But Not Tonight

But Not Tonight
Song	But Not Tonight
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)	4:15
Tempo	(intro) 115.456 BPM (remainder) 132.097 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	T&CP Associates
Photography	Brian Griffin
Photography assistance	Stuart Graham
Recorded	Late 1985
Originally released	10 February 1986
Live performances as Depeche Mode	62 times *
Total live performances	62 times *

"But Not Tonight" is a song recorded during the production of the 1986 album Black Celebration by Depeche Mode. It was released as a single on 10 February 1986.

Notes

Martin Gore explained the single release in the 2006 Black Celebration Remaster DVD documentary:

"The worst thing about 'Stripped' was the Americans who somehow decided to not release it at all and to put out the B-side 'But Not Tonight', because they got it in some dodgy film. I told them 'Stripped' took nine days mixing and God knows how long recording, and 'But Not Tonight', I think, we did in about 3 hours. [laughs] And the Americans, in their wisdom, decided to release that instead. 'But Not Tonight' wasn't a hit, so 'Stripped couldn't have done any worse."

Alan Wilder said in the same source:

"Well, that's a classic example of why we would have thought, "America is just a waste of space for us, we're just not suited to America, no one understands us." Because, if you've got people in our own record company suggesting to us that the B-side of 'Stripped' is a better track than 'Stripped', then what do they know? And at the same time, we've agreed to it, which seems crazy, really, when you look back on it. We were probably convinced that it was a waste of time that we probably would have said, "Let them do whatever they want. If that's what they want, let them do it, if they think they know better." I think that was always Daniel's argument, "Look, the Americans know their market: if they think that's what they want, who are we to argue with them?""

Denis McNamara from WLIR 92.7 Radio (who also interviewed Martin in 1986) wrote on his Facebook profile in 2019:

"Martin Gore once complained to me that Depeche Mode had to put this song on the 'Black Celebration' album because we played it so much as a B-side [from the single 'Stripped'] on [WLIR] 92.7 that it became so popular that they were told they would be crazy not to put it on the album. So they put it on as the last song and the rest is history. I've heard no complaints from him since."

This song was performed live for the first time in 2013. The quotes below describe the reason why it was played.

Martin Gore told Rolling Stone:

"This spring we played a small show at the Troubadour in L.A. and we did 'But Not Tonight' for the first time ever – we did that one acoustic and it was surprising how much people loved it. America is really the only place where the fans love that song – it was a single in America but not in the rest of the world. It's like a forgotten gem."

Andy Fletcher told the January 2014 issue of Playboy Ukraine:

[I]t's a B-side from the 'Stripped' single. Apparently Martin heard a piano version of this song somewhere, and he loved it very much. He played it a couple of times in the studio, and we decided to include it in the set list. And by the way, we are amazed at how the audience reacts to it! It's great! And how everyone sings along at the end!"

Fan Craig DeGraff wrote for his Depeche Mode Facebook page takeover:

While A&R-ing a remix compilation I stumbled across a demo of 'But Not Tonight' with Martin Gore's vocals. It then hit me that the only way they might perform it live would be if Martin did an acoustic version. It'd also be a heck of a way to impress my wife. I plotted to create a piano version and get it to Martin. With the help of my friend Brian, we created a slowed down version with just vocals and piano. Fortunately he was DJing at an annual holiday charity event in Santa Barbara a few weeks later so I honed in on my opportunity. After the DJ gig we were talking and I gave him a USB drive with the warning "You may not want anyone to hear this." When he left I figured the odds were slim he'd check it out but it was worth a shot. In March of 2013 I went to SXSW to the kick off the Delta Machine album launch. After a great set at Brazos Hall we went up to the roof for the afterparty. I approached Martin and, before I could get a word out he smiled and said "You gave me the drive in Santa Barbara. I think it's great and we may play it on tour." I couldn't believe it. Needless to say my anticipation for the tour rose to new heights and, when the band announced a special L.A. show at the Troubadour I knew I had to be there. Half way through the set Martin walked out for his solo song and, as the opening chords of 'But Not Tonight' rang out, I (and the crowd) lost it. The joy in the room was overwhelming and to hear the crowd sing along was a feeling I'll never forget. After the gig I managed to grab a setlist and hurried next door for the aftershow. I managed to get Dave, Fletch (who said But Not Tonight was one of his favorite songs) and Martin to sign the setlist. Martin laughed while signing it and said "I told you we'd play it!"

Fan Michael Kachko replied to that same Facebook post:

"The best part was when [Craig and I] were backstage in Vegas and I thanked Martin for playing But Not Tonight and he turned to Craig and said "No thank him!""

Lyrics

But Not Tonight

Oh God, it's raining

But I'm not complaining

It's filling me up with new life

The stars in the sky

Bring tears to my eyes

They're lighting my way tonight

And I haven't felt so alive

In years

Just for a day

On a day like today

I'll get away from this constant debauchery

The wind in my hair

Makes me so aware

How good it is to live tonight

And I haven't felt so alive

In years

The moon

Is shining in the sky

Reminding me

Of so many other nights

But they're not like tonight

Oh God it's raining

And I'm not containing

My pleasure at being so wet

Here on my own

All on my own

How good it feels to be alone tonight

And I haven't felt so alive

In years

The moon

Is shining in the sky

Reminding me

Of so many other nights

When my eyes had been so red

I'd been mistaken for dead

But not tonight

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 "But Not Tonight"

Main article: List of dates where "But Not Tonight" was played

Trivia

• 'But Not Tonight' was featured in the 1986 comedy Modern Girls.

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