Dirty Sticky Floors

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Notes

Dave Gahan said in the Electronic Press Kit for Paper Monsters:

"'Dirty Sticky Floors' is the whole lifestyle that I was drawn into. That whole kind of rock star cliché, as it is, it was a lot of fun for some time and then it wasn't any more, so out of the ashes of that came 'Dirty Sticky Floors' which really was a piss-take of myself and the sort of whole glamorous side of – it's not really glamorous at all – but that whole culture of the rock and roll star that gets drunk, gets high, and falls on his face and usually ends up on some dirty sticky floor – be it your own or somebody else's I wanted to just sort of put some fun into that – and not be a song about the pain of addiction. As painful as it is, if you are lucky enough to come out the other side like I have, and get enough perspective on it, and some space from it, you can see how ridiculous it is, especially when you choose it. And I definitely chose it."

Dave also told VH1:

"The song is all about the so-called glamorous side of Rock 'n' Roll, and ending up on some dirty sticky floor every single night, some god-awful toilet in some club or - most of the time - my own dirty sticky floor in my own bathroom. But I wanted to poke fun at the whole side of Rock 'n' Roll and have fun with it, even though the lyrics represent a true part of my life at that time. The tin man and the lion character [of The Wizard Of Oz] were two huge dolls I had in my apartment in Santa Monica. I had burnt out all my friends and these two dolls used to keep me company. On any given night, they would start talking to me. Suffice to say, they didn't last."

Live performances

Main article: Available recordings of "Dirty Sticky Floors"
Main article: List of dates where "Dirty Sticky Floors" 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 RumoursSomebodyShake 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 RevelatorLilianMartyrWrongPeaceFragile TensionHole To Feed
2013-2017: HeavenSoothe My SoulShould Be HigherWhere's The RevolutionGoing Backwards
Cover Me
2023: Ghosts Again
1992-1998: Faith HealerDriftingStalkerMissing Piece
2000-2008: Strange HoursJezebelPreyAllelujah
2003-2008: Dirty Sticky FloorsI Need YouBottle LivingHold OnA Little PieceKingdomSaw SomethingDeeper And Deeper
2012-2015: Longest DayTake Me Back HomeAll Of This And NothingShine
1989-2003: CompulsionStardustLoverman
2012: SpockSingle BlipAftermaths
Official releases