Television Set

This song was written by Jason Knott, a friend of Vince Clarke's. This track was performed from the 1980 Tour through the 1982 See You Tour. The song doesn't appear on Depeche Mode's first album, Speak & Spell, perhaps due to copyright or publishing issues. The entire track, as well as a demo excerpt of this track featuring Vince Clarke on vocals can be heard below. Full lyrics are also available.

Full track sample

Perhaps the best quality recording of this song is from a first-generation FM broadcast recording of 1981-09-29 Les Bains Douches, Paris, France.

Other excellent recordings of the song are available from these dates:

• 1981-06-27 Crocs, Rayleigh, Essex, England, UK (soundboard)
• 1981-08-05 Rafters, Manchester, England, UK (audience)
• 1981-11-06 University, Liverpool, England, UK (soundboard)

Demo excerpt

This is one of four tracks appearing on Composition Of Sounds' first demo tape. Vince Clarke sings lead vocals, as Dave Gahan had not joined the band yet. The entire demo tape has not yet surfaced; only the four excerpts found on the the demos & studio pre-mixes page are available. This excerpt is the original file shared in this thread on depmod, courtesy of Recoil19.

Lyrics

And did you see them running through me, babe
Did you see the lights in their eyes
Did you see the masses praying to me
And I'm preaching them more lies

I'm just a mass for communication
I sell what everyone buys
Do you know my appearance is changing
Changing from my disguise

I'm just a
Television set
I'm just a
Television set
I'm just a
Television set

And you can have me, babe, if you want me
Just plug me into your wall
And I'll give you sex if you want it
Or I'll give you nothing at all

You can have me, babe, for good times
You can have me, babe, for bad
Keep me running all of your life and
I'll turn you instantly mad

I'm just a
Television set
I'm just a
Television set
I'm just a
Television set

And did you see them running through me, babe
Did you see the lights in their eyes
Did you see the masses praying to me
And I'm preaching them more lies

I'm just a mass for communication
I sell what everyone buys
Do you know my appearance is changing
Changing from my disguise

I'm just a
Television set
I'm just a
Television set
I'm just a
Television set

Dates with available recordings of Television Set

There are currently 25 recordings of Television Set available.

• 1980-10-30 Bridge House, London, England, UK/Source 1
• 1980-11-14 Technical College, Southend-On-Sea, Essex, England, UK/Source 1
• 1980-1x-xx / 1981-02-xx Unknown Venue, England, UK
• 1981-04-06 Bridge House, London, England, UK/Source 1
• 1981-06-01 Bridge House, London, England, UK/Source 1
• 1981-06-27 Crocs, Rayleigh, Essex, England, UK/Source 1
• 1981-07-23 The Venue, London, England, UK/Source 1
• 1981-07-25 Zuiderpark, The Hague, The Netherlands/Source 1
• 1981-08-02 Jenkinsons, Brighton, England, UK/Source 1
• 1981-08-05 Rafters, Manchester, England, UK/Source 1
• 1981-08-05 Rafters, Manchester, England, UK/Source 2
• 1981-09-26 Paradiso, Amsterdam, The Netherlands/Source 2
• 1981-09-26 Paradiso, Amsterdam, The Netherlands/Source 3
• 1981-09-29 Les Bains Douches, Paris, France/Source 1
• 1981-09-29 Les Bains Douches, Paris, France/Source 2
• 1981-09-29 Les Bains Douches, Paris, France/Source 3
• 1981-10-23 Something Else, BBC2, London, England, UK/Source 1
• 1981-10-23 Something Else, BBC2, London, England, UK/Source 2
• 1981-11-03 Fagins, Manchester, England, UK/Source 1
• 1981-11-04 Locarno, Birmingham, England, UK/Source 1
• 1981-11-07 Polytechnic, Sheffield, England, UK/Source 1
• 1982-02-27 Bridge House, London, England, UK/Source 1
• 1982-03-06 Rockola, Madrid, Spain/Source 1
• 1982-03-25 Ballroom Blitz, Hannover, Germany/Source 1
• 1982-04-02 Théâtre Le Palace, Paris, France/Source 1

Dates where Television Set was played

1980 Tour

To the best of our knowledge, Television Set is confirmed to have been played 5 times during this tour, at the below concerts.

• 1980-06-14 Nicholas School, Basildon, England, UK
• 1980-09-20 Crocs, Rayleigh, Essex, England, UK
• 1980-10-30 Bridge House, London, England, UK
• 1980-11-14 Technical College, Southend-On-Sea, Essex, England, UK
• 1980-1x-xx / 1981-02-xx Unknown Venue, England, UK

1981 Tour

Television Set was played 23 times during this tour.

