Speak & Spell: Difference between revisions
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<i>Speak & Spell</i>'s release date is commonly misreported as October 5 or 6th, 1981 by numerous fan sites, forums, and social media channels, as well as the official Depeche Mode <span class="plainlinks">[http://depechemode.com/ website]</span>. This long-standing discrepancy began as the result of a delay from the album's slated release date of October 5th to November 6th, 1981. | <i>Speak & Spell</i>'s release date is commonly misreported as October 5 or 6th, 1981 by numerous fan sites, forums, and social media channels, as well as the official Depeche Mode <span class="plainlinks">[http://depechemode.com/ website]</span>. This long-standing discrepancy began as the result of a delay from the album's slated release date of October 5th to November 6th, 1981. | ||
The album's release date was first thrown in question when Deb Danahay | The album's release date was first thrown in question when Deb Danahay, [[Vince Clarke|Vince Clarke's]] girlfriend at the time of the album's release, revealed a personal diary entry from October 28th, 1981 in which she wrote that Clarke had given her a copy of the album as a gift on that day. Notably, this was mere days prior to when Clarke was slated to embark on the UK dates with Depeche Mode to promote their inaugural album. Based on the date of her diary entry, it is logical to assume that Clarke would have provided Danahay the gift in advance of the album's street release date. | ||
Press reports from a variety of industry magazine issues cast further doubt on the October 5-6th release date. Several articles suggest a November release: | Press reports from a variety of industry magazine issues cast further doubt on the October 5-6th release date. Several articles suggest a November release: | ||
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== Trivia == | == Trivia == | ||
*The total number of live song plays from ''Speak & Spell'' is {{#expr: {{SongLivePlays|New Life}}+{{SongLivePlays|I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead}}+{{SongLivePlays|Puppets}}+{{SongLivePlays|Boys Say Go!}}+{{SongLivePlays|Nodisco}}+{{SongLivePlays|What's Your Name?}}+{{SongLivePlays|Photographic}}+{{SongLivePlays|Tora! Tora! Tora!}}+{{SongLivePlays|Big Muff}}+{{SongLivePlays|Any Second Now}}+{{SongLivePlays|Just Can't Get Enough}}}}. This figure is found by summing the number of individual performances for each album track. | *The total number of live song plays from ''Speak & Spell'' is {{#expr: {{SongLivePlays|New Life}}+{{SongLivePlays|I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead}}+{{SongLivePlays|Puppets}}+{{SongLivePlays|Boys Say Go!}}+{{SongLivePlays|Nodisco}}+{{SongLivePlays|What's Your Name?}}+{{SongLivePlays|Photographic}}+{{SongLivePlays|Tora! Tora! Tora!}}+{{SongLivePlays|Big Muff}}+{{SongLivePlays|Any Second Now}}+{{SongLivePlays|Just Can't Get Enough}}}}. This figure is found by summing the number of individual performances for each album track. | ||
*[[I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead]] has three known distinct versions of the song other than the final album version. More details can be found on [[I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead|the song's page]]. | |||
*[https://www.youtube.com/c/strippedproductions Stripped Productions] produced a very faithful instrumental cover of ''Speak & Spell'' utilising the [https://www.arturia.com/products/software-instruments/jup-8-v/overview Arturia Jup-8 V3] virtual synthesiser modeled after the Roland Jupiter-8. [https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXm8as9IbTSi3nQnmxvacRBR5v80UOYeE The cover album is available to listen to on YouTube Music.] | |||
== References == | == References == | ||
<references /> | |||
{{Studio Albums}} | |||
[[Category:Album]] | [[Category:Album]] | ||
Latest revision as of 00:47, 4 May 2024
| For information on this album's singles, see the Singles section. | |||||||||
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| This article is about the album. To view a list of its songs and B-sides, see Speak & Spell songs. | |||||||||
Speak & Spell
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| Album | Speak & Spell |
|---|---|
| By | Depeche Mode |
| Catalogue number | Stumm5 CDStumm5 CDStumm5 5016025600052 CDXStumm5 CStumm5 |
| Release date | 6 November 1981 |
| Recorded at | Blackwing Studios, London |
| Produced by | Depeche Mode Daniel Miller |
| Engineered by | Eric Radcliffe John Fryer |
| Number of tracks | 11 |
Speak & Spell is the debut studio album by Depeche Mode, released on 6 November 1981 by Mute Records. The album was supported by the 1980 and 1981 tours.
