In Your Room is, in my view, the best song ever written about being in the throes of addiction. The idea to address the addiction, as if it’s a person, is simple but brilliant. And they placed that conversation in this dream-like, menacing, nightmarish soundscape that you can’t help but be drawn into. And the irony is of course that the guys managed to produce this magnum opus of an album while being at their worst, in terms of addictions and mental health in general. (Anton Corbijn famously created a collage of their career for the video for this song, as a sort of career summary, because he feared it could be Dave Gahan’s last). Musically speaking, Martin Gore is a unique composer, (and Alan Wilder was a spectacularly good fit for him in the studio, although they often butted heads). Even if you’re not a fan of the band - and I can see why a person would have a hard time getting into their older stuff, as the production often is very dated - you should be able to appreciate Gore’s unique sense of harmony and melody. And if you enjoy this album, you would probably enjoy the preceding album as well, Violator (1990). It is considered their creative peak, in close competition with Songs of Faith and Devotion. The following album, Ultra (1996) - their first without Alan Wilder as musical director/co-producer - also has very strong moments. But they did lose an essential ingredient with Alan’s departure.
Dear goodness. I don’t feel addiction. I quit smoking and drinking instantly or near instantly. I don’t feel romantic love that often. But I always thought this is how love is supposed to feel like. Your comment just made me realize that what I desired is literally addiction. I knew it, but I didn’t know it. Never realized how messed up that is. Makes sense, I’m a controlled person(too much maybe). Life is ironic.
It is art. You can interpret this piece of music how you like. I knew the moment I heard Depeche Mode as a 15-year-old girl, i found it sexually seductive.It was an instant realization that there was a part of me that related to this music on a sexuallevel. .. I have always found In Your Room incredibly sensual .. an addiction to a person, if even for those few hours of nighttime... But I could definitely see how somebody would correlate the song with addiction...
Saying you dont like Depeche Mode is like saying you dont like Indian food. Some of it is mind blowing! Half of Faith and Devotion is incredible and an example of they did at their absolute epic darkest peak!
In Your Room is a masterpiece for sure but Depeche Mode have *so* many of them, too many to list in this post. They are totally unique and the latest album is a gem.
Big Depeche Mode fan here, but I agree that the lineup that had Alan Wilder, Andrew Fletcher, Dave Gahan, and Martin Gore remains the most significant lineup they ever had in their career.
Mixed feelings. I love DM. This is my favorite work. I’m also an industrial music fan. But I also like their modern sound. They should collaborate with him, but it won’t happen. Egos and unnecessary pain. Back then, they were more hungry.
Yeah Martin composed the lyrics AND the music. But, that doesn't take away from what Alan does with arranging and producing. And this song is probably the best example of what he could do with Martin's songs. He was incredible and I miss him a lot.
After Alan Wilder left the band (one of the reasons was that he did not feel valued enough... recognized by the members later)... Martin allowed songs (by David Gagan for example)...
