Never Let Me Down Again

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Never Let Me Down Again
Song	Never Let Me Down Again
By	Depeche Mode
Songwriter	Martin L. Gore
Produced by	Depeche Mode Dave Bascombe Daniel Miller
Recorded at	Guillaume Tell (Paris), Konk (London), Puk (Denmark)
Length (mm:ss)	4:47 (album version) 4:20 (single version)
Tempo	106 BPM
Time signature	4 4
Key	C Major
Recorded	February–July 1987
Originally released	24 August 1987
Live performances as Depeche Mode	1076 times *
Total live performances	1147 times *

"Never Let Me Down Again" is a song from the 1987 album Music For The Masses by Depeche Mode. It was released as a single on 24 August 1987.

Notes

In this 1988 radio interview, Andy Fletcher says that, although he can't give too much away about the meanings of Martin Gore's songs, he does reveal that 'Never Let Me Down Again' is "just about innocence."

Martin Gore was quoted in issue #44/1987 of Bravo Magazine:

"I wrote this song last March. And it was such a long time ago that I cannot say much about it anymore. But you're wrong [about the song being about my girlfriend], the song has nothing to do with relationships. It's about the concept of fleeing from reality and the evil awakening afterwards. Any kind of fleeing. Drugs, alcohol, or whatever."

Martin Gore in Rolling Stone magazine, 1993:

"There was one instance regarding 'Never Let Me Down Again' when two separate people came up to me after a show one night and said, "I really like that song". One of them thought it was a gay anthem and the other one thought it was a drug anthem. They both loved the song, so that's fine by me."

Martin Gore in Bong magazine issue no. 37, 1998:

"I think that 'Never Let Me Down Again' is one of our classic old time tracks."

Depeche Mode also said in the 2006 Music For The Masses Remaster DVD documentary:

Martin Gore: "'Never Let Me Down Again' was a stand-out track. It was especially effective when we played live."

Dave Gahan: "'Never Let Me Down Again' was a big song for us, and it still is live."

Andy Fletcher: "That was not a big hit, yet it became a real legendary Depeche Mode song."

Dave Bascombe: "'Never Let Me Down Again' was the one I was really, really pleased with. I was very involved with the drum sounds on that. The guitar intro, actually, was an accident. It was just down to the sequencers we were using in those days. That guitar was sampled, and it ran on the counting. That was the start of the track, but it wasn't supposed to be, and we just all went, "Oh, that's great!". So that was a happy accident. And I have always liked the track, and I was really pleased with the way it turned out."

Alan Wilder told Electricity Club in 2011:

Q: There was an article featuring producer Dave Bascombe which said that you used an EDP Wasp on 'Music For The Masses'?

A: Yes, that's true, it was used to create the famous bass sequencer parts in the Aggro mix of 'Never Let Me Down Again'. I think we used the Wasp and Spider sequencer and then probably sampled the result, as it isn't MIDI controllable. We may have been able to sequence it using cv/gate – I can't quite remember.

When Depeche Mode was interviewed about the songs on the '101' CD for the April 1989 issue of French magazine 'Best', Dave Gahan said (translated from French):

"For me, this is one of the most intense moments during the concert, firstly because this track has a very strong emotional charge, and every time I play it the waving goes well with the crowd. In addition, we were heading towards the end of the show and during this song, the stadium was on fire. When I saw the number of people there, I felt like crying. It was very moving."

Alan Wilder also wrote in his 86-98 editorial in 1998:

"Primarily programmed at Alan's house, the basic demo was restructured to emphasise the chorus in an attempt to improve the overall flow of the track. It displays a blend of distinctive musical components and devices - some old Mode and some making their debut. Most notably, 'Never Let Me Down' illustrated the inaugural use of sections of live performance as opposed to just single notes being sampled and manipulated - best demonstrated by the distinctive opening guitar riff, which was originally played by Martin then heavily processed using a number of effects. There was also significant use of real orchestral sounds such as strings and horns as well as Led Zeppelin drum samples to flesh out the backing. Says Alan: "It also stood out as an obvious single and suggested a 'Stripped'-like feel. It has a very definite anthemic quality which is especially demonstrated when the song is performed live and the whole audience wave their hands in unison at the end - a Depeche high-point I think.""

