I know everyone out there who grew up in the 1980s is saying, "Duh, of course this is the most depressing album of all time." Congratulations. Pat yourselves on the back. I probably bought this album when I was sixteen or so, so getting myself depressed was just a part of life. Plus, I pretty much figured people were capable of a host of awful things (remember that I was all stirred up by the Communist Manifesto at the time), so Depeche Mode's niahlistic masterwork was basically lost on me. (Plus, I probably didn't really listen to the lyrics too intently at 16.)
Listening to it tonight, well, frankly, I am absolutely impressed at the bleakness that runs through the album. Now, the real question is whether the whole album is about the fall and redemption of Depeche Mode through love. Could totally be that. Well, first of all you open up the album and you're greeted with a black page that says "Life in the so-called future age." Fun. Anyway, let's go through this track by track...
1) Black Celebration: Welcome to the album! Let's celebrate the fact that we've seen the back of another black day! Glad that's over. Let's have a depression fest. Sheesh, David's baaaaaaarely holding on only because of his girl. So, what does he do? Well, let's celebrate by pointing out...
2) Flies on the Windscreen: "Death is everywhhhhhhhhere/there are flies on the windscreen for a start." Great. Way to totally ruin the black celebration. Now it's just black. So, come here. Kiss me. Now. How meaningless.
3) A Question of Lust: Wait, maybe this isn't such a sad album! Wait, is this a love song? Is this some weird Oedipal thing with his girlfriend? Lots of references to trust, caring, fragility...yeah, not your most normal thing. Which is what keeps them together. This might explain...
4) Sometimes: Uh oh, Martin can by tiring and embarrassing. Really? When he's telling his girl that he's fragile like a baby in her arms? You can't tell me honestly/that you're happy with what you see. Then he tells her that she's as embarrassing as him. Obviously, these last two terrible attempts at communication have led to the utter bleakness to follow...
5) It Doesn't Matter Two: Man, this song is depressing. Wounds are healing, this feeling inside is great, the feeling is intense...but then he realizes it doesn't matter. It's gone. Everything's is vanity! Pointless feelings that dissipate after an hour! Here's our first truly niahlist "nothing matter" song.
6) Question of Time: This is the most cinematic of the Depeche Mode songs. Hot 15 year-old girl has to be protected from shadowy cabal, and naturally, David is the scummy, anti-hero that has to protect her. "I know my kind/what goes on in our minds" Fun times all around.
7) Stripped: I go the high road. I think this song is not as base as it sounds, but really about mentally and emotionally ripping someone apart. Yep, that's the high road.
8) Here is the House: Not really that depressing, but easily the worst song on the album.
9) World Full of Nothing: Wahoo! Here's the ultimate depressing song! Loveless relationships that, well, mean something, because she's lonely. And although he says he loves her, she doesn't believe him, but, whatever, it's a world full of nothing. And then "It's easy to slip away and believe it all" as in, it's easy to forget that the relationship actually means nothing. Awesome. Anything to stave off the loneliness.
10) Dressed in Black: What can you do when she's dressed in black? The answer: Basically nothing. You get to sit there and watch her be depressed. And it seems to happen quite frequently.
11) New Dress: Horrible stuff happening all over England and Princess Di is buying a New Dress. She's so out of touch. Makes me depressed.
Now, some of you might think, "Those songs don't sound THAT depressing! I'm sure those death metal bands make much more depressing music! Or Marilyn Manson." But, there's something different here. Martin's lyrics sound like he's an exhausted soul. It's not like he's just trying to shock. They sound too thoughtful, too pointed. But then there's...
12) But Not Tonight: The most glorious, uplifting song of the DM canon. Seriously, their best song. And it's buried at the end of their most depressing albums. I guess MLG got a girlfriend at the end of the recording session.
2 comments:
Geez, what is it about growing up British? Is it the damp and the fog and all that that's to blame for the total lack of a sense of humor or self-parody in some of them? It used to be that popular music could laugh at itself. Listen to "Blue Suede Shoes" sometime if you want to know what I mean here. How much of this crying in your beer (or ale, as it were) can a man take, for cryin' out loud??
Hey, that was a great post!! What's on the horizon for UDA:II?
It's that great Homer quote right?
Getting teenagers depressed is like shooting fish in a barrel.
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