Useless

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Useless
Song	Useless
By	Depeche Mode
Songwriter	Martin L. Gore
Produced by	Depeche Mode Tim Simenon
Recorded at	Abbey Road Eastcote Westside Strongroom RAK (London) Electric Lady (New York City) Larrabee West (Los Angeles)
Length (mm:ss)	5:12 (album version) 4:53 (remix) 4:44 (edit)
Tempo	94 BPM
Time signature	4 4
Key	B Major
Programmed by	Kerry Hopwood
Engineered by	Q
Engineering assistance	Paul Hicks Guy Massey Lee Fitzgerald Tom Rixton Gary Forde Lee Phillips Jamie Campbell Jim Greg Audie Chamberlain Robbie Kazandjian
Mixed by	Tim Simenon Q
Mastered by	Mike Marsh
Keyboards	Dave Clayton
Percussion	Danny Cummings
Drums	Gota Yashiki Keith LeBlanc
Vocal coach	Evelyn Halus
Art direction	Anton Corbijn
Colour prints	Brian Dowling
Sleeve design	Area
Recorded	January 1996 – February 1997
Originally released	20 October 1997
Live performances as Depeche Mode	122 times *
Total live performances	144 times *

"Useless" is a song from the 1997 album Ultra by Depeche Mode. It was released as a single on 20 October 1997.

Notes

When Depeche Mode started recording an album in November 1995, "Useless" was one of the three songs that Martin Gore had ready as a demo.

Gore in Bong magazine issue no. 37, 1998:

It's one of the rockiest pieces that we've ever done and it's probably up there with "I Feel You". I think we're on that right side of another line when it comes to rock, but I don't think we'll ever be a rock band or a heavy metal band. We might branch out and do things like pop or we might do some rock but we'll still retain some identity.

Lyrics

Useless

Well it's about time

It's beginning to hurt

Time you made up your mind

Just what is it all worth

All my useless advice

All my hanging around

All your cutting down to size

All my bringing you down

Watch the clock on the wall

Feel the slowing of time

Hear a voice in the hall

Echoing in my mind

All your stupid ideals

You've got your head in the clouds

You should see how it feels

With your feet on the ground

Here I stand the accused

With your fist in my face

Feeling tired and bruised

With the bitterest taste

All my useless advice

All my hanging around

All your cutting down to size

All my bringing you down

All your stupid ideals

You've got your head in the clouds

You should see how it feels

With your feet on the ground

Songwriter: Martin L. Gore
Publishing Information: ©1997 Grabbing Hands Music Ltd/EMI Music Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Live performances

Main article: Available recordings of "Useless"

Main article: List of dates where "Useless" 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