Ice Machine

Ice Machine
Song	Ice Machine
By	Depeche Mode
Songwriter	Vince Clarke
Produced by	Depeche Mode Daniel Miller
Recorded at	Blackwing Studios (London)
Length (mm:ss)	3:54 (fade-out version) 4:06 (cold end version)
Tempo	135 BPM
Time signature	4 4
Key	A Minor
Engineered by	Eric Radcliffe John Fryer
Photography	Brian Griffin
Originally released	20 February 1981
Live performances as Depeche Mode	135 times *
Total live performances	135 times *

"Ice Machine" is a song recorded by Depeche Mode during the production of the 1981 album Speak & Spell. It was released as a B-side on the 'Dreaming Of Me' single on 20 February 1981.

Summer 1980 demo tape

Andrew Fletcher plays bass guitar on this demo. Dave Gahan sings "The ice machine, the ice machine" at the end of the song. He also does this at 1980-10-30 Bridge House, London, England, UK, but not at the next concert with an available recording at 1980-11-14 Technical College, Southend-On-Sea, Essex, England, UK nor at any other concert in the future.

Live versions

This section provides examples of live versions of Ice Machine from each tour that it was played. The recording from 1981-09-29 Paris is generally regarded as the best sounding version out of these examples.

1980 Tour

• Play 1980-10-30 Bridge House, London, England, UK (Audience)
• Play 1980-11-14 Technical College, Southend-On-Sea, Essex, England, UK (Audience)

1981 Tour

• Play 1981-09-26 Paradiso, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (FM broadcast)
• Play 1981-09-29 Les Bains Douches, Paris, France (pre-FM broadcast)

1982 See You Tour

• Play 1982-02-21 Tiffany's, Glasgow, Scotland, UK (FM broadcast)

1984-1985 Some Great Reward Tour

• Play 1984-11-02 Hammersmith Odeon, London, England, UK (pre-FM broadcast)
• Play 1984-12-09 Alsterdorf Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany (pre-FM broadcast)

Lyrics

Ice Machine

Running through my head secretly

The shouts of the boys in the factory

I ring you on the telephone silently

Like blood, like the wine in the darkroom scene

The darkroom scene

Darkroom scene

A letter

Once composed

Seven years long and as tall as a tree

Reading

On the wall

Emissions, efficiency

Efficiency

Efficiency

Resurrect

As a feeling

On my window

Of a past reunion

Resurrect

As a feeling

On my window

Of a past reunion

Vision

Of a picture

Like the city

And the air we breathe

The air we breathe

Air we breathe

She stood beside me once again

I knew her face

We met before in the street

Recalling all the children dancing at our feet

The dancing feet, dancing feet

Songwriter: Vince Clarke
Publishing Information: ©1981 Musical Moments Ltd./Sony Music Publishing Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Live performances

Main article: Available recordings of "Ice Machine"

Main article: List of dates where "Ice Machine" was played

Depeche Mode B-sides 1981-1985: Ice Machine • Shout • Any Second Now • Now, This Is Fun • Oberkorn (It's A Small Town) • The Great Outdoors • Work Hard • Fools • In Your Memory • (Set Me Free) Remotivate Me • Flexible • Fly On The Windscreen 1986-1989: But Not Tonight • Breathing In Fumes • Black Day • Christmas Island • Agent Orange • Pimpf • Pleasure, Little Treasure • Route 66 • Stjärna • Sonata No. 14 in C • Dangerous 1990-1998: Memphisto • Sibeling • Kaleid • Happiest Girl (Jack Mix) • Sea Of Sin (Tonal Mix) • My Joy • Death's Door • Painkiller • Slowblow • Surrender • Headstar 2001-2009: Easy Tiger • Dirt • Zenstation • Free • Newborn • Better Days • Oh Well 2013-2017: All That's Mine Recoil B-sides 2000-2008: New York Nights • Don't Look Back Dave Gahan solo B-sides 2003-2008: Stand Up • Maybe • Closer • Tomorrow • Love Will Leave Martin Gore solo B-sides 2003-2015: Life Is Strange • Left Hand Luke And The Beggar Boys • De Nada • Gifting