Condemnation (song)

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"Condemnation"
Single by Depeche Mode
from the album Songs of Faith and Devotion
B-side"Death's Door" (Jazz mix)
Released13 September 1993 (1993-09-13)[1]
RecordedJanuary 1993 (Madrid, Hamburg, London)[2]
GenreGospel
Length3:22
LabelMute
Songwriter(s)Martin Gore
Producer(s)
Depeche Mode singles chronology
"Walking in My Shoes"
(1993) 		"Condemnation"
(1993) 		"In Your Room"
(1994)
Music video
"Condemnation" on YouTube
Alternative cover
Cover for the limited edition single

"Condemnation" is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 13 September 1993 by Mute Records as the third single from the band eighth studio album, Songs of Faith and Devotion (1993). The song reached No. 9 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 3 in Sweden, and No. 1 in Portugal. Its music video was directed by Anton Corbijn.

The B-sides to the "Condemnation" single are remixes of "Death's Door" and "Rush" plus some live tracks from the Devotional Tour. "Death's Door" is a song from the 1991 Until the End of the World soundtrack. The original version, recorded by Martin Gore and Alan Wilder after the World Violation Tour was over, was exclusive to that album until the 2020s MODE box compilation.

Critical reception[edit]

In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton described the song as "a haunting, beautiful ballad of the type they do so well".[3] David Fricke from Melody Maker viewed it as "typical, a song that almost makes it, a sly Anglican gospel take on R.E.M.'s Al Green experiment "Everybody Hurts" that stumbles basically because Dave Gahan doesn't have the vocal authority to bring it home."[4] On the magazine's single review, music critic Peter Paphides said, "And it's all very anguished, intense and protracted, with lots of gospel singing going on in the background and a bit of real piano, none of your fancy keyboards, and MTV will play it every 10 minutes until the end of the century."[5] Alan Jones from Music Week gave it four out of five, writing, "One of the more atypical singles in Depeche Mode's career, this slow gospel-style song bears a lusty, full force vocal, but a reverential and reserved instrumental track. Subtle and stylish."[6]

Sam Wood from Philadelphia Inquirer noted that "Depeche Mode appropriates gospel harmonies and the rhythms of Southern slave chants for "Condemnation", a song that defies the judgment of some unnamed Philistine accuser".[7] Tom Doyle from Smash Hits also gave the song four out of five, adding, "You always expect the strangest things to happen in the world of pop, but Depeche Mode going gospel?! The Bizarre thing is, it really works too. Dave Gahan is joined by a gospel choir and the result is quite the best thing since, well, the last Depeche Mode single. Life is weird."[8]

Music video[edit]

A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by Dutch photographer, film director and music video director Anton Corbijn.[9] It was later made available on YouTube in July 2019.[10]

For unknown reasons, the music video did not appear on Depeche Mode's music video compilation, The Videos 86>98, in 1998, replaced by the live version from Devotional. The original video eventually resurfaced on the compilation's 2002 re-release (Videos 86>98 +). Both videos appear on the Devotional DVD re-release from 2004 (although the live video was edited so that it wasn't identical to the one in the main Devotional movie).

Track listings[edit]

All songs were written by Martin Gore. All live tracks were recorded at The Forum (Milan, Italy) in 1993.

Charts[edit]

Chart (1993) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[20] 78
Denmark (IFPI)[21] 9
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[22] 18
Europe (European Hit Radio)[23] 40
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[24] 5
France (SNEP)[25] 36
Germany (Official German Charts)[26] 23
Ireland (IRMA)[27] 19
Italy (Musica e dischi)[28] 21
Portugal (AFP)[29] 1
Spain (AFYVE)[30] 9
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[31] 3
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[32] 38
UK Singles (OCC)[33] 9
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[34] 23
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[35] 36

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 11 September 1993. p. 23. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  2. ^ Shaw, William (April 1993). "In The Mode". Details: 90–95, 168. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  3. ^ Masterton, James (19 September 1993). "Week Ending September 25th 1993". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  4. ^ Fricke, David (13 March 1993). "Albums". Melody Maker. p. 30. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  5. ^ Paphides, Peter (18 September 1993). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 36. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  6. ^ Jones, Alan (18 September 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 16. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  7. ^ Wood, Sam (30 March 1993). "Depeche Mode Meditates on Religion with 'Songs of Faith and Devotion'". Philadelphia Inquirer.
  8. ^ Doyle, Tom (15 September 1993). "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 51. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  9. ^ "Depeche Mode: Condemnation". IMDb. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  10. ^ "Depeche Mode - Condemnation (Paris Mix) (Official Video)". YouTube. 25 July 2019. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  11. ^ Condemnation (UK CD single liner notes). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 1993. CD Bong 23.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ Condemnation (Japanese CD single liner notes). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 1993. ALCB-848.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ Live... (UK limited CD single liner notes). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 1993. LCD Bong 23.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ Live... (UK limited 12-inch single sleeve). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 1993. L12 Bong 23.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ Condemnation (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 1993. 12 Bong 23.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ^ Condemnation (UK cassette single sleeve). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 1993. C Bong 23.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ Condemnation (US maxi-CD single liner notes). Depeche Mode. Sire Records, Reprise Records, Mute Records. 1993. 9 41058-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ Condemnation (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Depeche Mode. Sire Records, Reprise Records, Mute Records. 1993. 0-41058.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ^ Condemnation (US maxi-cassette single cassette notes). Depeche Mode. Sire Records, Reprise Records, Mute Records. 1993. 4-41058.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  21. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 42. 16 October 1993. p. 18. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  22. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 41. 9 October 1993. p. 15. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  23. ^ "EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 42. 16 October 1993. p. 30. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  24. ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  25. ^ "Depeche Mode – Condemnation" (in French). Les classement single.
  26. ^ "Depeche Mode – Condemnation" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  27. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Condemnation (EP)". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  28. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 28 May 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Depeche Mode".
  29. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 49. 4 December 1993. p. 12. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  30. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  31. ^ "Depeche Mode – Condemnation". Singles Top 100.
  32. ^ "Depeche Mode – Condemnation". Swiss Singles Chart.
  33. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  34. ^ "Depeche Mode Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  35. ^ "Depeche Mode Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 December 2023.

External links[edit]

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