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Never Let Me Down Again

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"Never Let Me Down Again" is a song by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was released as the second single from their sixth studio album, Music for the Masses (1987), on 24 August 1987. It reached No. 22 in the UK, No. 2 in West Germany, and the top-10 in several other European countries such as Sweden and Switzerland, topping the Danish charts. In the US, it entered the Billboard Hot 100. The cover art features fragments of a Soviet map of Russia and Europe, with different fragments used for the different editions of the single.

"Never Let Me Down Again"
Single by Depeche Mode
from the album Music for the Masses
B-side
  • "Pleasure, Little Treasure"
  • "To Have and to Hold (Spanish Taster)"
Released24 August 1987 (1987-08-24)[1]
RecordedFebruary–July 1987
Studio
Genre
Length
  • 4:47 (album version)
  • 4:20 (radio edit)
LabelMute
Songwriter(s)Martin Gore
Producer(s)
  • David Bascombe
  • Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode singles chronology
"Strangelove"
(1987) 		"Never Let Me Down Again"
(1987) 		"Behind the Wheel"
(1987)
Music video
"Never Let Me Down Again" on YouTube

Background and composition

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Former member Alan Wilder and the other members of the band considered the track an "obvious single" with much potential. They developed it throughout so that dramatic-type elements such as the Led Zeppelin-influenced drum patterns and Martin Gore's distinctive guitar riffs sound in the forefront.[6] The lyrics of the song, starting with the strident vocals of "I'm taking a ride with my best friend", are generally regarded as reflecting drug use,[7][6] with the track being labelled by NME music journalist Jane Solanas as a "masterpiece" that well conveys the feeling of "drug euphoria".[6]

In a 1987 interview, Gore said that the song: "...has nothing to do with relationships. It's about the concept of fleeing from reality and the evil awakening afterwards. Any kind of fleeing. Drugs, alcohol, or whatever."[8]

The guitar intro of the song on the album was not originally intended, according to producer Bascombe: "...the sequencers we were using in those days, that guitar was sampled and it just ran on the count-in over the start of the track but it wasn't supposed to be. We all went, 'That's great' and so that was a happy accident."[8] The coda of "Never Let Me Down Again" references the Soft Cell song "Torch".[7]

The main remix version of the track, known as the "Split Mix", came about with direct involvement from the band. Years later, after remixes began being made by various hired producers, Wilder said the group should have continued making their own remixes – "...we were right the first time."[6]

Live performances

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The song became a favourite among fans, especially live. Notable in the 101 video is when Dave Gahan waves his arms in the air toward the end of the song, and the sold-out crowd of 60,000 mimics Gahan's movements. It is now customary at Depeche Mode shows for fans to wave their arms in the air during the coda section of "Never Let Me Down Again", which the German magazine Music Express has termed a "wind in a cornfield" simulation.[9]

During the 1990 World Violation Tour, the band played a different version of the song, known as the "Split Mix", including their massive live performances at the Giants and Dodger Stadiums, which were being broadcast live on MTV.

On 8 November 2001, shortly after their final Exciter Tour concert in Mannheim, Germany, the band played "Never Let Me Down Again" during the MTV Europe Music Awards in Frankfurt, which aired in the US on MTV2.

Remixes

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The main 12-inch remix of "Never Let Me Down Again" is known as the "Split Mix", as stated above, and the nine-and-a-half-minute track featured direct involvement from the band during its creation.[6] In detail, the remix features the regular song, an added intro piece, and a techno-like musical arrangement appended at the end. The arrangement was expanded to the "Aggro Mix" on the 12-inch B-side, a piece additionally available as a bonus track on the CD and cassette tape versions of Music for the Masses.

The "Split Mix" appears on the album collection Remixes 81–04, a release that came out in October 2004.[6] Another remix of the track, done by the German group Digitalism, came out in 2006 as one of the 'Digital Deluxe Bonus Tracks' found in The Best of Depeche Mode Volume 1 (also being released as a limited double vinyl 12-inch piece). That remix appears on the band's remix compilation Remixes 2: 81–11 as well. Eric Prydz also remixed the song for this album. The single version appears on The Singles 86–98 (1998) and The Best of Depeche Mode Volume 1 (2006).

