Martyr

Martyr
Song	Martyr
By	Depeche Mode
Songwriter	Martin L. Gore
Working title	"Martyr For Love"
Produced by	Ben Hillier
Recorded at	Sound Design (Santa Barbara)
Length (mm:ss)	3:23 (single version) 3:07 (radio version)
Tempo	121 BPM
Time signature	4 4
Key	B♭ Major
Programmed by	Dave McCracken Richard Morris
Engineered by	Ben Hillier Richard Morris
Mixing assistance	Devin Workman Kt Rangnick
Mastered by	Emily Lazar
Mastering assistance	Sarah Register
Recording assistance	Nick Sevilla Arjun Agerwala Rudyard Lee Cullers Devin Workman Kt Rangnick
Design	Anton Corbijn Four5one.com
Photography	Anton Corbijn
Recorded	2005
Originally released	30 October 2006
Live performances as Depeche Mode	0 times *
Total live performances	0 times *

"Martyr" is a song from the 2006 compilation album The Best Of Depeche Mode Volume 1 by Depeche Mode. It was released as a single on 30 October 2006.

Notes

"Martyr" was one of the first songs written during the Playing The Angel sessions in Santa Barbara in February 2005, titled 'Martyr For Love'. In the third FletchCam video (vlog video recorded by Andy Fletcher), the band was recording this song and said it may become the lead single for the album. The final version of the song was eventually released as a single from The Best Of Depeche Mode Volume 1 compilation album in 2006.

From an interview with programmer Dave McCracken for Home:

"That was a different song, the first song we did when we got out there, and it was a brilliant song, the album took a different turn and we didn't use it. But it was finished, it was like an electronic T-REX song, it was a bit poppier than the rest of the album. I think it will show its head somewhere, at some point."

From an interview with producer Ben Hillier for the documentary The Best of Depeche Mode (A Short Film):

"'Martyr' is a really interesting [song], one like "Precious", it's quite a vintage "depeche" song. We all had confidence in the track, as it being a good enough track to be used for something, and it was definitely a single contender as well for Playing The Angel. So it was quite an odd decision to sort of say actually this isn't going to go on the record."

Lyrics

Martyr

I've been a martyr for love

And I will die in the flames

As I draw my last breath

As I'm closing on death

I will call out your name

I've been a martyr for love

Nailed up on the cross

While you're having your fun

As the damage is done

I'm assessing the cost

I knew what I was letting myself in for

I knew that I could never even the score

I've been a martyr for love

I need to be by your side

I have knelt at your feet

I have felt your deceit

Couldn't leave if I tried

I've been a martyr for love

Tortured every hour

From the day I was born

I've been moved like a pawn

By the greatest of powers

I knew that I would have to suffer in vain

Aware that I would never outgrow the pain

I've been a martyr for love

Songwriter: Martin L. Gore
Publishing Information: ©2005 EMI Music Publishing Ltd., Assigned by Grabbing Hands Music Overseas Ltd. All rights reserved.

Music video

According to Göteborgs-Posten, a music video for "Martyr" was shot in Gothenburg, Sweden by Swedish director Andreas Nilsson, featuring no appearance of the band at all. For unknown reasons, the video was scrapped, and replaced by a video montage created by Robert Chandler, which consists of music videos, live releases from various periods, footage of 1982-10-25 Hammersmith Odeon, London, England, UK, and tour projections of "Behind The Wheel" from the World Violation Tour.

Dates where Martyr was played

Martyr has never been played live.

References

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