"Blasphemous Rumours"/"Somebody" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Depeche Mode | ||||
from the album Some Great Reward | ||||
Released | 29 October 1984 | |||
Recorded | June 1984 Music Works in Highbury, Hansa Mischraum in West Berlin | |||
Genre | New wave[1] | |||
Length | 5:06 (Blasphemous Rumours) 6:20 (Blasphemous Rumours, 12" version) 4:19 (Somebody) 4:27 (Somebody, album version) | |||
Label | Mute | |||
Songwriter(s) | Martin Gore | |||
Producer(s) |
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Depeche Mode singles chronology | ||||
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"Blasphemous Rumours"/"Somebody" is Depeche Mode's twelfth UK single and first double A-side single, released on 29 October 1984.[2][3]Both A-side songs are from the album Some Great Reward.
Song information
Blasphemous Rumours
The verses to "Blasphemous Rumours" describe a 16-year-old girl who attempts suicide but fails. She experiences a religious revival but then "Hit by a car / Ended up / On a life support machine" (from the lyrics). The chorus uses these incidents to conclude, "I don't want to start any blasphemous rumours / But I think that God's got a sick sense of humour / And when I die, I expect to find him laughing." Like other songs on Some Great Reward, the song uses a dense sound with extensive sampled percussion. The song stems from the times that Martin Gore would go with bandmate Andy Fletcher and former bandmate Vince Clarke to the church.[4] When Martin initially showed Andy the song, he found it quite offensive and said, "It certainly verges on the offensive."[4]
When Depeche Mode announced that they were planning to release "Blasphemous Rumours" as a single, pushback from the religious community[5] resulted, and consequently, the band decided as a compromise to release the single as a double-A side with "Somebody."[5]
Somebody
"Somebody", which was sung by Martin Gore in the studio in the nude,[6] includes one of Gore's "little twists", where the song builds as if it is a song about finding your perfect love, only to have him reveal at the end "though things like this make me sick / in a case like this I'll get away with it."[7]
Though when Martin was interviewed about the songs on the '101' CD for the April 1989 issue of French magazine 'Best', he lamented the song, expressing.
"I do not like this song anymore. Looking back on it, I think it's too soft and tender. Most of my songs are not as naive. I usually arrange songs in such a way that they take an unexpected turn at some point. I prefer it to contain doubt, when it does not rule out the possibility that a loving relationship may go wrong."
Track listings
All songs written by Martin Gore except:
- "Ice Machine" by Vince Clarke
- "Two Minute Warning" by Alan Wilder
7": Mute / 7Bong7 (UK)
- "Blasphemous Rumours" – 5:06
- "Somebody (Remix)" – 4:19
7" EP: Mute / 7Bong7E (UK)
- "Somebody (Remix)" – 4:19
- "Everything Counts (Live)" - 5:53
- "Blasphemous Rumours" – 5:06
- "Told You So (Live Version)" - 4:54
12": Mute / 12Bong7 (UK)
- "Blasphemous Rumours" – 6:20
- "Somebody (Live)" – 4:26
- "Two Minute Warning (Live)" – 4:36
- "Ice Machine (Live)" – 3:45
- "Everything Counts (Live)" – 5:53
- This version of the single was also released on CD. Intercord 826.839. No Bong number, same cover as the vinyl version.
CD: Mute / CDBong7 (UK)
- "Blasphemous Rumours" – 6:20
- "Told You So (Live)" – 4:56
- "Somebody (Remix)" – 4:19
- "Everything Counts (Live)" – 5:53
- The CD single was released in 1991 as part of the singles box set compilations.
All live tracks recorded at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool, England on 29 September 1984.
Charts
Chart (1984–1985) | Peak position |
---|---|
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8] | 24 |
Ireland (IRMA)[9] | 8 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[10] | 34 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[11] | 19 |
UK Singles (OCC)[12] | 16 |
West Germany (Official German Charts)[13] | 22 |
References
- ^ Michael Sutton. "Forever - Dune - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ Baker, Trevor (5 November 2009). Dave Gahan - Depeche Mode & The Second Coming. Bonnier Zaffre. ISBN 978-1-78418-955-6. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ Christopher, Michael (28 December 2020). Depeche Mode FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the World's Finest Synth-Pop Band. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 88. ISBN 978-1-4930-5400-8. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ a b "DM articles: Andy Fletcher, the brigade boy". web.archive.org. 11 November 1999. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
- ^ a b Thompson, Dave (15 November 1994). Depeche Mode: Some Great Reward. St. Martin's Press. pp. 152–155. ISBN 9780312112622.
- ^ Robbins, Jenna Rose (12 July 2017). "The Hallowed Halls of Hansa". Where Traveler. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
- ^ Shaw, William (April 1993), "In The Mode", Details magazine: 90–95, 168
- ^ "Depeche Mode – Blasphemous Rumours / Somebody" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Blasphemous Rumours". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
- ^ "Depeche Mode – Blasphemous Rumours / Somebody" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ "Depeche Mode – Blasphemous Rumours / Somebody". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ "Depeche Mode: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Depeche Mode – Blasphemous Rumours / Somebody" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
External links