Martyr (song)

"Martyr" is the 45th UK single by the English electronic band Depeche Mode. It was released as a non-album single to promote the band's eighth greatest hits compilation album, The Best Of, Volume 1.[1] The single was released on 30 October 2006 in three formats: CD single, CD maxi and DVD single. There was also a limited-edition double 12-inch single (L12BONG39) featuring four remixes of previous Depeche Mode tracks.

"Martyr"
Single by Depeche Mode
from the album The Best of Depeche Mode Volume 1
B-side	Remixes "Never Let Me Down Again" (Digitalism Remix)
Released	30 October 2006
Recorded	2005
Length	3:23 (album/single version) 3:07 (radio version)
Label	Mute (Europe) Reprise, Sire (US)
Songwriter(s)	Martin Gore
Producer(s)	Ben Hillier
Depeche Mode singles chronology
"John the Revelator" / "Lilian" (2006) "Martyr" (2006) "Wrong" (2009)

Following its release, "Marytr" topped the singles charts of Italy and Spain while attaining a peak of number 13 on the UK Singles Chart and entering the top 20 in six other European nations. It debuted and peaked at number two on the Eurochart Hot 100, and in the United States, it reached number 22 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The single became Depeche Mode's 35th and most recent UK top-20 hit.[2]

Background

The song, originally titled "Martyr for Love", is a well-known missing track from the Playing the Angel sessions. The song was mentioned on one of the FletchCam videos[3] (where it can faintly be heard playing in the background), and it was mentioned in interviews. Playing the Angel programmer Dave McCracken has said that it was considered by the band as the first single from Playing the Angel, but it did not make the album due to its poppier sound when compared with other album tracks.[4]

Music video

A video was being directed by Andreas Nilsson, who was reportedly hired because Dave Gahan was impressed by his video for The Knife's "Silent Shout".[5] The video was made in Gothenburg, Sweden, and members of the group do not appear in it.[6] The band subsequently rejected this video, which was replaced with a video montage released on 8 October 2006 and directed by Robert Chandler, in which Dave Gahan seemingly sings the song, this being achieved by the succession of short clips of Depeche Mode's videos in which Dave either says the words featured in the lyrics of "Martyr", or he lip-syncs the lyrics, meaning that his lips move in a similar fashion of that when the words in the lyrics are being said. It does not appear on their Best of DVD compilation.

Track listings

European limited-edition 7-inch picture disc[7][8] A. "Martyr" (single version) – 3:26 B. "Never Let Me Down Again" (Digitalism Remix) – 4:39 European 12-inch single[9] A1. "Martyr" (Booka Shade Dub Mix) – 8:15 B1. "Martyr" (Dreher & S.M.Art B.N. Reload Remix) – 5:17 B2. "Martyr" (Alex Smoke Gravel Edit) – 6:39 European CD single[7] "Martyr" (single version) – 3:25 "Martyr" (Booka Shade Full Vocal Mix Edit) – 6:23 European DVD single[10] "Martyr" (video montage) "Martyr" (Dreher & S.M.Art B.N. Reload Remix audio) "Martyr" (Booka Shade Travel Mix audio)

Maxi-CD[7] "Martyr" (Paul van Dyk Remix Edit) – 7:19 "Martyr" (Alex Smoke Gravel Mix) – 6:41 "Never Let Me Down Again" (Digitalism Remix) – 4:39 US promo CD[11] "Martyr" (radio edit) – 3:07 "Martyr" (album version) – 3:24 Digital download EP[12] "Martyr" (Paul van Dyk Radio Mix) – 3:38 "Martyr" (Paul van Dyk Vonyc Lounge Mix Edit) – 5:02 "Martyr" (Dreher & S.M.Art B.N. Reload Edit) – 5:03 "Martyr" (Alex Smoke Bare Bone Edit) – 3:07 "Martyr" (Booka Shade Full Vocal Mix Edit) – 6:20 "Martyr" (Booka Shade Travel Mix Edit) – 4:48 "Personal Jesus" (Boys Noize Classic) – 6:53

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2006) Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[7] 31 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[13] 48 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders Dance)[14] 21 Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[15] 4 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia Dance)[16] 21 Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[17] 44 Denmark (Tracklisten)[18] 3 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[19] 2 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[20] 18 France (SNEP)[21] 64 Germany (Official German Charts)[22] 2 Hungary (Single Top 40)[23] 2 Ireland (IRMA)[24] 32 Italy (FIMI)[25] 1 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[26] 74 Scotland (OCC)[27] 12 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[28] 38 Spain (PROMUSICAE)[29] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[30] 10 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[31] 17 UK Singles (OCC)[32] 13 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[33] 22

Year-end charts Chart (2006) Position Italy (FIMI)[34] 41

See also

• List of number-one hits of 2006 (Italy)
• List of number-one singles of 2006 (Spain)

References

1. "Depeche Mode releases for the rest of the year!". Depechemode.com. 2 August 2006. Archived from the original on 27 August 2006.
2. "Depeche Mode". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
3. "FletchCam™ (2005)". Archives.depechemode.com. 4 October 2006. Archived from the original on 4 October 2006.
4. "Exclusive Interview: Dave McCracken". Depechemode.com. 2 August 2006. Archived from the original on 18 June 2006.
5. "DEPECHE MODE – Martyr single & video". Energylab.de. 3 September 2006. Archived from the original on 11 March 2007.
6. Claeson, Daniel (3 September 2006). "Depeche gör video i Göteborg". Göteborgs-Posten (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 17 January 2007.
7. "Austriancharts.at – Depeche Mode – Martyr" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
8. Martyr (European limited 7-inch single liner notes). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 2006. BONG39.CS1 maint: others (link)
9. Martyr (European 12-inch single vinyl disc). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 2006. 12bong39.CS1 maint: others (link)
10. Martyr (European DVD single liner notes). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 2006. dvdbong39.CS1 maint: others (link)
11. Martyr (US promo CD liner notes). Depeche Mode. Reprise Records, Sire Records, Mute Records. 2006. PRO-CDR-101908.CS1 maint: others (link)
12. "Martyr – EP". Apple Music. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
13. "Ultratop.be – Depeche Mode – Martyr" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
14. "Ultratop 50 Dance – 30/12/2006" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
15. "Ultratop.be – Depeche Mode – Martyr" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
16. "Ultratop 50 Dance – 30/12/2006" (in French). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
17. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 200647 into search. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
18. "Danishcharts.com – Depeche Mode – Martyr". Tracklisten. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
19. "Hits of the World > Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 118 no. 46. 18 November 2006. p. 71. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
20. "Depeche Mode: Martyr" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
21. "Lescharts.com – Depeche Mode – Martyr" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
22. "Offiziellecharts.de – Depeche Mode – Martyr". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
23. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
24. "Top 50 Singles, Week Ending 2 November 2006". GfK Chart-Track. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
25. "Italiancharts.com – Depeche Mode – Martyr". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
26. "Dutchcharts.nl – Depeche Mode – Martyr" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
27. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
28. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200650 into search. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
29. "Spanishcharts.com – Depeche Mode – Martyr" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
30. "Swedishcharts.com – Depeche Mode – Martyr". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
31. "Swisscharts.com – Depeche Mode – Martyr". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
32. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
33. "Depeche Mode – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
34. "Musica: Classifiche Annunali 2006 FIMI-AC Nielsen" (in Italian). FIMI. Archived from the original on 12 January 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2021. Click on Scarica l'allegato.

External links

• Single information from the official Depeche Mode web site
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics