People Are People
Encyclopedia
"People Are People" is Depeche Mode
's tenth UK single (released on 12 March 1984) it was their first hit single in the US and the first single for the Some Great Reward
album.
"People Are People" was written by Martin Gore
, but the dancy poppy feel of the song may actually be credited to Alan Wilder
. Alan did write the B-side, "In Your Memory". Each song has an extended remix, the "Different Mix" and the "Slik Mix" respectively (although sometimes the "In Your Memory" mix is incorrectly called the "Slick Mix" instead).
The Clive Richardson-directed "People Are People" video came in two versions. The original was made for the "Single version", but an alternate video was made with the "Different Mix". The music video featured footage of various war scenes, mixed with footage of the band aboard the HMS Belfast
. The "Different Mix" video appears on Some Great Videos.
Despite "People Are People"'s success, Martin Gore considers it to be one of his least favourite songs. He prefers his songs to have subtle meanings so that people can find their own meanings to it, and feels "People Are People" does not fit that description. It was not played again live after 1988.
The US got a compilation called People Are People
with various songs not available in the US prior to it. 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 #13. In the UK, the single reached #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 #4 in the UK. In West Germany the song was a #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 tune of the 1990s BBC
Children's factual TV series, It'll Never Work
.
on their anti-war album eMOTIVe
, by Dope
on their 2005 album American Apathy
, and by RuPaul
on his 2004 album Red Hot. RuPaul's version features Tom Trujillo and was released as a retail single on 26 January 2006. The single has so far peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. Christian techno/alternative band Code of Ethics
also remade the single in 2008 on their "Lost in Egypt" disc.
German industrial
gothic metal
band Atrocity
also recorded a cover version of the song for their 2008 covers album Werk 80 II
, a collection of 80's tracks recorded in their own style. Recently Jason Derulo sampled the song for his upcoming debut album, on the song "After Midnight."
"In Your Memory" is falsely labeled as the "Slik Mix Edit"
The CD single was released in 1991 as part of the singles box set compilations
"People Are People" is written by Martin Gore
and "In Your Memory" is written by Alan Wilder
sampled "People Are People" on their single "This World".
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
's tenth UK single (released on 12 March 1984) it was their first hit single in the US and the first single for the Some Great Reward
Some Great Reward
Some Great Reward is the fourth album by the British electronic group Depeche Mode, released in 1984. The album peaked at #5 in the UK and at #51 in the US. The title comes from the last lines of the bridge in "Lie to Me" when it repeats near the end....
album.
"People Are People" was written by Martin Gore
Martin Gore
Martin Lee Gore is an English songwriter, lyricist, singer, guitarist, keyboardist, remixer and DJ. He is a founding member of Depeche Mode and has written the vast majority of their songs...
, but the dancy poppy feel of the song may actually be credited to Alan Wilder
Alan Wilder
Alan Charles Wilder is a British musician, formerly of Depeche Mode. His current musical project is called Recoil, started as a side project to Depeche Mode. When he left the latter in 1995, it became Wilder's primary project...
. Alan did write the B-side, "In Your Memory". Each song has an extended remix, the "Different Mix" and the "Slik Mix" respectively (although sometimes the "In Your Memory" mix is incorrectly called the "Slick Mix" instead).
The Clive Richardson-directed "People Are People" video came in two versions. The original was made for the "Single version", but an alternate video was made with the "Different Mix". The music video featured footage of various war scenes, mixed with footage of the band aboard the HMS Belfast
HMS Belfast (C35)
HMS Belfast is a museum ship, originally a Royal Navy light cruiser, permanently moored in London on the River Thames and operated by the Imperial War Museum....
. The "Different Mix" video appears on Some Great Videos.
Despite "People Are People"'s success, Martin Gore considers it to be one of his least favourite songs. He prefers his songs to have subtle meanings so that people can find their own meanings to it, and feels "People Are People" does not fit that description. It was not played again live after 1988.
The US got a compilation called People Are People
People Are People (album)
-Track listing:#"People Are People" [single version] – 3:45#"Now, This Is Fun" [single version] – 3:23#"Love, in Itself" – 4:21#"Work Hard" [single version] – 4:22#"Told You So" – 4:27#"Get the Balance Right!" [single version] – 3:13...
with various songs not available in the US prior to it. The single itself was released in the USA on 11 July 1984 (though it did not reach the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart until May 1985, and initially was played only on modern rock
Modern rock
Modern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
and college radio
Campus radio
Campus radio is a type of radio station that is run by the students of a college, university or other educational institution. Programming may be exclusively by students, or may include programmers from the wider community in which the radio station is based...
). The single would eventually peak at #13. In the UK, the single reached #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 #4 in the UK. In West Germany the song was a #1 hit and was used as the theme to West German TV's coverage of the 1984 Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
, alluding to East Germany's participation in the Soviet-led boycott of the Games. It was also used as the theme tune of the 1990s BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Children's factual TV series, It'll Never Work
It'll Never Work
It'll Never Work was a television programme for children showcasing new inventions and developments in scientific technology. Produced by Roy Milani for BBC Children's, the show ran for seven series between 9 November 1993 and 23 August 1999 on weekdays within the Children's BBC, later CBBC, strand...