Dave Bascombe told Super Deluxe Edition in July 2019:

"That's the one [song] that hit me when I first heard that demo, I thought that's just fantastic. My sole contribution, well not my sole contribution – this is before we got to Paris, we were round at Alan's house – and I said "Right, I want to use 'When The Levee Breaks' [Led Zeppelin] drums on this." I know that it's been used 10 billion times now, but they were still quite new then and I'd always loved those drum sounds and as I say they weren't a cliched thing then, so I suggested using them for the main kick and snare. But I actually loved that track, still do."

He also told Vaughn George (part 1, part 2) in April 2020:

"I think [samples at the end of 'Never Let Me Down Again' were] sampled from Carmina Burana. We'll probably get sued, though, for saying that. I'm pretty sure it was sampled from that. [...] The tom-toms are a combination of the toms from Stripped, mixed with some other samples. [...] The guitar [intro] we did at PUK [Studios]. It was probably [first] a synth part, then we thought, "Let's just do it on guitar. I think I went out and set the amp up and messed around with a few effect pedals. I was just mucking about, and I remember them and Daniel [Miller] going "Yes!" And then we put it through a synth, Daniel's ARP 2600, and altered it a bit more. But the happy accident was: Martin had played this [guitar part] a few times, and we picked the best one, and then we put it in the Synclavier because that was the best quality sampler we had. And then you record it back into the track by triggering it. And the way you have to do it is, there is a flashing light, and you have to press it right before you want it, and then it would trigger the thing in time. So I was prepared to do this in all the various spots where it was supposed to happen in the song. But what I had forgotten was that this thing would trigger by itself right at the beginning of the song automatically. And off it went. And that was obviously meant to be. It was a lovely moment, because we all looked, "Wow, just perfect"."

Alan Wilder says about that guitar riff in 2010:

"That's still one of my favourites, and it's clearly still a live favourite as well. It's a really good guitar riff – guitar sound and riff. I think we put it through some kind of filter and re-recorded it back in, then sampled it. It's just got a great sound. I remember there was a rap group called 3rd Bass that sampled that riff and then put it over a rap rhythm. I always liked their track as well."

Lyrics

Never Let Me Down Again

I'm taking a ride

With my best friend

I hope he never lets me down again

He knows where he's taking me

Taking me where I want to be

I'm taking a ride

With my best friend

We're flying high

We're watching the world pass us by

Never want to come down

Never want to put my feet back down

On the ground

I'm taking a ride

With my best friend

I hope he never lets me down again

Promises me I'm safe as houses

As long as I remember who's wearing the trousers

I hope he never lets me down again

We're flying high

We're watching the world pass us by

Never want to come down

Never want to put my feet back down

On the ground

We're flying high

We're watching the world pass us by

Never want to come down

Never want to put my feet back down

On the ground

Never let me down

Never let me down

Never let me down

Never let me down

See the stars, they're shining bright (Never let me down)

Everything's alright tonight (Never let me down)

Songwriter: Martin L. Gore
Publishing Information: ©1987 Grabbing Hands Music Ltd/EMI Music Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Composition

