Song: “Enjoy the Silence”
A transformed song became a 1990s classic
Originally written to be sung at a much slower tempo over a haunting harmonium gradually shifting through chords, Depeche Mode’s producer at the time — Flood — thought the song would work better sped up and set to a drum beat. Maybe a synth instead? He then asked for some guitar over it, and a riff developed. Soon, the band was convinced they might have a hit on their hands.
“Enjoy the Silence” tells the story of being in a relationship and enjoying the unspoken connection with the other person. The video channels Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince.
Released in 1990, it became the band’s highest-charting single in the United States, peaking at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song won Best British Single at the 1991 Brit Awards. Dave Gahan’s haunting vocals are key to the song’s atmospheric qualities.
The song was ranked #15 of the Top 200 songs of the 1990s by Pitchfork.
Enjoy!