People Are People

“People Are People” was Depeche Mode’s ninth single and one of their most successful singles to date. It appears on the same titled album, which was released in 1984.

Written by Martin Gore from the band, “People Are People” is implied to be about wa, racism and inhumanity. Despite Gore being the writer of the track, he has expressed in many interviews that it is one of his least favourite songs that he has written. Lead singer of Depeche Mode spoke to Entertainment Weekly in 2017 about the band’s tracks. “This (“People Are People”) was the first song of ours that made a dent, really, into popular radio. We were using all these tape loops to create rhythms and the technology was quite advanced, but it wasn’t anything like it is today, the things that you can do. We used to go into studios, and the first thing we’d do, we’d ask where the kitchen was — literally for pots and pans and things that we could throw down the stairs, and record the rhythms they would make crashing around, and then make it into loops.”

The music video was uploaded to YouTube in February 2010, and was directed by Clive Richardson. The video features footage of various military scenes from the Cold War mixed in with footage of Depeche Mode on the HMS Belfast. As of November 2019, the music video has over 20.1 million views and over 85 thousand likes.

Release Date: 12th March 1984

Songwriter: Martin Gore

Producer/s: Depeche Mode, Daniel Miller & Gareth Jones

Label: Mute

Music Video Upload Date: 9th February 2010

Music Video Director: Clive Richardson

Chart Rankings & Certifications: “People Are People” did extremely well on the charts, ranking in various places in Europe and elsewhere. Ranking #25 in Australia, #6 in Austria, #3 in Belgium, #15 in Canada, #48 in France, #1 in Germany, #2 in Ireland, #21 in Italy, #10 and #8 in the Netherlands, #10 in Norway, #15 in Sweden, #4 in Switzerland and the UK; reaching #13 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, #44 on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play and Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles-Sales charts, and lastly, #16 on the US Cash Box chart. The track has Silver certification in the UK and Gold in the US.

The lyrics to “People Are People” can be accessed here: LINK