Alan Wilder said in the May 1993 issue of Keyboard magazine: "That song was quite difficult. We recorded the song three or four different ways. One was entirely as you hear it in the second verse, with the smaller drum kit and the "groovy" bass line. But the whole song with that rhythm wasn't strong enough; it didn't go anywhere. We had the song structure from a fairly early stage. We knew where we wanted the verses, choruses, and middle eights. So [...] I went in and played drums along with the track in one particular style, then did it again in a funkier style, and so on. [...] [The cymbals after the word "flames"] was a late addition. Since that's such an up part of the song, it felt necessary to add something at that point. We put it in at the mix. It's often not until you get to the mix stage that it becomes obvious that another part is required. When you're in the recording process, you've never got it sounding good enough to tell. So quite a few of those embellishments get put on at the mix stage, like backwards cymbals." Martin Gore in Rolling Stone issue #672/3 (December 1993): "I think 'In Your Room' could be potentially bigger [as a hit single than 'I Feel You'], but it's six and a half minutes long. It could be edited down, but I think part of its beauty is its length. It'll be difficult to work with it." However, Depeche Mode ended up not rejecting Butch Vig's mix, which was explained in an interview with Andy Fletcher for Drum Media in February 1994: "Consider the issue of Gahan suggesting that Butch Vig (producer of Nirvana’s Nevermind and Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream) remix the third single from Songs, In Your Room. Vig brought his own guitarist to add a new track - at first crackling then bursting into sonic overdrive - to the emotive ballad, upping the drums and giving it an alt-rock treatment that's surprisingly controlled amidst classic Gore melodrama like Your favourite mirror, your favourite slave... "It's an interesting mix, completely different to what we would have done, though we prefer our own original mix," notes Fletcher, despite initial rumours that the mix at one stage was to be consigned to the vault never to be released. For Fletcher, it's a matter of their roots: "We still like to consider ourselves European sounding and away from that American grunge sound, we’re not jumping on that bandwagon in any way." Alan Wilder wrote in his Singles 86-98 editorial: "Convinced of the song's potential as a single, [Alan] campaigned rigorously on behalf of the album version to the point where various different edits were tried, but was eventually out-voted in favour of a remix by Nirvana producer and current 'grunge' dahling of the press, Butch Vig. Unfortunately, as is often the case with outside remixers, Vig's interpretation did not relate to many of the aspects of the original and the track lost much of it's Depeche Mode character, falling short of it's intended sensuality and intensity." Dave Gahan said in the EPK for Exciter in 2001: "[...] Often, with a lot of those sort of songs [bring out all these sad emotions and lost time], like 'In Your Room', that's kind of how it felt, you know, during those darker times for me, if you like. I was in my own little room. I felt very protected in my own little room for a while and I was invincible and I could come out when I wanted and go back in when I wanted and the room was a safe place, but now that room scares me and I don't really want to go in there any more. So, when I was singing that song on the last tour [Singles 86-98 tour], it was almost like I could sing it from outside the room, but go there for a little bit and look at it and peer in. It was a lot more fun than singing it like it was the last time I was going to sing it every night. For instance, on 'Songs of Faith and Devotion', on that tour, I really got off on the whole kind of darkness of that period of my life and it got really boring." Dave Gahan told Stirile Pro in 2016: "[...] 'In Your Room', I think it's one of my favourites, actually, to perform."
Exactly. Saw them first in 1986 for Black Celebration Tour to 2023. 7 or 8 times and all different tours. They get better and tighter every tour. I think the addition of a live drummer and guitar by Martin in the early 1990's and beyond changed the band for the better. There is a reason they were the 3rd highest grossing tour in 2023 in the world and sold almost 2 million tickets.
Depeche Mode were always masters of setting the mood and atmosphere of the song up until Alan Wilder left. 2 of my favourites are the remastered album versions of Nothing and Strangelove