Sample sources

"Never Let Me Down Again" - Depeche Mode 1987	Sample overview
	Click to display/hide audio
	Self-made samples
	Sample	Notes			Audio
	Guitar elements	In a 4 July 2019 interview with Super Deluxe Edition, Music For The Masses co-producer Dave Bascombe recalled the recording process for the guitar riff: [...] I remember Martin had his guitar, and it’s used quite a bit... the beginning of "Never Let Me Down [Again]" for example... What a wonderful, happy accident that was. It was supposed to start with the snare drum and then go straight in, but because of the nature of technology at the time, the guitar [riff] was played, then we sampled it into the Synclavier and it just kicked off as soon as it got code at the beginning of the track and we all went ‘Wow, that's great’, so that was an accident.			✖
	Lead melody	The lead melody is comprised of a plucked guitar-like sample combined with a vocal-like pad with a short loop (itself derived from a non-looped sample that is layered with another vocal-like sound to intensify the final four bars of each verse section in "I Want You Now"). The resulting voice is mixed with reverb to produce the textured, "roomy" effect heard on the album version of "Never Let Me Down Again". For live use, the part is played back comparatively dry. Other notable appearances of the guitar-like sample include a two-note fill during the verses of "Strangelove", the lead melody heard throughout the "Spanish Taster" mix of "To Have And To Hold", and a verse melody in "Blue Dress". In addition to its use in "Never Let Me Down Again" and "I Want You Now", the aforementioned solo vocal-like pad is also heard during the chorus sections of "Nothing".			✖
	Exploding firework	An exploding firework sound originally sampled for use with "Stripped" is occasionally played on the final note during live performances of "Never Let Me Down Again". Other notable uses of this sample include the final moments of "Pimpf", where it is layered with a large female-esque choir stab and played several notes down from its original key.			✖
	Synthesizer elements	A synthesized bass layer audible throughout "Never Let Me Down Again" is likely derived from the PPG Wave 2.3 wavetable "031 Piano/Sax". Notably, A similar synthesizer bass drone originally recorded for use with "Policy Of Truth" is layered with this sound as it was performed during live performances on the 1993-1994 Devotional and Exotic tours.			✖
	Drum, tom drum elements	In an April 2020 interview, Bascombe confirmed that the tom drum fills heard throughout "Never Let Me Down Again" are comprised of the tom drum sounds originally recorded for use in "Stripped" layered with other drum samples. Alan Wilder describes the recording of this sound in a 1998 editorial on Shunt, the official Recoil project website: "A hired drum kit was also set up in the large reception area of Westside and used to sample individual sounds, most notably the distinctive toms with their special ambience."			✖
	Melodic elements, sampled wine glass	In May 2020, fan "DMK" kindly provided DM Live Wiki with documentation for a series of Emulator II floppy disks that accompanied a collection of restored studio equipment used by Music For The Masses producer Dave Bascombe during the production of music albums for artists other than Depeche Mode in the mid to late eighties. One floppy disk, labeled "Wineglass (106)", features an untitled preset ("NULL PRESET"), which contains a bell-like sample, presumably the sound of a wine glass being tapped. This sample is used to produce the textured arpeggio that occurs throughout the chorus sections of "Never Let Me Down Again". Notably, this sound is also used in "Behind The Wheel", "Route 66", "Strangelove", and the Recoil instrumental "Grain".			✖
	Sample sources
	Sample	Source	Status	Notes	Audio
	Orchestral, choral elements	Carl Orff - Carmina Burana - I. Primo vere (In Springtime) - 5. Ecce gratum - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Southend Boys' Choir, Brighton Festival Chorus - 1 February, 1976	Official	"Never Let Me Down Again" utilizes two manipulated choral samples derived from a Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Southend Boys' Choir/Brighton Festival Chorus performance of the fifth movement of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. The performance, conducted by Antal Doráti on 1 February 1976, featured soprano vocals by Norma Burrowes, tenor vocals by Louis Devos, and baritone vocals by John Shirley-Quirk. The Latin words being sung within the samples include the final moments of the lyric "Hyemis sevitia. Ah!" ("The rigors of winter. Ah!"). In an April 2020 interview, Dave Bascombe described the technical challenge of manipulating the sampled audio for use in "Never Let Me Down Again": "I think it was Carmina Burana [...] It took ages getting it all in time and in tune. [Nowadays] that's a piece of piss."	Click to display/hide audio example
	Drum elements, bass drum, snare drum	Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV - "When The Levee Breaks" - 1971	Official	In a 4 July 2019 interview with Super Deluxe Edition, Bascombe recalled how the sampled percussion came to be used in "Never Let Me Down Again": "We were round at [Alan Wilder’s] house – and I said 'Right, I want to use "When The Levee Breaks" [Led Zeppelin] drums on [Never Let Me Down Again].' [...] I suggested using them for the main kick and snare."	Click to display/hide audio example
	Drum elements, snare drum	New Order - Low-Life - "Love Vigilantes" - 13 May 1985	Confirmed	The second of four snare drum hits audible in the opening moments of "Love Vigilantes" by New Order is utilised throughout "Never Let Me Down Again". Similarly, this snare sound is used throughout "Stripped", "Breathing In Fumes", "Christmas Island", and "Nothing".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Brass elements	E-mu Systems - Emulator II factory library disk #63: ARP 2600 - SAMPLE 3	Confirmed	An edited synthesizer sample derived from Emulator II factory library disk #63 "ARP 2600" is utilised as a synth brass layer throughout the chorus sections of "Never Let Me Down Again".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Brass elements	E-mu Systems - Emulator II factory library disk #21: Assorted Trombones - SAMPLE 13	Confirmed	A looping trombone sample derived from Emulator II factory library disk #21 "Assorted Trombones" is utilised throughout the chorus and outro sections of "Never Let Me Down Again".	✖
	Orchestral elements	E-mu Systems - Emulator II factory library disk #08: Cello & Violin - SAMPLE 8, SAMPLE 16	Confirmed	Two cello and violin samples derived from Emulator II factory library disk #08 "Cello & Violin" are layered to form an octave with a sound previously recorded for use in 1986's "A Question Of Time" to form the pizzicato-like phrases audible during the second chorus section of "Never Let Me Down Again".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Drum elements, tom drum	Roland Corporation - Roland TR-707 Rhythm Composer - "Low Tom", "Mid Tom", "Hi Tom" - 1985	Confirmed	A series of sequenced tom drum elements audible throughout "Never Let Me Down Again" are derived from the Roland TR-707 drum machine.	✖

