DEPECHE MODE - PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE 

Data de llançament: 12 de març de 1984  

Llistes: Regne Unit: #4    EUA: #13  

"People Are People", llançada com a senzill principal de l’àlbum “Some Great Reward” de Depeche Mode el 1984, va ser el primer gran èxit del grup als Estats Units, després d’haver tingut ja altres èxits al Regne Unit. Escrita per Martin Gore, la cançó porta un missatge d'unitat, exhortant les persones a superar les seves diferències i treballar conjuntament. 

Martin Gore va explicar que, tot i que "People Are People" sovint s'interpreta com una cançó sobre el racisme, en realitat aborda qüestions més generals de conflicte i diferències entre les persones. És una peça inusual per a Depeche Mode per la seva lletra directa i clara, que va ajudar el grup a aconseguir més llibertat creativa. En una entrevista el 1986, Gore va mencionar que van passar molt temps experimentant amb sons per a les seves cançons, sovint incorporant samplers nous o reutilitzats, com el so de guitarra estil Hank Marvin, que es va utilitzar per primer cop en aquesta cançó. 

El 2007, el productor Gareth Jones va recordar que la maqueta de Martin Gore per a "People Are People" incloïa un so ambiental enregistrat en un avió, que capturava rialles i sorolls, i que van intentar recrear sense èxit per a la versió final. Finalment, van decidir utilitzar el so original de la maqueta. El 2017, Dave Gahan va reflexionar sobre la importància de la cançó, destacant que va ser el primer èxit real del grup a la ràdio comercial. Tot i el seu èxit, a Gore no li agrada gaire la cançó, ja que és força literal i utilitza acords majors, un estil que ha anat deixant enrere. Tanmateix, aquesta peça va ser fonamental per impulsar Depeche Mode cap a una major fama als anys vuitanta. 

El videoclip dirigit per Clive Richardson es va llançar en dues versions. La versió original acompanyava la versió single de la cançó, mentre que una versió alternativa es va crear per a la "Different Mix." Totes dues versions incloïen imatges de la Guerra Freda, amb escenes militars variades. A més, el vídeo mostrava la banda a bord de l’HMS Belfast, un vaixell de guerra històric, i escenes d’una premsa de discos en funcionament.

DEPECHE MODE - PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE 

Released : March 12, 1984

Charted:  UK: #4    US: #13 

"People Are People," released as the lead single from Depeche Mode's 1984 album “Some Great Reward”, was the band's breakthrough hit in the U.S. and followed several successful chart hits in the UK. Written by Martin Gore, the song promotes a message of unity, urging people to overcome their differences and work together. 

Martin Gore explained that "People Are People," while often seen as a song about racism, addresses broader issues of conflict and differences between people. It's unusual for Depeche Mode because of its direct, straightforward lyrics, which helped the band gain more creative freedom. Gore mentioned in a 1986 interview that they spent considerable time sampling sounds for their tracks, often incorporating unique or reused samples, like a Hank Marvin-style guitar sound first used on this track.

In 2007, producer Gareth Jones recalled that Martin Gore's demo for "People Are People" featured an ambient sound recorded on a plane, capturing laughter and noise, which they tried but failed to recreate for the final track. They ended up using the original demo sound due to its unique texture. In 2017, Dave Gahan reflected on the song's significance, noting that it was the band's first real breakthrough on popular radio. Despite its success, Gore isn't fond of the song, as it's quite literal and uses major chords, which he has since moved away from. The song, however, was pivotal in propelling Depeche Mode to greater fame in the 1980s.

The music video directed by Clive Richardson, was released in two versions. The original video accompanied the single version of the song, while an alternate video was created for the "Different Mix." Both versions featured footage from the Cold War, showcasing various military scenes. Additionally, the video included shots of the band aboard the HMS Belfast, a historic warship, and scenes of a record press in action.