For the rhythmic parts, Alan Wilder learned drum for this LP and played and recorded his drum part to keep some kind of « organic » sound but after that, being sampled and manipulated. That’s why the rhythmic sound in the same time live and sequenced… To understand how Depeche Mode worked and what made them so unique is their way to use samples… manipulate, transforming them… They started to record sounds, industrial sound, metal, voice, really anything or whatever. And progressively they started to take some samples from audio recordings, from very various artists… A mambo female singer for a choir effect on « A question of Time», Carl Orff Carmina Burana for the famous intro and sounds for « Never let me down again » with drum sample from Led Zeppelin, Pygmées vocal sound from an impersonator of wolf on Music for the Masses too… For Violator they for example used samples from Gustav Mahler, some Bulgarian voices for the choir of « Enjoy the Silence » but so many more orchestral samples will come for « Songs of Faith and Devotion » ;) So, from Music for the Masses (where they started), more on Violator and especially on Songs of Faith and Devotion they used lots of samples from classical pieces of music with rhythmic, drums, atmospheric samples from so many famous artists, they even used vocal samples sung by Martin Gore or together maybe and used them as all samples as they would do with a synthesizer preset… In a way when it came to Songs of Faith and Devotion, pure synthesizer sounds wasn’t curiously the major part of their sound, they was just a need to complete the samples and mixing them together… You can see hear listed all the samples sources they used (confirmed, official…), with some sound excerpts to show and reveal the original vs the final use ;) You will be surprised how many they were… dmlive.wiki/wiki/List_of_Depeche_Mode_sample_sources_by_album After Alan Wilder left, they started to work differently. For Ultra, Tim Simenon kept the spirit of the Band «DNA Sound » in a way, but from 2000 they stoped using samples. Maybe that was just in fact Alan’s touch, all that cinematic, orchestral touch, all that made the sound of Depeche Mode is Alan’s work… And Martin Gore, that wasn’t his choice to do that, he always preferred to keep his songs more like demos, much more « naked ». All that with the fact he fell in love with analog synths. Today DM is quite another band and they don’t sound like they did before
Your reaction to this song is so beautiful. It's how we all feel about DM - and you're absolutely right: no one else can do what they've done for over 40 years. And, to be sure, this is one of the best reaction video of DM I've seen. Thank you for making it. 💜
It's clear to me that it was unlikely Depeche Mode was very unlikely to have become a super band without Alan Wilder. I am so disappointed in Dave and Martin (and Fletch) for not having even tried to recruit him back into the group.
This is off the charts! The quality of work from Alan and flood, the melody and lyrics from mr Gore, the deep voice from Dave. Just an all star team here doing magic. No words for this masterpiece. My i suggest Walking In My Shoes? Keep up the great work. Another subscriber
Good review. I like this mix of content to compliment your recording and production videos. With that, I am an odd Depeche Mode fan. I prefer their stuff from from the 90s on. I think it has to do with me getting into them at that point, I knew about the 80s stuff and liked it, but I felt it was over produced and as they went on, and Alan Wilder left, it was more raw. This album probably starts a stretch of 4 albums that I classify as my favorite. And Delta Machine is there as well along with their newest. I also feel that people get a new appreciation for them when they see them live. They are actually a powerful live band, guitars, drums, synths etc. And Dave G is about as good as it gets for a front man taking the crowd on a ride. In my opinion, he is up there with Mick Jagger in that sense.
I think there are plenty of other hidden gems by Depeche Mode that you could check out…. Here is the house, Martyr, only when I lose myself, shine etc…
Just let the boy to learn by himself, no need to educate to someone that doesn’t recognize such a bunch of masterpieces from Depeche Mode. It’s enough to listen to one - just one - to start to search here in RU-vid the rest of the wonderful musical work from this band. Don’t write another song title with the intention to convince him.
I absolutely agree with you 💯%✓ I wouldn't say anything else about Depeche Mode that isn't the right way to get anyone who has to talk about a particular track like this guy, into DM or any other band...
Hi! I appreciate your analysis of this fantastic song. When they recorded it, the band were living together in a rented house in Madrid. Dave sang this song in the lower level garage with tile walls, thus the reverb effect. There may have also been some effects added later in the production room, but he said when he finished singing it, Flood called downstairs and said it was great and for Dave to come upstairs. Anyway, great song!
As a heterosexual woman who loves deep voices, David's voice is perfection, and then the soulful clarity and power of Martin's voice in some of their songs is just a perfect mix...❤
You might want to give a go for Recoil, which is (was?) Alan Wilder's solo project. Alan was the "producer" member of Depeche Mode and a lot of the sounds and feels of the Songs of Faith and Devotion is down to him. And when he left, after SoFaD, the band has not been the same. I would start with Unsound Methods and follow up with Liquid, single tracks: Luscious Apparatus, Last Breath and Stalker from UM, Jezebel, Breath Control, Vertigern from Liquid. There's lot to discover.
