Strangelove (song)

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"Strangelove"
Depeche Mode - Strangelove.png
Single by Depeche Mode
from the album Music for the Masses
B-side
  • "Pimpf"
  • "Agent Orange"
Released27 April 1987 (1987-04-27) [1]
Recorded1987
Genre
Length
  • 3:44 (single version)
  • 4:56 (album version)
Label Mute
Songwriter Martin L. Gore
Producers
  • Depeche Mode
  • David Bascombe
Depeche Mode singles chronology
"But Not Tonight"
(1986)		"Strangelove"
(1987)		"Never Let Me Down Again"
(1987)
Music video
"Strangelove" on YouTube

"Strangelove" is a song by English electronic band Depeche Mode, released on 27 April 1987 as the lead single from their sixth studio album, Music for the Masses (1987).

Contents

It was an international success, reaching number 16 on the UK Singles Chart, [5] number two in West Germany and South Africa, and the top 20 in several other countries, including Ireland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. In the United States, it reached number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100 [6] and was the first of nine number ones on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart, where it stayed for three weeks at the top. [7] The band considered the song instrumental in helping them break into chart success and broad popularity in the American market, which they had struggled with for most of their career to that point.

Background

Depeche Mode had released their album Black Celebration in early 1986, [8] followed up with a supporting tour which lasted through the middle of that year, [9] and contributed the song "But Not Tonight" to the soundtrack to the film Modern Girls (1986). [10]

Recording

Initial version

In early 1987, Martin Gore played demos of the songs he'd been developing to the rest of the band at Alan Wilder's home studio. [11] The demo was written in Cubase and played via a Yamaha synthesizer. [12] Daniel Miller, citing growing tension in the studio during the recording of Black Celebration, had stepped away from producing Depeche Mode's music for this album, [13] and instead they worked with David Bascombe, who had just completed working as a recording engineer with Tears for Fears on their album Songs from the Big Chair (1985). [10] Alan Wilder was described by Miller as the person who had the vision for how the album should sound and "steered the ship" in the studio for the album including "Strangelove", and as such Bascombe, although officially a producer for the record, instead acted more as a sound engineer. [12] Recording for the song "Strangelove", like the rest of the album, took place at Studio Guillaume Tell, a former cinema in Paris. [14] [15] The initial single was mixed before the rest of the album's recording was completed, [12] and released five months before the album. [16] That initial single version was the band's first mix of the song, which they put out so they could move on with the rest of the album. [17]

One B-side to "Strangelove" is an instrumental called "Pimpf". [18] As Studio Guillaume Tell was converted from an old cinema, there were some old instruments left about that the band used to record the track, including old orchestral bass drums and timpanis. [12] Originally intended as only a B-side, the band liked Bascombe's mix of "Pimpf" enough to include it as the closing track of the album, which Bascombe said was his favorite mix of all the songs from the entire album. [18] The name is a reference to Der Pimpf , a magazine of the Hitler Youth organizations. [19]

Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg
"Agent Orange"
Sample containing the Morse code referred to in the text to the left.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

A second instrumental B-side, "Agent Orange", is named after the herbicide used in the Vietnam War. "Agent Orange" was included on the CD and cassette versions of Music for the Masses. [20]

Album version

The band felt that, while the initial version of the song was "upbeat", [12] it was too "cluttered" [21] and didn't fit in with the darker feeling of the rest of the album, so it was remixed again based off of Miller's "Blind" remix of the song, [12] which resulted in a kind of "hybrid" remix for the album. [17] Bascombe remembered that Gore and Wilder couldn't agree on which bass line to use for the song: [12] Gore thought a faster bass line was better, while Wilder proposed a slower one. [12] A compromise was reached when Bascombe suggested that they use both, which is how the song appeared on the album. [12] Bascombe said that he and Wilder, along with occasional input from singer Dave Gahan, were responsible for the final album mix. [12]

