Get The Balance Right

Get The Balance Right
Song	Get The Balance Right
By	Depeche Mode
Songwriter	Martin L. Gore
Produced by	Depeche Mode Daniel Miller
Recorded at	Blackwing Studios (London)
Length (mm:ss)	3:12 (7"/single version) 7:56 (12" version)
Time signature	4 4
Recorded	December 1982
Originally released	31 January 1983
Live performances as Depeche Mode	61 times *
Total live performances	61 times *

Notes

The band said in the 1985-10-26 issue of Melody Maker:

Dave: "We were just thinking of making a stomper. But it's my least favourite track."

Martin: "I hate it, and I wrote it. This was the only time we HAD to turn out a single whether we wanted to or not."

Lyrics

Get The Balance Right

There's more besides

Joyrides

The little house in the countryside

Understand

Learn to demand

Compromise

And sometimes lie

Get the balance right

Get the balance right

Be responsible

Respectable

Stable but gullible

Concerned and caring

Help the helpless

But always remain

Ultimately selfish

When you think you've got a hold of it all

You haven't got a hold at all

When you reach the top

Get ready to drop

Prepare yourself for the fall

You're gonna fall

It's almost predictable

Almost

Don't turn this way

Don't turn that way

Straight down the middle until next Thursday

First to the left

Then back to the right

Twist and turn 'til you've got it right

Get the balance right

Get the balance right

Songwriter: Martin L. Gore
Publishing Information: ©1983 Grabbing Hands Music Ltd/EMI Music Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Live performances

Main article: Available recordings of "Get The Balance Right"

Main article: List of dates where "Get The Balance Right" 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