Wagging Tongue

From DM Live - the Depeche Mode live encyclopedia for the masses
Jump to navigationJump to search
1. My Cosmos Is Mine
2. Wagging Tongue
List of Memento Mori songs
3. Ghosts Again
Wagging Tongue
Single-Wagging.jpg
Song Wagging Tongue
By Depeche Mode
Songwriter Dave Gahan
Martin L. Gore
Produced by James Ford
Marta Salogni
Recorded at Electric Ladyboy (Santa Barbara)
Shangri-La (Malibu)
Length (mm:ss) 3:25
Tempo 100 BPM
Time signature 4
4
Key A♭ Major
Programmed by James Ford
Marta Salogni
Engineered by Marta Salogni
Engineering assistance Francine Perry
Grace Banks
Mixed by Marta Salogni
Mix engineering Marta Salogni
Mixed at Studio Zona (London)
Mastering engineer Matt Colton
Keyboards James Ford
Art direction Anton Corbijn
Recorded July–October 2022
Originally released 24 March 2023
7 July 2023 (single release)
Live performances as Depeche Mode 116 times *
Total live performances 116 times *

"Wagging Tongue" is a song from the 2023 album Memento Mori by Depeche Mode.

Notes

Dave Gahan told Le Journal Du Dimanche:

"I composed it on my guitar, Martin enriched and enhanced it."

Dave elaborated on the Smartless podcast Smartless podcast:

"Martin will take one of my songs, for instance, let's say 'Wagging Tongue', which is on this record. I sent my little demo to Martin of me hamfistedly trying to play the guitar, and get the song out and find the chords and all that. And then Martin sends it back with these beautiful Kraftwerk-esque chords and arpeggiated synths and stuff, and I'm like, "Oh, okay..." But that then takes me to another place, you see, because that changes the perception again."

Dave Gahan says to Steffen Rüth for DPA Agency (translated from German):

"[It's] the first song from both of us٭, that ever made it onto a record. I could sense early one that we really hit the mark with this one."

Martin Gore continues:

"The melody is excellent, and the entire song has something intoxicating. It's postive, it's pop, but it's not too much pop."

[٭ 'Oh Well', 'Long Time Lie, and 'You Move' are also songs co-credited to both Dave and Martin (the latter also appearing onto an album), but in those cases, Martin created them as instrumental records, and Dave decided to add lyrics to them later on. Perhaps Dave is meaning to say that the lyrics of 'Wagging Tongue' were written by both of them, and/or that the song was created in the same room.]

Lyrics


Wagging Tongue

You won't do well to silence me

With your words or wagging tongue

With your long tall tales of sorrow

Your song yet to be sung


I won't be offended

If I'm left across the great divide

Believe me, they will follow

Just to watch another angel die

Watch another angel die


You won't do well to darken me

With your secrets and your lies

With your piercing code of silence

Relax enjoy the ride


I'll meet you by the river

Or maybe on the other side

You find it hard to swallow

When you watch another angel die

Watch another angel die


Another sun is rising

Another day has come

You can find me, I'll be waiting

Until the day is done


I won't be persuaded

Kiss your doubts goodbye

Everything seems hollow

When you watch another angel die


Watch another angel die


Songwriter: Dave Gahan / Martin L. Gore
Publishing Information: EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (BMI) o/b/o JJSR Productions Inc., Grabbing Hands Music Ltd., and EMI Music Publishing Ltd. (PRS)

Music video

Live performances

Main article: Available recordings of "Wagging Tongue"
Main article: List of dates where "Wagging Tongue" was played


1981-1985: Dreaming Of MeNew LifeJust Can't Get EnoughSee YouThe Meaning Of Love
Leave In SilenceGet The Balance RightEverything CountsLove In ItselfPeople Are PeopleMaster And ServantBlasphemous Rumours / SomebodyShake The DiseaseIt's Called A Heart
1986-1989: StrippedBut Not TonightA Question Of LustA Question Of TimeStrangelove
Never Let Me Down AgainBehind The WheelLittle 15Personal Jesus
1990-1998: Enjoy The SilencePolicy Of TruthWorld In My EyesI Feel YouWalking In My ShoesCondemnationIn Your RoomBarrel Of A GunIt's No GoodHomeUseless
Only When I Lose Myself
2001-2009: Dream OnI Feel LovedFreeloveGoodnight LoversPreciousA Pain That I'm Used To
Suffer WellJohn The Revelator / LilianMartyrWrongPeaceFragile Tension / Hole To Feed
2013-2017: HeavenSoothe My SoulShould Be HigherWhere's The RevolutionGoing Backwards
Cover Me
2023: Ghosts Again
1992-1998: Faith HealerDriftingStalker / Missing Piece
2000-2008: Strange HoursJezebelPreyAllelujah
2003-2008: Dirty Sticky FloorsI Need YouBottle Living / Hold OnA Little PieceKingdomSaw Something / Deeper And Deeper
2012-2015: Longest DayTake Me Back HomeAll Of This And NothingShine
1989-2003: CompulsionStardustLoverman
2012-2015: SpockSingle BlipAftermathsEuropa Hymn • "Pinking" (Christoffer Berg Remix)
Official releases