Drifting

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Drifting
Song	Drifting
By	Recoil
Songwriter	Alan Wilder Siobhan Lynch
Produced by	Alan Wilder
Recorded at	The Thin Line (Sussex)
Mixed by	Alan Wilder
Mixing assistance	Paul Stevens Simon Shazell
Mastered by	Ian Cooper
Studio assistance	Hepzibah Sessa
Published by	Mute Song Not Normal Music Zoetrope Music Company Carlin Music Corp. Chappell, Inc. Warner/Chappell Music Ltd.
Recorded	September 1996 - June 1997
Originally released	27 October 1997
Live performances as Recoil	0 times *
Total live performances	0 times *

"Drifting" is a song from the 1997 album Unsound Methods by Recoil. It was released as a lead single on 13 October 1997.

Lyrics

Drifting

With your wild, call the pace

Taste the tracks of the waste

With your wild, with your sweet

With your cold black-eyed teeth

I close my eyes and I pray, yes I pray

Let it slide, let it slide

Ignore me and everything I've done

For I am stupid, I am poison

I take this one

And I taste the tracks

I taste the tracks

of the waste in my head

And you face me instead

I must be drifting somewhere

I held in my hand, but it's hard, so hard to see reason

The burning is here, is only here to follow through

But here it is harder than a screaming fist, and I hate it

It's dark behind your smile, and I can follow through

Let it slide, let it slide

Ignore me and everything I've done

For words, like bullets, they know when to come

And taste the tracks, and taste the tracks

Of the waste in my head, and you face me instead

Well, ignore me and everything I said

For I am stupid, I am poison

I held in my hand, but it's hard, so hard to see reason

It's dark behind your smile, and I can follow through

I close my eyes and I pray, yes I pray

With your wild, call the pace

Taste the track of the waste

With your wild, with your sweet

With your cold black-eyed teeth

Songwriter: Alan Wilder/Siobhan Lynch
Publishing Information: ℗ 1997 Reprise Records

Composition

Sample sources

"Drifting" - Recoil 1997	Sample overview
	Click to display/hide audio
	Sample sources
	Sample	Source	Status	Notes	Audio
	Vocal elements	Howlin' Wolf - Oh Red!! - "My Last Affair" - 1953	Confirmed	A manipulated vocal sample derived from blues musician Howlin' Wolf's 1953 "My Last Affair" is utilised sporadically throughout "Drifting".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Marimba elements	Peter Gabriel - Birdy - "Slow Marimbas" - 18 March 1985	Confirmed	A looping section of melodic marimba performance derived from the opening moments of Peter Gabriel's "Slow Marimbas" is utilised throughout "Drifting".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Orchestral elements	Vivian Kubrick (as "Abigail Mead") - Full Metal Jacket (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - "Sniper" - 1987	Confirmed	A manipulated section of audio derived from Vivian Kubrick's "Sniper" as composed for the soundtrack of the 1987 Stanley Kubrick film Full Metal Jacket is utilised throughout "Drifting".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Ambient elements	Super Cat - Ghetto Red Hot - "Ghetto Red Hot (Hip Hop Mix)" - 1992	Confirmed	A manipulated section of audio derived from "Ghetto Red Hot (Hip Hop Mix)" by Super Cat is utilised sporadically throughout "Drifting". The sampled section of audio is itself comprised of a series of samples derived from "Fire" by the Ohio Players and Lou Donaldson's 1969 cover of "It's Your Thing" by The Isley Brothers.	✖
	Brass elements	The Walker Brothers - "Another Tear Falls" - 1966	Confirmed	A brass section swell derived from the opening moments of The Walker Brothers' 1966 UK single "Another Tear Falls" is utilised throughout "Drifting".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Saxophone, choral elements	Hilliard Ensemble, Jan Garbarek - "Sanctus" - 1994	Confirmed	A section of audio featuring a saxophone and choir phrase derived from the opening moments of a September 1993 performance of "Sanctus" by the Hilliard Ensemble is utilised for a brief pad during "Drifting".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Guitar elements	The Comsat Angels - Waiting for a Miracle - "Missing in Action" - 1980	Confirmed	A manipulated sample of guitar atmospherics derived from the opening moments of The Comsat Angels' "Missing in Action" is utilised throughout "Drifting".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Drum, violin elements	Beastie Boys - Ill Communication - "Eugene's Lament" - 31 May 1994	Confirmed	A manipulated, reversed section of audio derived from "Eugene's Lament" by the Beastie Boys is utilised mid-way through "Drifting".	✖
	Ambient elements	Node - Node - "Clock" - 1995	Confirmed	A sampled section of audio featuring electronic drums and ambient piano derived from "Clock" by Node is utilised throughout "Drifting". Node is notable as an analogue synth music collaboration between Dave Bessell, Gary Stout, Ed Buller, and Mark "Flood" Ellis.	Click to display/hide audio example
	Orchestral, vocal elements	Loulie Jean Norman - "Summertime" - 1959	Confirmed	A sampled orchestral/vocal phrase derived from Loulie Jean Norman's performance of "Summertime" as recorded for the 1959 Porgy and Bess film soundtrack is utilised in the outro of "Drifting".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Vocal elements	Marlene Dietrich - Noel Coward Introduces Marlene Dietrich – At The Cafe De Paris - "Introduction Noel Coward" - 1954	Confirmed	An introduction for German-American actress Marlene Dietrich by Noël Coward for Dietrich's 1954 Café de Paris cabaret performance is utilised in the outro of "Drifting".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Drum, ambient elements	De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising - "Transmitting Live from Mars" - 3 March 1989	Confirmed	A section of audio derived from "Transmitting Live from Mars" by De La Soul is utilised sporadically mid-way through "Drifting". The separate organ and drum elements audible in the sample are themselves samples derived respectively from The Turtles' 1968 single "You Showed Me" and Wilson Pickett's 1969 cover of Lennon-McCartney's "Hey Jude".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Drum elements	A Tribe Called Quest - People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm - "Bonita Applebum (12" Why? Version)" - 1990	Confirmed	A manipulated drum loop derived from "Bonita Applebum (12" Why? Version)", a twelve-inch remix of A Tribe Called Quest's 1990 single "Bonita Applebum" is utilised throughout "Drifting". The sample is itself partly comprised of a sample from Supreme DJ Nyborn's 1988 remix "Versatile Extension (Versatility Remix)".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Drum, guitar elements	Deee-Lite - World Clique - "Try Me On... I'm Very You" - 7 August 1990	Confirmed	A manipulated drum fill derived from "Try Me On... I'm Very You" by Deee-Lite is utilised sporadically throughout "Drifting". The drum aspect of the sample is itself a sample derived from "Soul Pride, Pts. 1 & 2" by James Brown.	✖
	Timpani elements	Korg Inc. - Korg 01/W > PROG BANK B > B39: Timpani	Confirmed	The sequenced timpani performed throughout "Drifting" utilises samples derived from the Korg 01/W Bank B39 "Timpani".	✖

Dates where Drifting was played

Drifting has never been played live.

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