of addiction and emotional distress. The line "Feeling unknown and you're all alone, flesh and bone by the telephone" further emphasize this need for connection and a higher power.
Moreover, there's an element of bargaining in the song, where the singer is willing to take "second-best" and confess their deepest thoughts to receive forgiveness and validation. The phrase "I'll make you a believer" suggests that the singer is convincing themselves and others to find comfort in a personal savior or a religious figure, however, it may also indicate the desire for control over others.
Overall, "Personal Jesus" is a brooding exploration of the human condition, examining the universal need for solace, forgiveness, and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
Reach out, touch faith
Believe in something beyond yourself and you will find hope and guidance.
Your own personal Jesus
Find your own unique path to spirituality, faith, and hope.
Someone to hear your prayers
You are not alone and someone is listening to you, even when it feels like no one is there.
Someone who cares
There are people who care about you and your struggles, even if you don't realize it.
Feeling unknown
You feel lost and uncertain about your place in the world.
And you're all alone
Even when surrounded by others, you feel disconnected and isolated from those around you.
Flesh and bone
You are a human being with physical and emotional needs that need to be met.
By the telephone
You are waiting for a life-changing call that may never come.
Lift up the receiver
Take action and actively seek out help and support.
I'll make you a believer
I can give you the faith, hope, and confidence you need to overcome challenges and obstacles.
Take second best
Settling for less than what you deserve or want in life.
Put me to the test
Challenge me to prove myself and my abilities.
Things on your chest
You have secrets or concerns that are weighing heavily on your mind and heart.
You need to confess
You need to be honest about what you are feeling and experiencing.
I will deliver
I will come through for you and help you find the solutions you need.
You know I'm a forgiver
I am willing to overlook mistakes and shortcomings, and offer compassion and support instead of judgment.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Martin Gore
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind