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)
Shouldn't Have Done That
Depeche Mode Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can change the course of history
Remember that
Mummy's annoyed, says "go and play"
Don't show your face, stay away all day
Shouldn't have done that
Marching around so naturally
Shouldn't have done that
Grows up and goes to school
Such a nice boy, obeys all the rules
Mummy's proud of that
Leaves school to follow his ambition
Knows what he wants to be a politician
Shouldn't have done that
The song Shouldn't Have Done That by Depeche Mode is a reflection on how the decisions that we make from an early age can change the course of our lives and even of society as a whole. These decisions, even those made in the innocence of childhood, can have a profound and lasting impact on our future.
The first verse talks about plans made in the nursery, which can change the course of history. This highlights the idea that our early experiences and decisions can have a ripple effect that extends far beyond ourselves. The second verse focuses on a small boy who is told to go and play by his annoyed mother. He disobeys and marches around with his toy soldiers, perhaps dreaming of being a soldier himself one day. The message here is that even seemingly insignificant actions can have major consequences.
The final verse speaks to the idea that as we grow older, our decisions become more purposeful and can have even greater ramifications. The boy grows up to be a politician, which implies that he has the power to influence society in a meaningful way. The chorus repeats the phrase "shouldn't have done that," suggesting that the consequences of these decisions may not always be positive.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the power of choice and how integral our decisions are to shaping our own lives and the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
Plans made in the nursery
The actions and decisions that one makes at an early age can have a significant impact on their future.
Can change the course of history
These early actions have the potential to shape and alter the future direction of society.
Remember that
It is important to be aware of the long-term consequences of one's decisions.
Mummy's annoyed, says "go and play"
The mother is frustrated with the child and wants them to engage in activities that do not interrupt her.
Don't show your face, stay away all day
The child is being told to avoid causing trouble or inconvenience and to stay out of the way.
Shouldn't have done that
The child's previous actions have resulted in being scolded and punished.
Small boy and his infantry
The child is playing with toy soldiers or other small figurines.
Marching around so naturally
The child is playing and using their imagination in the most natural and effortless way possible.
Shouldn't have done that
Something about the child's behavior is incorrect or not acceptable.
Grows up and goes to school
The child gets older and begins attending school.
Such a nice boy, obeys all the rules
The child is obedient and follows all the rules and expectations set by authority figures.
Mummy's proud of that
The mother feels a sense of pride and accomplishment due to the child's behavior and actions.
Leaves school to follow his ambition
The individual finishes their schooling and decides to pursue a specific goal or aspiration.
Knows what he wants to be a politician
The individual decides that their goal is to become a politician.
Shouldn't have done that
The individual's decision to become a politician is viewed negatively or with criticism.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Martin Gore
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind