The Depeche Mode song Martin Gore called the “ultimate arrogance”
The Depeche Mode album Songs of Faith and Devotion still resonates today, but there’s a fascinating layer to its tracks when you peek behind the scenes. Dave Gahan was grappling with drug addiction during this time, a reality which added a gritty edge to the music. Additionally, internal tensions led to a band member eventually parting ways amid the chaos.
Despite the chaos, Martin Gore’s songwriting prowess remained intact, while Gahan’s vocals stayed on top form, even in the moments when they had a raw edge compared to their earlier work. The album itself became one of their most popular, with lyrics that explored themes of spirituality and love. One track that addressed these topics was ‘Judas’, an unconventional love song about desire.
In the lyrics, the narrator presents what appears to be an ultimatum to his partner, pushing them to make a choice: “Man will survive / The harshest conditions / And stay alive / Through difficult decisions / So make up your mind for me / Walk the line for me / If you want my love.”
Considering the band members’ mindsets during this period, it’s likely that ‘Judas’ was an exercise in exploring the darker sides of love, where sacrifice is necessary, and the line between trust and betrayal runs thin. The repeated lyric, “If you want my love”, indicates insecurity while prompting you as a listener to evaluate what it means to fully commit to someone.
According to Gore, this song was a bold choice. Describing its themes to In Press, he explained: “‘Judas’ is an arrogant love song. We are not condoning unsafe sex. It is about wanting one hundred per cent of someone in a relationship – the ultimate arrogance.”
Looking back at the band’s catalogue, Gore often has a definite opinion on what he considers to be inferior additions. For instance, he isn’t the biggest fan of ‘People Are People’ on Songs of Faith and Devotion, mostly due to the fact that it seems too commercial and not at all as Depeche Mode-sounding as he would have liked. This is undeniably one of the band’s most upbeat songs, as it deals with themes of harmony and acceptance.
Discussing the track, Gahan also weighed in, telling Entertainment Weekly: “It’s not one of Martin’s particular favourites, this one, and I don’t think we’ve done it live since the mid-80s. It’s quite literal, very poppy, all major cords—something Martin doesn’t like so much these days [laughs]. But the song really propelled us into a new cosmos at that particular time.”
Continuing, he added: “We supported Elton John at a number of big stadium shows. And Rod Stewart, which was bizarre, but the song became a number one hit in a lot of countries in Europe, and it allowed us to then go off and create the music that we wanted to create.”
