Incubus

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Incubus
Song	Incubus
By	Recoil
Songwriter	Alan Wilder Douglas McCarthy Francis Ford Coppola
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 *

"Incubus" is a song from the 1997 album Unsound Methods by Recoil.

Lyrics

Incubus

Every time I think I'm gonna wake up

Back in the jungle

Every minute I stay in this room

I get weaker

Each time I looked around

The walls moved in a little tighter

I've never seen a man so broken up

Ripped apart

They say my name is death

I've never seen a man so broken up

Ripped apart

But I'm alive, I am alive

I've never seen a man so broken up

Ripped apart

I am born ten thousand times

I've never seen a man so broken up

Ripped apart

Ten thousand ways, I'm alive

I am the shadow

I am the evening come

I am your greatest fear

Your greatest love

Born in ten thousand ways

For each and every day

I am alive

I am the victim of lying morality

And so, I am beyond caring

I am born ten thousand times

In ten thousand ways

My head swims in spoilt mothers milk

I am too alive

There are too many of me

Too many to kill

They're in my head

They know my name

My name is death but I am alive

I am alive

Songwriter: Alan Wilder/Douglas McCarthy/Francis Ford Coppola
Publishing Information: ℗ 1997 Reprise Records

Composition

Sample sources

"Incubus" - Recoil 1997	Sample overview
	Click to display/hide audio Note: Audio overviews feature confirmed sample listings that have been manipulated and sequenced to approximately match the frequency response of the stated song. Aside from volume and panning automation, all audio overviews are free of any post-processing and effects with the rare exception in cases where the inclusion of an effect is integral to communicating the use of a sound.
	Self-made samples
	Sample	Notes			Audio
	Percussion elements	A percussive loop originally recorded for use in Depeche Mode's "Clean" is utiised in the outro section of "Incubus".			✖
	Sample sources
	Sample	Source	Status	Notes	Audio
	Synthesizer, vocal, ambient elements	Carmine Coppola, Francis Coppola - Apocalypse Now (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - "Pre-Tiger" - 1979	Confirmed	A manipulated section of audio derived from "Pre-Tiger" by Carmine and Francis Coppola as featured on the 1979 Apocalypse Now film soundtrack is utilised sporadically throughout "Incubus".	✖
	Ambient, percussion elements	Carmine Coppola, Francis Coppola - Apocalypse Now (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - "Saigon (Narration And Dialogue)" - 1979	Confirmed	A manipulated, looping section of audio featuring crickets chirping derived from "Saigon (Narration And Dialogue)" by Carmine and Francis Coppola as featured on the 1979 Apocalypse Now film soundtrack is utilised sporadically throughout and prominently in the outro of "Incubus".	✖
	Bass guitar, piano elements	Angelo Badalamenti - Blue Velvet (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - "Akron Meets the Blues" - 1986	Confirmed	A bass guitar and piano phrase derived from "Akron Meets the Blues," as composed by Angelo Badalamenti for the 1986 Blue Velvet film soundtrack, is utilised in the opening moments of "Incubus".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Saxophone elements	Bernard Herrmann - Taxi Driver: Original Soundtrack Recording - "I Still Can't Sleep / They Cannot Touch Her (Betsy's Theme)" - 1976	Confirmed	A saxophone phrase derived from "I Still Can't Sleep / They Cannot Touch Her (Betsy's Theme)" by Bernard Hermann for the 1976 Taxi Driver film soundtrack is utilised in the opening moments of "Incubus".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Ambient elements	John Martyn - And. - "Sunshine's Better (Acid Remix)" - 1996	Confirmed	A manipulated, looping section of audio derived from "Sunshine's Better (Acid Remix)" by John Martyn is utilised in the intro section of "Incubus". Notably, a CD copy of And. was among the items sold as part of the 18 August 2024 Alan Wilder (Depeche Mode / Recoil) Personal Record and CD Collection sale, hosted at Beat The Clock Records in Brighton. This CD, sold online by Beat The Clock Records in the months following the event, was purchased by Depeche Mode Live Wiki in April 2025 and referenced throughout the process of reviewing the use of this sampled audio within "Incubus".	✖
