"People Are People" is Depeche Mode's 10th UK single, and was recorded at Hansa Mischraum in West Berlin, and released on 12 March 1984. It was their first hit single in the US and the first single from the Some Great Reward album.
Video People Are People
Song information
"People Are People" was written by Martin Gore, but the dancy, pop feel of the song may be credited to Alan Wilder. Wilder wrote the B-side, "In Your Memory". Each song has an extended remix, the "Different Mix" and the "Slik Mix" respectively (although the "In Your Memory" mix is often incorrectly called the "Slick Mix" or "Silk Mix"). It was one of the first songs recorded for the album when sessions began at the Hansa Mischraum studio in January 1984.
The Clive Richardson-directed "People Are People" video was released in two versions. The original video was made for the single version, but an alternate video was made with the "Different Mix". The music video featured footage of various military scenes from the Cold War, mixed with footage of the band aboard the HMS Belfast. The "Different Mix" video appears on Some Great Videos and Video Singles Collection.
Despite the song's success, Martin Gore considers it one of his least favourite songs. He prefers his songs to have subtle metaphors to allow people to find their own meanings to his songs, and feels "People Are People" does not fit that description. In 1990 he listed the song among some of the music he "regrets", calling "People are People" "too nice, too commercial." It has not been played live since 1988.
Maps People Are People
Album release
A compilation album titled People Are People was released in the US, featuring several songs not previously available. The single itself was released in the USA on 11 July 1984, though it did not reach the Billboard Hot 100 chart until May 1985, and initially was played only on modern rock and college radio. The single would eventually peak at no. 13. In the UK, the single reached number 4, which was at the time the band's highest singles chart position in their homeland. Since then, "Barrel of a Gun" (1997) and "Precious" (2005) have also reached number 4 in the UK.
In West Germany, the song was a no. 1 hit and was used as the theme to West German TV's coverage of the 1984 Olympics, alluding to East Germany's participation in the Soviet-led boycott of the games. It was also used as the theme song of the 1990s BBC Children's factual TV series, It'll Never Work?.
In 2011 the song was included on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of the "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll".
Track listings
Depeche Mode version
7": Mute / 7Bong5 (UK) & Sire / 7-29221 (US)
- "People Are People" - 3:43
- "In Your Memory" - 4:01
12": Mute / 12Bong5 (UK)
- "People Are People (Different Mix)" - 7:11
- "In Your Memory (Slik Mix)" - 8:12
12": Mute / L12Bong5 (UK)
- "People Are People (On-USound Mix)" - 7:30 (remixed by Adrian Sherwood)
- "People Are People" - 3:43
- "In Your Memory" - 4:01
12": Sire / 0-20214 (US)
- "People Are People (Different Mix)" - 7:11
- "People Are People (On-USound Mix)" - 7:30
- "In Your Memory" - 4:01
"In Your Memory" is falsely labeled as the "Slik Mix Edit"
CD: Mute / CDBong5 (UK)
- "People Are People" - 3:43
- "In Your Memory" - 4:01
- "People Are People (Different Mix)" - 7:11
- "In Your Memory (Slik Mix)" - 8:12
Charts
Weekly charts
RuPaul version
RuPaul's version of the song was recorded in 2004 for the studio album Red Hot. His version, which features Tom Trujillo, was released as a retail single on 26 January 2006 to promote the remix album ReWorked. It peaked at no. 10 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.
CD: RuCo / 001-5 (US)
- "People Are People (Craig C. Radio)" - 4:42
- "People Are People (Giuseppe D's Rutroactive Club) - 8:20
- "The Price of One (Craig C. Ru Edit)" - 6:43
- "People Are People (Craig C. Main Vocal)" - 8:01
- "The Price of One (Craig C.'s Mo' Trippin' Dub)" - 10:02
- "People Are People (Goodandevil)" - 3:42
- "People Are People (DJ Record Player's SSSnakin' Breakin')" - 7:11
- "The Price of One (Craig C.'s Mo' Trippin' Beats)" - 2:41
- "People Are People (Craig C. Dub)" - 8:01
- "I Just Can't Wait (Till Christmas)" - 2:42
Chart performance
References
External links
- People are People information from the official Depeche Mode web site
- AllMusic review
- Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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