Release

"Strangelove" was released on 27 April 1987 [1] by Mute Records in the UK, Intercord Records in West Germany, Sire Records in the US, and Alfa Records in Japan. [22] In the UK, the release saw a 7" release (catalogue number 7BONG13), a 7" promo (RBONG13), a 12" release (12BONG13), a limited edition 12" release (L12BONG13), and 3 promotional 12" releases (SBONG13, CLUBBONG13 and DANCEBONG13), the latter of which saw a small number of blue vinyl pressings. [23] In West Germany, Intercord Records released the 7" on red vinyl (catalogue number INT 111.848). [19] Sire Records released a promotional 7" in Canada (92 83667), and in the US, as promotional 12" (PRO-A-2780). In Japan, a 7" release was released with custom artwork (ALI-765). [19]

Strangelove '88

Due to the success of the US leg of the "Music for the Masses" tour in early 1988, Sire Records re-released "Strangelove" with new mixes as "Strangelove '88" on 23 August 1988. [24] Remixed by Tim Simenon of Bomb the Bass, [24] it reached number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100. [6]

Music videos

The music video for "Strangelove" was directed by Anton Corbijn. [19] A music video for "Strangelove '88" was shot separately by Martin Atkyns. [24] Corbijn's video, shot in black and white in Paris, was described as using "a visual language related to Italian neorealism." [25] Corbijn's video appears on the Strange (1988) video, and both are included on The Videos 86>98 (2002) and Video Singles Collection (2016).

Other releases

Remixes of "Strangelove" have appeared on various best-of compilations such The Singles 86–98 (1998), Remixes 81–04 (2004), The Best of Depeche Mode Volume 1 (2006), and Remixes 2: 81–11 (2011). Live versions appear on 101 (1989) and releases of Recording the Universe (2010).

Reception and legacy

In 2006, the band said that the single release of "Strangelove", as well as the subsequent release of the album Music for the Masses and its supporting tour were important for the band because it finally got them success in America, which they had struggled with over their career to that point. [26] Slant Magazine , in a retrospective review in 2002, said "Strangelove" was "home to classic Martin Gore lyrics and Dave Gahan's timeless vocal" and rated it 3.5 stars out of 5. [27]

Track listings

All tracks are written by Martin L. Gore.

Strangelove '88

  1. "Strangelove (Highjack Mix)" – 6:30 (remixed by Tim Simenon & Mark Saunders)
  2. "Strangelove (Remix Edit)" – 3:46
  3. "Nothing (Zip Hop Mix)" – 7:06 (remixed by Justin Strauss)
  4. "Nothing (Dub Mix)" – 6:40 (remixed by Justin Strauss)
  1. "Strangelove" (Remix Edit) – 3:46
  2. "Strangelove" (Album Version 7" Edit) – 3:44
  3. "Strangelove" (Blind Mix 7" Edit) – 3:57
  4. "Strangelove" (Highjack Mix) – 6:30
The "Zip Hop Mix" of Nothing (titled "Justin Strauss Mix") was also released as one of thirteen (digital download) "Rare Tracks" accompanying Depeche Mode's remix compilation, Remixes 81–04 (2004).

