A Question Of Time

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A Question Of Time
Song	A Question Of Time
By	Depeche Mode
Songwriter	Martin L. Gore
Produced by	Depeche Mode Gareth Jones Daniel Miller
Recorded at	Westside Studios (London) Genetic (London) Hansa Mischraum (Berlin)
Length (mm:ss)	4:13
Tempo	140 BPM
Time signature	4 4
Key	D♭ Major
Programmed by	Martin L. Gore
Engineering assistance	Richard Sullivan Peter Schmidt
Additional engineering	Kevin Paul Kevin Vanbergen Roger Johnson
Additional mixing	Kevin Paul
Mastering engineer	Tim Young
Remastering engineer	Simon Heyworth
Recording	Dave Allen
Recording assistance	Phil Tennant
Design	Martyn Atkins David A. Jones Mark Higenbottam
Photography	Peter Ashworth
Photography assistance	Stuart Graham
Recorded	1985–1986
Originally released	11 August 1986
Live performances as Depeche Mode	766 times *
Total live performances	837 times *

"A Question Of Time" is a song from the 1986 album Black Celebration by Depeche Mode. It was released as a single on 11 August 1986.

Notes

Excerpt from Electronics and Music Magazine, 1986:

Gore admits to being particularly proud of one Black Celebration sample. "It's not that audible, though. It's a sample from a record called 'She Wants to Mambo', an old doo-wop disc. At the end of each verse, the woman who sings sort of moans. We sampled this moan and played it up a few notes, which made it sound like a girl moaning. We used it on the chorus section of 'A Question of Time'."

Live versions

This section provides an example of a live version of A Question Of Time from each tour that it was played.

• Play 1986 Black Celebration Tour: 1986-04-10 N.E.C., Birmingham, England, UK
• Play 1987-1988 Music For The Masses Tour: 1988-04-29 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountainview, CA, USA
• Play 1990 World Violation Tour: 1990-07-21 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountainview, San Francisco, CA, USA
• Play 1994 Exotic Tour: 1994-05-14 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountainview, San Francisco, CA, USA
• Play 1998 The Singles Tour: 1998-10-05 Cologne Arena, Cologne, Germany
• Play 2003 Paper Monsters Tour: 2003-06-12 Hultsfred Festival, Hultsfred, Sweden
• Play 2005-2006 Touring The Angel: 2006-06-04 Rock Am Ring, Nurburgring, Germany
• Play 2009-2010 Tour Of The Universe: 2009-05-06 Rockhal, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
• Play 2013-2014 Delta Machine Tour: 2013-10-11 Austin City Limits Festival, Austin, TX, USA
• Play 2017-2018 Global Spirit Tour: 2018-07-23 Waldbühne, Berlin, Germany

Lyrics

A Question Of Time

I've got to get to you first

Before they do

It's just a question of time

Before they lay their hands on you

And make you just like the rest

I've got to get to you first

It's just a question of time

Well now you're only fifteen

And you look good

I'll take you under my wing

Somebody should

They've persuasive ways

And you'll believe what they say

It's just a question of time

It's running out for you

It won't be long

Until you do

Exactly what they want you to

I can see them now

Hanging around

To mess you up

To strip you down

And have their fun

With my little one

It's just a question of time

It's running out for you

It won't be long

Until you do

Exactly what they want you to

It won't be long

Until you do

Exactly what they want you to

Sometimes I don't blame them

For wanting you

You look good

And they need something to do

Until I look at you

And then I condemn them

I know my kind

What goes on in our minds

It's just a question of time

It should be better

It's just a question of time

It should be better with you

It's just a question of time

Songwriter: Martin L. Gore
Publishing Information: ©1986 Grabbing Hands Music Ltd/EMI Music Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Live performances

Main article: Available recordings of "A Question Of Time"

Main article: List of dates where "A Question Of Time" was played

Depeche Mode songs released as singles 1981-1985: Dreaming Of Me • New Life • Just Can't Get Enough • See You • The Meaning Of Love • Leave In Silence • Get The Balance Right • Everything Counts • Love In Itself • People Are People • Master And Servant • Blasphemous Rumours / Somebody • Shake The Disease • It's Called A Heart 1986-1989: Stripped • But Not Tonight • A Question Of Lust • A Question Of Time • Strangelove • Never Let Me Down Again • Behind The Wheel • Little 15 • Personal Jesus 1990-1998: Enjoy The Silence • Policy Of Truth • World In My Eyes • I Feel You • Walking In My Shoes • Condemnation • In Your Room • Barrel Of A Gun • It's No Good • Home • Useless • Only When I Lose Myself 2001-2009: Dream On • I Feel Loved • Freelove • Goodnight Lovers • Precious • A Pain That I'm Used To • Suffer Well • John The Revelator / Lilian • Martyr • Wrong • Peace • Fragile Tension / Hole To Feed 2013-2017: Heaven • Soothe My Soul • Should Be Higher • Where's The Revolution • Going Backwards • Cover Me 2023: Ghosts Again Recoil songs released as singles 1992-1998: Faith Healer • Drifting • Stalker / Missing Piece 2000-2008: Strange Hours • Jezebel • Prey • Allelujah Dave Gahan songs released as singles 2003-2008: Dirty Sticky Floors • I Need You • Bottle Living / Hold On • A Little Piece • Kingdom • Saw Something / Deeper And Deeper 2012-2015: Longest Day • Take Me Back Home • All Of This And Nothing • Shine Martin Gore solo songs released as singles 1989-2003: Compulsion • Stardust • Loverman 2012-2015: Spock • Single Blip • Aftermaths • Europa Hymn • "Pinking" (Christoffer Berg Remix) Official releases Studio albums • Live albums • Compilation albums • Video albums • Singles