Great reaction. I saw this tour and it was phenomenal. Check out some of the tracks on the new album Momento Mori. My Cosmos Is Mine is definitely a great track on the album
try to check out another brilliant album by depeche mode - violator (1990). it's also done with mark ellis (flood) as songs of faith and devotion (1993). amazing production in both
Great review of In Tour Room ! You went pretty deep into analysing every aspect of the song. This is indeed a really well crafted piece of music. :) By the way, the live rendition of this song during Depeche Mode’s Devotional Tour is pure magic. You should give it a try and see how it compares to the studio version. 👍🏼 The song was produced by Flood and Alan Wilder, 4th member of the band who left Depeche Mode after the Devotional Tour.
Esta canción siempre me transmite muchas cosas al mismo tiempo, alegría, pena, miedos, entrega, final, comienzo es un sin fin de momentos la armonía musical y las emociones en la voz la hacen un gran canción
With that expertise of you, I'll be extremely curious to hear your point of view of whatever song from the album called ULTRA from Depeche Mode. Songs of Faith and Devotion and Ultra are on my TOP 10 of best albums of all times and when I carefully listen to what you said on this video... Jesus Lord I'm craving to hear your expertise on this album... BTW, you get a new sub instantly, I love how you treat your subject... 👍👍👍
When I had 16 years old, Depeche Mode release songs of faith and devotion, and I listened walking in my shoes...It was gold for my ears. Now I have 47 years old and depeche mode is one of my favourites bands, and songs of faith and devotion my favourite album of DM. The work of Alan Wilder, as always, was amazing...and obviosly the letters from Martin or the voice of Dave. With Violator DM put in the world for many people, but songs of faith and devotion was the maximum point in their music.
You don't like Depeche Mode?! Listen to Walking in My Shoes, Never Let Me Down Again, or at least 10 to 15 DM songs from Songs of Faith and Devotion, Violator, Music for the Masses etc ..and listen without any theory. Depeche Mode is a spiritual band
Great reaction, to a great song - with an equally great, epic soundscape. Dark, sad, mean, but beautiful, and powerful at the same time. Unfortunately, the song was completely ruined, in my opinion, via a completely new mix that was later released as a single. Credit to then band member and sound creator Alan Wilder who fought for a long time for this original version of the song to be released as a single as well. He lost an internal vote in the band about which version should be released as a single, and instead a completely new version was released, which in my opinion made the song lose most of its value - and thus not become a big hit either. Since you liked the dark epic "In your room" from the album Songs of faith and devotion, you might also like "Clean" from the previous album, Violator. Also a classic dark and epic Depeche Mode composition. It gives some of the same kind of vibes - although it is perhaps a little less complex in its production. I place In your room (the album version) high, very high in terms of the best Depeche Mode songs, and I also place Clean in almost the same league. Test it out.
If you like cinematic- you’ll love DM that’s summarizes them! This album life is amazing! I saw this concert live and it was unforgettable. I’ve seen them a lot since, but this concert with the live gospel singers and Martin backing Condemnation was mind blowing! If you like cinematic songs- they did a live version of Halo- DM live from Berlin album that is very cinematic. Also if you listen to more and more live from them/ you will see Dave has more range. They are so much better live, if that’s even possible.
If you liked In Your Room so much, you need to react to the video version that has a totally different orchestration. A first tine situation in DM history. Also a dark mood...rockier, but equally beautiful :-)
It's 2024 and people are still picking apart Depeche Mode songs. and I have an assumption that the songs of this group will be analyzed for many and many years
Masterpiece. These guys are pure artists. Like i read on the comments Clean would be a great choice in terms of music production and environment. Great work
Live version from Devotional is better : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-NSu3CIa7lS4.htmlsi=J0rWnwUdypNexgJq Without Wilder this jewel lost everything.