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [55] Gold500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Smith, Robin (25 April 1987). "News Digest". Record Mirror . p. 29. ISSN   0144-5804.
  2. ↑ Jamison, Darren (4 May 2023). "10 Best Depeche Mode Songs of All Time". Singersroom. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  3. ↑ "Top 500 Alternative Songs of All Time". KXRK . 20 May 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  4. ↑ "Top 40 New Wave Albums". Ultimate Classic Rock . 31 May 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Depeche Mode: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 "Depeche Mode Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  7. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 75.
  8. ↑ "Depeche Mode: The Archives – Black Celebration". DepecheMode.com. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  9. ↑ Book of Love (September 1986). "Depeche Mode/Book of Love Itinerary". Love Letter. No. 5. p. 3.
  10. 1 2 Miller, Jonathan (2003). Stripped: Depeche Mode. Omnibus Press. ISBN   0-7119-9397-1.
  11. ↑ Gittins 2018, p. =125-126.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Vaughn George and David Bascombe (Part 1) on YouTube
  13. ↑ Blanning, Lisa (26 March 2013). "'It's almost too personal': Daniel Miller contemplates the Depeche Mode catalogue". Electronic Beats . Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  14. ↑ Gittins 2018, p. 126.
  15. ↑ Music for the Masses (CD booklet). Depeche Mode (remastered ed.). Sire Records. 2006. R2 77591.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ↑ Rowe, Felix (10 April 2025). "Making Depeche Mode's Music For The Masses". classicpopmag.com. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  17. 1 2 Sinclair, Paul (4 July 2019). "Producer Dave Bascombe on Depeche Mode's 'Music For The Masses'". superdeluxeedition.com. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  18. 1 2 Vaughn George and David Bascombe (Part 1) on YouTube
  19. 1 2 3 4 Burmeister & Lange 2017, p. 156.
  20. ↑ depe.depmode.com, © depe | 15 08 2008 www depmode com | personal site. "Depeche Mode "Strangelove" 1987". www.depmode.com. Retrieved 15 June 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  21. ↑ "Q+A / Depeche Mode / MFTM" . Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  22. ↑ Burmeister & Lange 2017, pp. 154–157.
  23. ↑ Burmeister & Lange 2017, pp. 154–155.
  24. 1 2 3 Burmeister & Lange 2017, p. 174.
  25. ↑ Burmeister & Lange 2017, p. 154.
  26. ↑ Depeche Mode: 1987: Sometimes you do need new jokes (DVD). Mute Records. 2006.
  27. ↑ Cinquemani, Sal (2 November 2002). "Review: Depeche Mode, Music for the Masses". slantmagazine.com. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  28. ↑ "Depeche Mode – Strangelove" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  29. ↑ "Depeche Mode – Strangelove" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  30. ↑ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 8694." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  31. ↑ "Top 3 in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 4, no. 24. 20 June 1987. p. 16. OCLC   29800226 – via World Radio History.
  32. ↑ "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 22. 6 June 1987. p. 10. OCLC   29800226 – via World Radio History.
  33. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN   978-951-1-21053-5.
  34. ↑ "Depeche Mode – Strangelove" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  35. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Strangelove". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  36. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 31 May 2022.Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Depeche Mode" in the "Artista" field and press "cerca".
  37. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Depeche Mode" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  38. ↑ "Depeche Mode – Strangelove" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  39. ↑ "SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts D". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 3 May 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  40. ↑ Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
  41. ↑ "Depeche Mode – Strangelove". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  42. ↑ "Depeche Mode – Strangelove". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  43. ↑ Lazell, Barry (1997). "Depeche Mode". Indie Hits 1980–1989: The Complete U.K. Independent Charts (Singles & Albums). Cherry Red Books. ISBN   0-95172-069-4. Archived from the original on 5 February 2009. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  44. ↑ "Depeche Mode Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
  45. ↑ "Depeche Mode Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  46. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending October 22, 1988". Cash Box . Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  47. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Depeche Mode – Strangelove" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
  48. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  49. ↑ "European Charts of the Year 1987 – Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 51/52. 26 December 1987. p. 34. OCLC   29800226 – via World Radio History.
  50. ↑ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1987". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  51. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1987". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  52. ↑ "1987 The Year in Music & Video – Top Dance Sales 12-Inch Singles". Billboard. Vol. 99, no. 52. 26 December 1987. p. Y-30. ISSN   0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  53. ↑ "Dance Club Songs – Year-End 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  54. ↑ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1987" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  55. ↑ "American single certifications – Depeche Mode – Strangelove". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved 1 April 2025.


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