Live performances

Main article: Available recordings of "Never Let Me Down Again"

Main article: List of dates where "Never Let Me Down Again" was played

Live versions

This section provides an example of a live version of Never Let Me Down Again from each tour that it was played.

• Play 1987-1988 Music For The Masses Tour: 1988-01-11 Wembley Arena, London, England, UK
• Play 1990 World Violation Tour: 1990-08-04 Dodgers Stadium, Los Angeles, CA, USA
• Play 1993 Devotional Tour: 1993-07-31 Crystal Palace Sports Ground, London, England, UK
• Play 1994 Exotic Tour: 1994-05-14 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountainview, San Francisco, CA, USA
• Play 1997 Ultra Parties: 1997-05-16 Shrine Exposition Hall, Los Angeles, CA, USA
• Play 1998 The Singles Tour (Regular): 1998-10-05 Cologne Arena, Cologne, Germany
• Play 1998 The Singles Tour (With Billy Corgan): 1998-12-12 KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA, USA
• Play 2001 Exciter Tour: 2001-10-11 Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany
• Play 2003 Paper Monsters Tour: 2003-06-12 Hultsfred Festival, Hultsfred, Sweden
• Play 2005-2006 Touring The Angel (Regular): 2006-06-04 Rock Am Ring, Nurburgring, Germany
• Play 2005-2006 Touring The Angel ("God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" version): 2005-12-11 KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas, Gibson Amphitheatre, Universal City, CA, USA
• 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: 2018-06-23 Isle of Wight Festival, Newport (Isle of Wight), England, UK
• Play 2023-2024 Memento Mori Tour: 2023-03-30 T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV, USA

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