Kingdom

Notes

In a long promo interview in September 2007, Dave Gahan was asked about every song off 'Hourglass' including this one:

"That came about from, you know Christian and Andrew, they sort of jammed together, they did this jam together which was kind of ten pieces of Andrew playing bass, Christian on drums and them putting some atmospheric noises or vocoders over it. I think they spent maybe like an afternoon doing this whole jam and from that stuff quite a lot of things developed. Um, there was a real freedom and spontaneity in it, it wasn't like any kind of song structures or any you know, what I heard as being songs when I first heard it in fact when I first heard it kind of a bit you know I don't really get it. But then after a while I separated each piece and started to formulate some ideas to the atmosphere that they'd created together, it felt quite spontaneous. So Kingdom came about very much from one of those jams, and the song is very much about the idea that there is something beyond this existence here that I do firmly believe in, and kind of yearn to feel more of. So I had this idea to sort of um, you know, create a place to go, a sort of fantasy place."

Dave Gahan told M6's TV show 'Focus Rock' in October 2007:

"I think the song is about - again - I am questioning my beliefs. Do I believe in God? Is there a God? If there is, is He ashamed of us? What is my place? How can I become in my life, and not be afraid of it? What is it I'm afraid of? I don't know. All these questions, I ask. And so 'Kingdom' is like this fantasy or idea. This place is here, it's here all the time. But I choose often to not notice it. I choose to take my own will back and be in charge. Then I always end up feeling lonely and disappointed, so... [laughs] I am learning that as I am getting older that everything that comes to me in my life, I have to work for it. I have to step towards it, and not be afraid of it. And if opportunities are presented to me, to step into them. I don't have HAVE to do anything. I tell myself that I am [like] this, I have to do this, but it's a lie that I tell myself. So for me, it's to believe this belief that I can be who I am, and begin to not be so judgmental about life, and the twists and turns that it takes. It's what you do with those things in life that, it's not what you can have, or how you can hang on to [it]. It's how you act, how you treat people. And that's learning, these little mistakes. I think my wife is very brave [laughs] to be with me, and she puts up with a lot of of me. And we have a relationship that's very honest, and it's not always wonderful, as [is] life."

He also said in the press release for 'Hourglass':

"It's this idea that there's a better place, and it's not up there in the clouds, it's right here. And it's about becoming more accepting of life and the way it is. I would be lying if I said the world didn't affect me. I have children and I want to protect them; and sometimes I don't really have the ability to do that."

Music video

The music video for "Kingdom" was uploaded to the official Dave Gahan YouTube account on 20 September 2007.

Live performances

Main article: Available recordings of "Kingdom"

Main article: List of dates where "Kingdom" 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