	Ambient elements, helicopter sound effect	Yello - How How - "Breaks, Beats & Loops (The How How Samples)" - 1994	Confirmed	A manipulated section of audio featuring the sound of a helicopter in flight derived from "Breaks, Beats & Loops (The How How Samples)" by Yello is utilised sporadically throughout "Incubus".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Drum elements	Substance - This Is... Trip Hop - "Fly By Night" - 1996	Confirmed	A manipulated section of audio derived from "Fly By Night" by Substance as featured on the 1996 compilation CD This Is... Trip Hop is utilised in the intro and outro sections of "Incubus". A drum element featured within the sampled recording is a sample derived from X-Static Goldmine Vol. 2 by eLab (formerly Polestar Magnetics), which is itself a sample derived from "I Let 'Em Know" by Young MC.	✖
	Drum elements	Saint Etienne - This Is... Trip Hop - "Filthy" - 1996	Confirmed	A manipulated section of audio containing percussion and bass elements derived from the opening moments of "Filthy" by Saint Etienne as featured on the 1996 compilation CD This Is... Trip Hop is utilised throughout "Incubus". The drum element featured within the sampled recording is itself a sample derived from "Sons and Daughters" by The Neville Brothers.	Click to display/hide audio example
	Drum, scratching elements	Us3 - Hand On the Torch - "I Got It Goin' On" - 16 November 1993	Confirmed	A manipulated section of audio derived from "I Got It Goin' On" by Us3 is utilised sporadically throughout "Incubus". Notably, a CD copy of Hand On the Torch was among the items sold as part of the 18 August 2024 Alan Wilder (Depeche Mode / Recoil) Personal Record and CD Collection sale, hosted at Beat The Clock Records in Brighton. This CD, sold online by Beat The Clock Records in the months following the event, was purchased by Depeche Mode Live Wiki in May 2025 and referenced throughout the process of reviewing the use of this sampled audio within "Incubus".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Orchestral elements	Henryk Górecki, London Sinfonietta - Symphony No. 3, Op. 36: I. Lento - Sostenuto Tranquillo Ma Cantabile - released 9 March, 1992 (recorded 4 April, 1977)	Confirmed	A manipulated section of audio derived from the first movement of Henryk Górecki's Symphony No. 3, Op. 36 is utilised sporadically throughout "Incubus".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Guitar elements	The Comsat Angels - My Mind's Eye - "Driving" - 1992	Confirmed	A section of audio featuring guitar elements derived from the opening moments of The Comsat Angels's 1992 song "Driving" is utilised as a fill mid-way through "Incubus". Notably, a CD copy of My Mind's Eye was among the items sold as part of the 18 August 2024 Alan Wilder (Depeche Mode / Recoil) Personal Record and CD Collection sale, hosted at Beat The Clock Records in Brighton. This CD, sold online by Beat The Clock Records in the months following the event, was purchased by Depeche Mode Live Wiki in July 2025 and referenced throughout the process of reviewing the use of this sampled audio within "Incubus".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Guitar elements	Buck 65 - Vertex - "Slow Drama" - 1997	Confirmed	An audio sample featuring dissonant guitar atmospherics derived from the opening moments of Buck 65's "Slow Drama" is utilised mid-way through "Incubus".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Guitar elements	Diamanda Galás - The Sporting Life - "Last Man Down" - 6 September 1994	Confirmed	A manipulated section of audio derived from "Last Man Down" by Diamanda Galás is utilised mid-way through "Incubus". Notably, a CD copy of The Sporting Life was among the items sold as part of the 18 August 2024 Alan Wilder (Depeche Mode / Recoil) Personal Record and CD Collection sale, hosted at Beat The Clock Records in Brighton. This CD, sold online by Beat The Clock Records in the months following the event, was purchased by Depeche Mode Live Wiki in April 2025 and referenced throughout the process of reviewing the use of this sampled audio within "Incubus".	✖
	Drum, snare, hi-hat elements	Barry Adamson - Taming of the Shrewd - "Splat Goes The Cat" - October 1989	Confirmed	A manipulated section of audio derived from "Splat Goes The Cat" by Barry Adamson is utilised throughout the latter half of "Incubus".	✖
	Bass guitar, electric piano elements	Einstürzende Neubauten - Ende neu - "The Garden" - 23 July 1996	Confirmed	A manipulated section of audio derived from "The Garden" by Einstürzende Neubauten is utilised in the intro section and during the chorus section of "Incubus".	✖
	Drum, ambient elements	Einstürzende Neubauten - Kalte Sterne - "Kalte Sterne" - 1981	Confirmed	A manipulated, looping section of audio derived from "Kalte Sterne" by Einstürzende Neubauten is utilised in the outro section of "Incubus".	✖
	Timpani elements	Korg Inc. - Korg 01/W Bank B, Voice #39: "Timpani"	Confirmed	The sequenced timpani performed throughout "Incubus" utilises samples derived from the Korg 01/W Bank B Voice #39 "Timpani".	✖

Dates where Incubus was played

Incubus has never been played live.