• 1980-1x-xx / 1981-02-xx Unknown Venue, England, UK
• 1981-02-16 Cabaret Futura, London, England, UK
• 1981-04-06 Bridge House, London, England, UK
• 1981-04-12 Bridge House, London, England, UK
• 1981-06-01 Bridge House, London, England, UK
• 1981-06-27 Crocs, Rayleigh, Essex, England, UK
• 1981-07-23 The Venue, London, England, UK
• 1981-07-25 Zuiderpark, The Hague, The Netherlands
• 1981-07-29 Bridge House, London, England, UK
• 1981-08-02 Jenkinsons, Brighton, England, UK
• 1981-08-05 Rafters, Manchester, England, UK
• 1981-08-26 Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, England, UK
• 1981-09-19 The Venue, London, England, UK
• 1981-09-25 Markthalle, Hamburg, Germany
• 1981-09-26 Paradiso, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• 1981-09-28 Disco Rouge, Brussels, Belgium
• 1981-09-29 Les Bains Douches, Paris, France
• 1981-10-23 Something Else, BBC2, London, England, UK
• 1981-11-03 Fagins, Manchester, England, UK
• 1981-11-04 Locarno, Birmingham, England, UK
• 1981-11-06 University, Liverpool, England, UK
• 1981-11-07 Polytechnic, Sheffield, England, UK
• 1981-11-12 Arts Centre, Poole, England, UK

1982 See You Tour

Television Set was played 25 times during this tour.

• 1982-01-20 Crocs, Rayleigh, Essex, England, UK
• 1982-01-22 The Ritz, New York, NY, USA
• 1982-01-23 The Ritz, New York, NY, USA
• 1982-02-12 Top Rank, Cardiff, Wales, UK
• 1982-02-13 Hammersmith Odeon, London, England, UK
• 1982-02-14 Guildshall, Portsmouth, England, UK
• 1982-02-15 The Pavilion, Bath, England, UK
• 1982-02-18 Victoria Hall, Hanley, England, UK
• 1982-02-19 University, Leeds, England, UK
• 1982-02-20 City Hall, Newcastle, England, UK
• 1982-02-22 The Tower, Hull, England, UK
• 1982-02-24 U.E.A., Norwich, England, UK
• 1982-02-25 Kent University, Canterbury, England, UK
• 1982-02-26 Polytechnic, Oxford, England, UK
• 1982-02-27 Bridge House, London, England, UK
• 1982-02-28 Hammersmith Odeon, London, England, UK
• 1982-03-05 Rockola, Madrid, Spain
• 1982-03-06 Rockola, Madrid, Spain
• 1982-03-20 The Ritz, Stockholm, Sweden
• 1982-03-25 Ballroom Blitz, Hannover, Germany
• 1982-03-30 Rainbow Club, Oberkorn, Luxembourg
• 1982-04-02 Théâtre Le Palace, Paris, France
• 1982-04-03 Volksbelang, Brussels, Belgium
• 1982-04-10 Fort Regent, St. Helier, Jersey, UK
• 1982-04-12 Beau Sejour, St. Peter Port, Guernsey, UK

1982-1983 A Broken Frame Tour

• Television Set was not played during this tour.

1983-1984 Construction Time Again Tour

• Television Set was not played during this tour.

1984-1985 Some Great Reward Tour

• Television Set was not played during this tour.

1986 Black Celebration Tour

• Television Set was not played during this tour.

1987-1988 Music For The Masses Tour

• Television Set was not played during this tour.

1990 World Violation Tour

• Television Set was not played during this tour.

1993 Devotional Tour

• Television Set was not played during this tour.

1994 Exotic Tour

• Television Set was not played during this tour.

1997 Ultra Parties

• Television Set was not played during this tour.

1998 The Singles Tour

• Television Set was not played during this tour.

2001 Exciter Tour

• Television Set was not played during this tour.

2003 Paper Monsters Tour (Dave Gahan solo)

• Television Set was not played during this tour.

2003 "A Night With Martin L. Gore" (Martin L. Gore solo)

• Television Set was not played during this tour.

2005-2006 Touring The Angel

• Television Set was not played during this tour.

2009-2010 Tour Of The Universe

• Television Set was not played during this tour.

2013-2014 Delta Machine Tour

• Television Set was not played during this tour.

2017-2018 Global Spirit Tour

• Television Set was not played during this tour.