Music videos

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There are two music videos for "Never Let Me Down Again", directed by Anton Corbijn. The long version is featured on the Strange video, and uses the "Split Mix" (minus the intro and outro) and during the later EBM portion of the song, Gahan's shoes are shown walking without anyone wearing them, before someone puts them on and wears them to dance. There is also a short video with just the single version of the song, which ends before the animated shoes. The short version appears on The Videos 86>98, the DVD of The Best of Depeche Mode Volume 1 and on Video Singles Collection.

B-sides

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There are two B-sides. "Pleasure, Little Treasure" is a short dance track. An extended version called the "Glitter Mix" ends with fragments of vocal recordings that have been reversed and treated with delay effects. Notably, some of these sounds can be heard in the track "Mothers Talk" from the 1985 Tears for Fears album Songs from the Big Chair, which was engineered by Dave Bascombe. The "Glitter Mix" showed up as a bonus track on the CD/Cassette versions of Music for the Masses and in remastered form on the 2006 CD/DVD release.

The rarer B-side is "To Have and To Hold (Spanish Taster)". Martin Gore's original plan for the song sounded a lot like upbeat electropop, but Alan Wilder turned it into the dark wave track it eventually became. While Alan's version was always set to be the final version, Martin wanted his version to be recorded as well. However, not all of the lyrics are sung in the song. It shows up as one of the bonus tracks on the CD/Cassette version of Music for the Masses and is on the CD versions of "Never Let Me Down Again". The regular version of "To Have and To Hold" is one of the main tracks on the Music for the Masses LP.

Notable cover versions

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The Smashing Pumpkins recorded a cover of the song and released it as a B-side on their 1994 CD single "Rocket" as well as on the Depeche Mode tribute album For the Masses. Discussing the cover, Martin Gore said he had "always liked" the Pumpkins cover, while Dave Gahan said he "particularly liked it", and even thought it was "a lot better" than the Depeche Mode original.[10][11]

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The song was featured in the HBO series, Euphoria. It played during the third episode of the second season, "Ruminations: Big and Little Bullys."[12]

"Never Let Me Down Again" appeared two times on the TV show The Last of Us: first, during the end of the first episode of the first season, "When You're Lost in the Darkness" (S01 E01).[13] Craig Mazin, the co-creator of the series, chose the song due to its blend of upbeat sounds and dark lyrics. He felt its title referred to the relationship between Joel and Ellie, and noted it would recur later in the season in a different manner.[14]: 40:25  In the wake of the song being featured on The Last of Us, the amount of streams of "Never Let Me Down Again" tripled overnight.[15] The song returned in the sixth episode of the first season, "Kin" (S01 E06), where it is performed by Mazin's daughter Jessica, to demonstrate Ellie feeling let down by Joel.[16][17]

Track listings

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All songs written by Martin Gore.

7-inch: Mute / Bong14 (UK)

  1. "Never Let Me Down Again" – 4:20
  2. "Pleasure, Little Treasure" – 2:52

12-inch: Mute / 12Bong14 (UK)

  1. "Never Let Me Down Again (Split Mix)" – 9:34
  2. "Pleasure, Little Treasure (Glitter Mix)" – 5:34
  3. "Never Let Me Down Again (Aggro Mix)" – 4:53

12-inch: Mute / L12Bong14 (UK)

  1. "Never Let Me Down Again (Tsangarides Mix)" – 4:22 (Remixed by Chris Tsangarides)
  2. "Pleasure, Little Treasure (Join Mix)" – 4:53 (Remixed by John Fryer & Paul Kendall)
  3. "To Have and to Hold (Spanish Taster)" – 2:33

Cassette: Mute / CBong14 (UK)

  1. "Never Let Me Down Again (Split Mix)" – 9:34
  2. "Pleasure, Little Treasure (Glitter Mix)" – 5:34
  3. "Never Let Me Down Again (Aggro Mix)" – 4:53

CD: Mute / CDBong14 (UK)

  1. "Never Let Me Down Again (Split Mix)" – 9:34
  2. "Pleasure, Little Treasure (Join Mix)" – 4:53
  3. "To Have and to Hold (Spanish Taster)" – 2:33
  4. "Never Let Me Down Again (Aggro Mix)" – 4:53
  • Originally released in Cardsleeve [1987]
  • Rereleased as 4track CD single in Slim Jewel Case in 1991.