.
Charts
| Chart (1984–1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
25 |
| Austrian Singles Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
6 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
1 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 20 |
| Norway Singles Chart | 10 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 15 |
| Swiss Singles Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
4 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
4 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
13 |
| US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
44 |
Cover versions
The song "People Are People" has been first covered by the German artist Götz Alsmann in 1985. Later then by A Perfect CircleA Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle is an American rock supergroup formed in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan. The original incarnation of the band also included Paz Lenchantin on bass, Troy Van Leeuwen on guitar, and Tim Alexander on drums...
on their anti-war album eMOTIVe
EMOTIVe
-Personnel:* Charles Clouser - Programming* Critter - Engineer* Steve Duda - Digital engineer* Joshua Eustis - Drums, engineer, Fender Rhodes, mixing* Jason Freese - Sax , sax * Steven R Gilmore - Design, photography, sleeve art, poster design...
, by Dope
Dope (band)
Dope is an American rock band from Villa Park, Illinois, formed in 1997 in Chicago, Illinois.To date, the band has released five full-length studio albums, their most recent being No Regrets which was released on March 10, 2009.-History:...
on their 2005 album American Apathy
American Apathy
American Apathy is the fourth studio album by nu metal band Dope. It was released July 26, 2005 on Artemis Records and managed to sell 9,000 copies in its first week according to Nielsen SoundScan- Track listing :...
, and by RuPaul
RuPaul
RuPaul Andre Charles , best known as simply RuPaul, is an American actor, drag queen, model, author, and singer-songwriter, who first became widely known in the 1990s when he appeared in a wide variety of television programs, films, and musical albums. Previously, he was a fixture on the Atlanta...
on his 2004 album Red Hot. RuPaul's version features Tom Trujillo and was released as a retail single on 26 January 2006. The single has so far peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. Christian techno/alternative band Code of Ethics
Code of Ethics (band)
Code of Ethics was a primarily 90's band that wrote and performed many genres including New Wave and pop.-History:Code of Ethics formed in the early '90s with Barry Blaze and Eric Switzer. The duo released Visual Paradox as a self-published project, which was later picked up by indie label R.E.X....
also remade the single in 2008 on their "Lost in Egypt" disc.
German industrial
Industrial metal
Industrial metal is a musical genre that draws from industrial music and many different types of heavy metal, using repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Founding industrial metal acts include Ministry, Godflesh, and KMFDM.Industrial metal's...
gothic metal
Gothic metal
Gothic metal or goth metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that combines the aggression of doom metal with the dark melancholy of gothic rock. The music of gothic metal is diverse with bands known to adopt the gothic approach to different styles of heavy metal music...
band Atrocity
Atrocity (band)
Atrocity is a German Heavy Metal band formed in Ludwigsburg.-History:First started in 1985 as Instigators and playing grindcore, Atrocity arose as a death metal band with their debut EP, Blue Blood, in 1989, followed soon by Hallucinations, a concept album about drug use...
also recorded a cover version of the song for their 2008 covers album Werk 80 II
Werk 80 II
Werk 80 II is the eighth full-length album by German industrial gothic metal band Atrocity, released on February 29, 2008 and their 2nd full length cover album after the original Werk 80 album released in 1997...
, a collection of 80's tracks recorded in their own style. Recently Jason Derulo sampled the song for his upcoming debut album, on the song "After Midnight."
7": Mute / Bong5 (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
L12": Mute / L12Bong5 (UK)
- "People Are People (On-USound Mix)" – 7:30 (remixed by Adrian SherwoodAdrian SherwoodAdrian Sherwood is an English record producer best known for his work with dub music as well as for remixing a number of popular acts such as Coldcut, Depeche Mode, The Woodentops, Primal Scream, Pop Will Eat Itself, Sinéad O'Connor, and Skinny Puppy...
) - "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
The CD single was released in 1991 as part of the singles box set compilations
"People Are People" is written by Martin Gore
Martin Gore
Martin Lee Gore is an English songwriter, lyricist, singer, guitarist, keyboardist, remixer and DJ. He is a founding member of Depeche Mode and has written the vast majority of their songs...
and "In Your Memory" is written by Alan Wilder
Alan Wilder
Alan Charles Wilder is a British musician, formerly of Depeche Mode. His current musical project is called Recoil, started as a side project to Depeche Mode. When he left the latter in 1995, it became Wilder's primary project...
Clan of Xymox version: "This World"
Clan of XymoxClan of Xymox
The band Clan of Xymox, also known as Xymox, formed in the Netherlands in 1981. Clan Of Xymox featured a trio of songwriters - Pieter Nooten, Ronny Moorings and Anke [also Anka] Wolbert - and gained success in the 1980s, releasing their first two albums on a prestigious independent UK label, a...
sampled "People Are People" on their single "This World".
Tracklistings
- This World (Clan of Xymox Remix)
- Sing A Song Not for the money
- This World (John-A-Rivers-Mix)
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
| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|