One of the many bands I like to listen to are Depeche Mode. I wrote a piece on this blog in 2014 about their debut 1981 album Speak and Spell.
As of 2023 the band have produced 15 studio albums, several other live and compilation albums, besides releasing 55 singles and assorted special EP’s which have consistently charted highly across the world. The band can count Germany as one of their best territories to sell records having had eleven number one albums including live and compilation’s.
Whilst writing songs for their up coming 1989 album “Violator”, writer Martin Gore’s first version of “Enjoy the silence” was created as a ballad. When in the studio it was band member Alan Wilder who suggested it should be made into an up-tempo song. The track became re-worked and made it to the final album track list.
The single version was officially released in edited form timed at 4:15 on 5th February 1990. It was the second single off the album. Production was by Depeche Mode and Mark “Flood” Ellis.
Band members at the time of recording the track were David Gahan, Martin Gore, Andy Fletcher and Alan Wilder.
This is perhaps one of Depeche Mode’s best selling singles with worldwide sales approximately at over 1.8 million copies reaching #1 in Denmark, also #1 in Spain, #2 in Germany where it was certified gold, #6 in UK with platinum status for more than 600,000 units and #8 on US Billboard chart, their highest charting single in America and ratified with a Gold certification. Also Top 5 in Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Ireland, The Netherlands, Belgium, Canada and Italy.
The song won Best British Single at the 1991 Brit Awards.
B side is an instrumental called “Memphisto”. It starts with a piano which is played throughout and then synthesized eerie sounds enter the mix building a dramatic almost cinematic score to a fade out.
Jukebox Dave 