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)
Shame
Depeche Mode Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Seeing all the children wallowing in dirt
Crying out with hunger, crying out in pain
At least the dirt will wash off when it starts to rain
Soap won't wash away your shame
Do you ever get that feeling that something isn't right?
Soon the fighting turns to weapons and the weapons turn to wounds
So the doctors stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch
Surgery won't improve your pain
It all seems so stupid
It makes me want to give up
But why should I give up when it all seems so stupid?
Do you ever get the feeling that something can be done
To eradicate these problems and make the people one?
Do you ever get that feeling something like a nagging itch?
And all the while the doctors stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch
Hope alone won't remove the stains, shame
It all seems so stupid
It makes me want to give up
But why should I give up when it all seems so stupid?
The lyrics of Depeche Mode’s song Shame appear to be a commentary on societal problems faced in the world, particularly hunger, poverty, violence and the resulting shame and guilt felt by people who are aware of these problems but feel helpless to solve them. The opening lines demonstrate this sense of guilt, “Do you ever get that feeling when the guilt begins to hurt? Seeing all the children wallowing in dirt, crying out with hunger, crying out in pain. At least the dirt will wash off when it starts to rain.”
The following lines continue to express frustration with the inability to alleviate these problems, with the chorus repeating the statement “Soap won’t wash away your shame” and “Surgery won’t improve your pain”, emphasizing that the issues are larger than just one individual and require a collective effort to solve. The lyrics also question why people should continue to try when things appear hopeless, with lines such as “It all seems so stupid, it makes me want to give up, but why should I give up when it all seems so stupid?”
Ultimately, the song seems to be calling for action to create positive change by recognizing the problems faced by others and working towards solutions, with the hope that even small efforts can begin to make a difference. The repeated line “Hope alone won’t remove the stains, shame” suggests that individuals can have hope for change, but it must be accompanied by action, as hope alone is not enough to bring about positive change.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you ever get that feeling when the guilt begins to hurt?
Have you ever felt the pain of guilt when you witness the suffering of children living in impoverished conditions?
Seeing all the children wallowing in dirt
Observing children being forced to live in squalor and filth
Crying out with hunger, crying out in pain
Hearing the piercing cries of children who are desperately hungry and in physical agony
At least the dirt will wash off when it starts to rain
While the filth may be temporarily cleansed by rainfall, the underlying issues causing the children's suffering will persist
Soap won't wash away your shame
The guilty feelings that arise from witnessing such injustices cannot be simply washed away with soap and water
Do you ever get that feeling that something isn't right?
Have you ever sensed that certain circumstances or situations seem inherently wrong or unjust?
Seeing your brother's fists clenched ready for the fight
Noticing the signs of aggression and potential violence in those around you, even your own family members
Soon the fighting turns to weapons and the weapons turn to wounds
The escalation of conflict can lead to more severe forms of violence and harm
So the doctors stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch
Medical professionals are left to treat the physical wounds resulting from these conflicts, often repeatedly and endlessly
Surgery won't improve your pain
While surgery may address the physical injuries sustained, it cannot fully address the emotional and psychological pain that can result from violence and trauma
It all seems so stupid
The enormity and complexity of these societal issues can make it seem futile to even attempt to address them
It makes me want to give up
The overwhelming nature of these problems can be discouraging and demotivating
But why should I give up when it all seems so stupid?
Despite the challenges and obstacles, giving up is not a viable solution to these pressing issues
Do you ever get the feeling that something can be done
Do you ever feel hopeful that these problems can be solved and the suffering alleviated?
To eradicate these problems and make the people one?
Is it possible to completely eliminate poverty, violence, and other societal issues to create a more united and equal society?
And all the while the doctors stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch
While these larger issues persist, medical professionals continue to treat the physical wounds and injuries that result from them
Hope alone won't remove the stains, shame
Optimism and hope for the future are important, but they are not enough to fully address the lingering sense of guilt and shame that can arise from witnessing such systemic problems
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Martin Gore
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cat Lila & Me
Do you ever get that feeling
When the guilt begins to hurt?
Seeing all the children
Wallowing in dirt
Crying out with hunger
Crying out in pain
At least the dirt will wash off
When it starts to rain
Soap won't wash away your shame
Do you ever get the feeling
That something isn't right?
Seeing your brother's fist
Clenched ready for the fight
Soon the fighting turns to weapons
And the weapons turn to wounds
So the doctor's stitch and stitch and stitch
And stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch
Surgery won't improve your pain
It all seems so stupid
It makes me want to give up
But why should I give up
When it all seems so stupid?
Do you ever get the feeling
That something can't be done?
To eradicate these problems
And make the people one
Do you ever get that feeling
Something like a nagging itch?
And all the while the doctors stitch
And stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch
Hope alone won't remove the stains (for shame)
It all seems so stupid
It makes me want to five up
But why should I give up
When it all seems so stupid?
Dana Vixen
"It's all seems so stupid. It makes me want to give up! But WHY should I give up when it ALL seems so stupid?!" Some of the truest lyrics ever written!
Simon Irvine
Its a truism.. like this one 'A beating hearts not a cheating heart but a cheating heart is still a beating heart'
Dana Vixen
@Simon Irvine Nice one! 👍🏾
Stéphane ARTHAUD
So actual. Like hard truth tends to remain. Can WE blamed for the security of ignorance ? There is also an answer to those questions: it so hard to deal with stupidity. It is hasardous and violent, and probably vain.
Cat Lila & Me
Do you ever get that feeling
When the guilt begins to hurt?
Seeing all the children
Wallowing in dirt
Crying out with hunger
Crying out in pain
At least the dirt will wash off
When it starts to rain
Soap won't wash away your shame
Do you ever get the feeling
That something isn't right?
Seeing your brother's fist
Clenched ready for the fight
Soon the fighting turns to weapons
And the weapons turn to wounds
So the doctor's stitch and stitch and stitch
And stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch
Surgery won't improve your pain
It all seems so stupid
It makes me want to give up
But why should I give up
When it all seems so stupid?
Do you ever get the feeling
That something can't be done?
To eradicate these problems
And make the people one
Do you ever get that feeling
Something like a nagging itch?
And all the while the doctors stitch
And stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch
Hope alone won't remove the stains (for shame)
It all seems so stupid
It makes me want to five up
But why should I give up
When it all seems so stupid?
Steven Revins
nice one mucker
HM MOB
When I became a Depeche Mode fan as a young teen in 1986 (Black Celebration) I started buying their older albums. What a journey it was discovering their music as a young person, buying the LPs, copying them to cassettes and playing those over and over on my cheap walkman! Can't replicate that. Now - pure nostalgia.
Ikasaswarrior
Same🙌 actually since 1981 & still a devotee
Cattvnqo
i was doing the same thing
Lisa Bevins
I am 44 and still love Depeche! I know that makes me feel and look as young as I do. So glad your generation appreciates it.