Judas

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Judas
Song	Judas
By	Depeche Mode
Songwriter	Martin L. Gore
Produced by	Depeche Mode Flood
Recorded at	Madrid, Spain Chateau du Pape (Hamburg, Germany)
Length (mm:ss)	5:14
Tempo	126 BPM
Time signature	4 4
Key	D♭ Major
Recorded	February 1992 – January 1993
Originally released	22 March 1993
Live performances as Depeche Mode	96 times *
Total live performances	96 times *

"Judas" is a song from the 1993 album Songs Of Faith And Devotion by Depeche Mode.

Notes

Martin Gore tells Australian newspaper In Press:

"'Judas' is an arrogant love song. We are not condoning unsafe sex. It is about wanting one hundred percent of someone in a relationship – the ultimate arrogance."

Alan Wilder was asked by a fan on his site if it is true that recording Judas resulted in a hige fight between him and Martin:

"Huge fight? No, but true to say that Martin and I didn't really see eye to eye on that one. We actually recorded that track in 3 or 4 different ways, the reggae-ish version being the second incarnation I think. There was also the original demo style as well as a sort of blues / country version. The final version was completed very late in the day and Martin didn't say much about it which is his way of indicating he doesn't like something."

In 2009, a few old demos were released on the 'Sounds Of The Universe' deluxe boxset, including one of 'Judas'. Martin Gore informed Hans Derer in the book Depeche Mode: Gott, Sex und Liebe in January 1993 (translated from Germany):

"We try out all sorts of ways of presenting a song. Each attempt puts the song in a different light. You can't even imagine what versions there are of some songs. For example, there is a reggae version and a blues version of "Judas" - it's terrible. But we have to go through this stage to realise that all versions except the one that is ultimately valid are terrible. That's the only way we can get on the right track."

And when asked on the same site how the crowd section at the end of Judas was recorded, he replied:

"15 people (tape op's, studio secretaries, the cook etc...) multitracked 6 times making a total of 90 voices + delays and reverbs. Then we eq'ed the sound to make it seem like it was sung in a deep southern church hall in the 1960's, rather than Wembley stadium."

Alan Wilder said in the May 1993 issue of Keyboard magazine:

"[T]he beginning of "Judas" has Uillean pipes recorded straight, with backwards reverb mixed in."

Lyrics

Judas

Is simplicity best

Or simply the easiest

The narrowest path

Is always the holiest

So walk on barefoot for me

Suffer some misery

If you want my love

If you want my love

Man will survive

The harshest conditions

And stay alive

Through difficult decisions

So make up your mind for me

Walk the line for me

If you want my love

If you want my love

Idle talk

And hollow promises

Cheating Judases

Doubting Thomases

Don't just stand there and shout it

Do something about it

You can fulfill

Your wildest ambitions

And I'm sure you will

Lose your inhibitions

So open yourself for me

Risk your health for me

If you want my love

If you want my love

If you want my love

If you want my love

Songwriter: Martin L. Gore
Publishing Information: ©1992 Grabbing Hands Music Overseas/EMI Music Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Live performances

Main article: Available recordings of "Judas"

Main article: List of dates where "Judas" was played