Alan Wilder is the key. Everything Counts is the first song where he was allowed to contribute and Songs of Faith and Devotion is the last album. Yes Ultra got some great shenanigans (it's not good) but I lost interest and before all that counts there are some good shenanigans (photographically) but for me the Alan Wilder years are the real DM years. And yes, Violator is one of the best albums ever. It doesn't have a bad song. How many albums can you say that about? By the way, React to Everything counts and Photographic please. I would love to see your analysis of the production in relation to each other and In your room. And I like that you don't stop the music but write your comment in a speech bubble. It makes me hear what you say in the music much better than on other channels. Thumbs up from Gothenburg
i saw an interwiew with the sound engeneer of the band and he sayed that when they started the album they went to an empty big house in Spain in the middle of the desert and started to do samples ,Dave sometimes going down to the basement and start singing with different quality microphones and than he chose a budget one ,he liked how his voice sounds...pretty long and interesting interview
mr.Alan Wilder (with Flood )made the whole atmosphere/music/arrangements/music ....After Wilder left after this album .....Depeche was not the same anymore ...sadly.....
🄸🄽 🅈🄾🅄🅁 🅁🄾🄾🄼 -Album /Devotional mix Alan Wilder said in the May 1993 issue of Keyboard magazine: "That song was quite difficult. We recorded the song three or four different ways. One was entirely as you hear it in the second verse, with the smaller drum kit and the "groovy" bass line. But the whole song with that rhythm wasn't strong enough; it didn't go anywhere. We had the song structure from a fairly early stage. We knew where we wanted the verses, choruses, and middle eights. So [...] I went in and played drums along with the track in one particular style, then did it again in a funkier style, and so on. [...] [The cymbals after the word "flames"] was a late addition. Since that's such an up part of the song, it felt necessary to add something at that point. We put it in at the mix. It's often not until you get to the mix stage that it becomes obvious that another part is required. When you're in the recording process, you've never got it sounding good enough to tell. So quite a few of those embellishments get put on at the mix stage, like backwards cymbals." Martin Gore in Rolling Stone issue #672/3 (December 1993): "I think 'In Your Room' could be potentially bigger [as a hit single than 'I Feel You'], but it's six and a half minutes long. It could be edited down, but I think part of its beauty is its length. It'll be difficult to work with it." Q+A / DEPECHE MODE / SONGS OF FAITH AND DEVOTION - recoil.co.uk : What’s the sound used in the first verse and at the end of ‘In Your Room’? This sound was also used in the live version of ‘Mercy In You’, in the final verse I think? Alan : It’s a variphone. What is the origin of the sound for the 3 notes in the middle of the chorus of ‘In Your Room’ (LP Version)? It sounds like a mix of piano and a synth factory preset. Those 3 notes are just amazing because they drive the lyrics and make it work perfectly : “Twoo - I’m hanging on your words - Twaa - Living on your Breath -Twee - Felling with your skin -Twee - Would I always be here…” Alan : Affectionately known (to me anyway) as ‘Splang’ rather than ‘twoo, twaa and twee’, the sound is derived from a guitar. Each chord was sampled individually and then double-tracked with a second but different guitar sound. There is also a string/choir pad (another backwards sound) playing the same chords in the background. Alan Wilder wrote in his Singles 86-98 editorial: "Convinced of the song's potential as a single, [Alan] campaigned rigorously on behalf of the album version to the point where various different edits were tried, but was eventually out-voted in favour of a remix by Nirvana producer and current 'grunge' dahling of the press, Butch Vig. Unfortunately, as is often the case with outside remixers, Vig's interpretation did not relate to many of the aspects of the original and the track lost much of it's Depeche Mode character, falling short of it's intended sensuality and intensity." Alan : I really wanted the original version of "In Your Room" [instead of the Zephyr Mix]. This is all a good example of the problems of democracy - somebody usually ends up disappointed
They have always pushed the fidelity tone and production with vocal and a commitment to introspective lyrics and singing. They use major minor key changes within a song or a line adds complexity to every recording. Their live shows have been epic. Dave Gahan is one of the most celebrated male vocalists of our age.
'86-'94 = peak Depeche Mode. You might like the song "Clean" from Violator, the album prior to this one. Same atmosphere, dark synth orchestration, cool rhythm.
Try 'Judas' from the same album. Then have a go with 'Somebody'. For both songs Martin Gore sings. Like the other ppl are saying they have so many amazing tunes. Merry Christmas love from the UK 😀