CD: Mute / CDBong14 (UK)

  1. "Never Let Me Down Again" – 4:20
  2. "Pleasure, Little Treasure" – 2:52
  3. "Never Let Me Down Again (Split Mix)" – 9:34
  4. "Pleasure, Little Treasure (Glitter Mix)" – 5:34
  5. "Never Let Me Down Again (Aggro Mix)" – 4:53
  6. "Never Let Me Down Again (Tsangarides Mix)" – 4:22
  7. "Pleasure, Little Treasure (Join Mix)" – 4:53
  8. "To Have and To Hold (Spanish Taster)" – 2:33
  • The second CD is the 1992 re-release.

Charts

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Smith, Robin (22 August 1987). "News Digest". Record Mirror. p. 17. ISSN 0144-5804.
  2. ^ "Studio Guillaume Tell". Guillaumetell.com (in French). Archived from the original on 29 June 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  3. ^ a b Terich, Jeff (5 March 2013). "Celebrate the Catalog : Depeche Mode". Treble. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  4. ^ Rolland, David (4 October 2023). "10 Songs That Show Depeche Mode Are Synth-Pop Masters". Miami New Times. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  5. ^ DiGravina, Tim. "Depeche Mode - Barrel of a Gun". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 6 July 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Miller, Jonathan (2009). Stripped: Depeche Mode (3rd ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1-84772-444-1. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  7. ^ a b Mojo (2007). Irvin, Jim (ed.). The Mojo Collection: The Ultimate Music Companion (4th ed.). Canongate Books. p. 522. ISBN 978-1-84195-973-3. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  8. ^ a b Laing, Rob (17 January 2023). "The story of Depeche Mode's Never Let Me Down Again". Archived from the original on 2 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  9. ^ Binder, Raffaela (22 June 2009). "Depeche Mode live in München". Musik Express (in German). Archived from the original on 9 November 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  10. ^ "Depeche Mode's Gahan on the Tribute Treatment". MTV News. 8 May 1998. Archived from the original on 19 March 2014. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  11. ^ "Martin Lee Gore – Interview #13". AllStar Magazine. 1998. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2014 – via Mlgheaven.tripod.com.
  12. ^ "Every Song Featured in Euphoria Season 2, Episode 3". Ones to Watch. Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  13. ^ Bradley Russell (16 January 2023). "Here's what song was playing at the end of The Last of Us premiere – and why it's so important". gamesradar. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  14. ^ Episode 1 - "When You're Lost in the Darkness" | The Last of Us Podcast | HBO Max, archived from the original on 20 April 2023, retrieved 17 January 2023
  15. ^ McNeal, Bria (20 January 2023). "The Last of Us Just Made 'Never Let Me Down Again' The Latest '80s Revival". Esquire. Archived from the original on 21 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023. According to Billboard, the song is on track to continue the music world's '80s takeover. "Never Let Me Down Again" reportedly tripled its streams overnight, going from 26,000 streams when The Last of Us premiered, to 83,000 the next day. Depeche Mode caught wind of the revival, aided fans' interest by adding "Heard on Episode 1 of The Last of Us," to the song's description on YouTube.
  16. ^ Edwards, Belen (20 February 2023). "'The Last of Us' episode 6 features a heartbreaking musical callback". Mashable. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  17. ^ Schaefer, Sandy (20 February 2023). "The Last Of Us Ended Its Latest Episode With The Perfect Song". /Film. Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  18. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 88. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  19. ^ "Depeche Mode – Never Let Me Down Again" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  20. ^ "Top 3 in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 39. 3 October 1987. p. 16. OCLC 29800226. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2023 – via World Radio History.
  21. ^ "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 38. 26 September 1987. p. 14. OCLC 29800226. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2023 – via World Radio History.
  22. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  23. ^ "Depeche Mode – Never Let Me Down Again" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  24. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Never Let Me Down Again". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  25. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Archived from the original on 1 December 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2022. Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Depeche Mode" in the "Artista" field and press "cerca".
  26. ^ "Depeche Mode – Never Let Me Down Again" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  27. ^ "South African Charts 1969–1989: Artists (D)". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 8 July 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  28. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  29. ^ "Depeche Mode – Never Let Me Down Again". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  30. ^ "Depeche Mode – Never Let Me Down Again". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  31. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  32. ^ 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.
  33. ^ "Depeche Mode Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  34. ^ "Depeche Mode Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  35. ^ "Depeche Mode Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  36. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending February 6, 1988". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012.
  37. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Depeche Mode – Never Let Me Down Again" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  38. ^ "European Charts of the Year 1987 > Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 51/52. 26 December 1987. p. 34. OCLC 29800226. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021 – via World Radio History.
  39. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts: 1987" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
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