Track list
- New Life
- I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead
- Puppets
- Boys Say Go!
- Nodisco
- What's Your Name?
- Photographic
- Tora! Tora! Tora!
- Big Muff
- Any Second Now
- Just Can't Get Enough
For a full list of songs, singles, and B-sides produced for this album, see the list of Speak & Spell songs
Singles
- Dreaming Of Me - February 20, 1981
- New Life - June 13, 1981
- Just Can't Get Enough - September 18, 1981
Release
Release date discrepancy
Speak & Spell's release date is commonly misreported as October 5 or 6th, 1981 by numerous fan sites, forums, and social media channels, as well as the official Depeche Mode website. This long-standing discrepancy began as the result of a delay from the album's slated release date of October 5th to November 6th, 1981.
The album's release date was first thrown in question when Deb Danahay, Vince Clarke's girlfriend at the time of the album's release, revealed a personal diary entry from October 28th, 1981 in which she wrote that Clarke had given her a copy of the album as a gift on that day. Notably, this was mere days prior to when Clarke was slated to embark on the UK dates with Depeche Mode to promote their inaugural album. Based on the date of her diary entry, it is logical to assume that Clarke would have provided Danahay the gift in advance of the album's street release date.
Press reports from a variety of industry magazine issues cast further doubt on the October 5-6th release date. Several articles suggest a November release:
Sounds magazine reported on October 3, 1981:
"The band should also be releasing an album, as yet untitled, on Mute Records in November. The LP is already completed, but has been delayed by the shortage of pressing plants in the UK and the major record companies monopoly of them."[1]
NME reported on October 17, 1981:
"Depeche Mode will have their album ‘Speak And Spell’ issued by Mute Records some time next month."[1]
Record Mirror, October 24th, 1981:
"Next month sees the release of Depeche’s debut LP, duly coinciding with a tour."[1]
Sounds reported on Halloween, 1981 (notably, the November 7, 1981 date mentioned in this quote was a Saturday):
"Depeche Mode, who release their first album called “Speak And Spell” on November 7, has lined up a tour to go with it."[1]
Melody Maker reported in a November 14, 1981 article covering the group's live dates in Manchester on November 3 and Birmingham on November 4:
"Depeche Mode were wary about breaking ground with the northern attenders, especially as the album hadn’t yet appeared in the local shops."[1]
Cash Box magazine reported on February 27th, 1982:
"[Depeche Mode's] first LP, "Speak & Spell," shipped last November, [...]"[1]
This delay is further evidenced by the chronology of the album's press reviews, which did not begin circulating in print until late October, early November 1981. In order, Melody Maker's review was featured in their October 31st issue; NME's review was featured in their November 7th issue; Record Mirror reviewed the album in their November 7th edition; and Smash Hits reviewed the album in their November 12-25th issue. Relatedly, a full page advertisement promoting the then upcoming album and supporting UK tour was featured in the October 29 - November 11 issue of Smash Hits one issue prior to the November 12-25 issue's album review, further supporting the likelihood of an early November release date.
Online record store recordstore.co.uk (formerly Mute Bank, the official Mute Records store) lists November 6th, 1981 as the album's release date. Based on this listing and the journalistic evidence supporting an early November 1981 release, this is likely the most accurate date.
Statistics
Album BPM range by song
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
158
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129
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124
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137
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126
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157
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148
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120
|
|||
140
|
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173
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|||
128
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| ||
Average: 140
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Album live plays by song
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
240
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56
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136
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231
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12
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57
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365
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115
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83
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11
|
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729
|
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Average: 185
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Trivia
- The total number of live song plays from Speak & Spell is 2035. This figure is found by summing the number of individual performances for each album track.
- I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead has three known distinct versions of the song other than the final album version. More details can be found on the song's page.
- Stripped Productions produced a very faithful instrumental cover of Speak & Spell utilising the Arturia Jup-8 V3 virtual synthesiser modeled after the Roland Jupiter-8. The cover album is available to listen to on YouTube Music.
References
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