People Are People
by Depeche Mode

Album: Some Great Reward (1984)
Charted: 4 13
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Songfacts®:

  • Written by band member Martin Gore, this song is a call for people to put aside their differences and work toward unity. It's unusual for Depeche Mode because the lyrics are so blatant and leave little to the imagination. For this reason, Gore doesn't consider it one of his stronger songs and has not played it live since the '80s. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Brian - Elizabethtown, PA
  • This was Depeche Mode's breakthrough hit in the United States; they had several chart hits in the UK to this point. The song earned them a great deal of freedom, allowing them to create more music on their terms.
  • Artists to cover this song include A Perfect Circle, Dope and Rupaul.
  • The percussion on this song incorporates various culinary implements. Lead singer Dave Gahan explained in Entertainment Weekly: "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 band played this in concert for the first time on June 2, 1984 when they opened a show for Elton John in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

Comments: 6

  • Eric from FloridaI believe it was about prejudice on gays. I know none of the members are gay though
  • Rayhan from Hayes - Harlington Middx The cause is the lack of remembrance
    Of Allah (swt)
  • Sebastian from Seattle If you look back at the time period, when Europe was divided into Eastern and Western blocks, the song makes sense. To me, the song has been about the hate that is war, racism, and bigotry between any number of subjects. The song was perfect for Germany, and spoke to the split between East and West Germany.

    The song is too simple, and lacks Martin’s metaphors, that the band has not played it since 1988.
  • Lisa from Alabama I think maybe yall havent listened to the whole song. The lyrics beyond the chorus say “I’ve never even met you so what could I have done?” It’s challenging someone challenging racism, I think. I AM trying to get clarity on it, because I LOVE Depeche Mode but when I really listened was like “nope. Wait a minute.” I want some official interpretation not people online who think the chorus is anti racist. The song doesn’t seem to be.
  • Mimzy from Salem, Orthis is basically an anti-prejudice song.

    "it's so obvious you hate me though i've done nothing wrong"
  • Kristen from Clawson, MiDM is my fav. band and I'm always trying to figure out what the songs "mean". I have to be honest and say I had no idea what "people are people" meant (perhaps I still don't). Glad to have found this forum where other fans can voice their opinions!
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