Suffer Well

"Suffer Well"
Single by Depeche Mode
from the album Playing the Angel
B-side"Better Days"
Released27 March 2006 (2006-03-27)
StudioSound Design (Santa Barbara, California)
GenreElectronica[1]
Length3:49
LabelMute
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Depeche Mode singles chronology
"A Pain That I'm Used To"
(2005) 		"Suffer Well"
(2006) 		"John the Revelator" / "Lilian"
(2006)
Music video
"Suffer Well" on YouTube

"Suffer Well" is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode from their eleventh studio album, Playing the Angel (2005). It was released in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2006 as the album's third single.[2][3]

Background

"Suffer Well" is the first Depeche Mode single written by lead singer Dave Gahan and their first single not written by Martin Gore since "Just Can't Get Enough" in 1981, which was written by Vince Clarke. It is also the first Depeche Mode single that was co-written with non-Depeche Mode members (Christian Eigner and Andrew Phillpott wrote the music).[4]

The song is based on an experience that Gahan had where he was told by a friend of his to 'suffer well' while he was discussing his life and issues. The line had stuck to him, which inspired the idea of the song. He explained on M6's TV show Focus Rock, "The song is about, in, what you believe to be suffering, is where you grow and learn about yourself."[5]

In the same interview he also states that originally the song was much slower in pace, but it was decided to go on to a more pop oriented route.[5]

The B-sides for the single are called "Better Days", a short song with an industrial-punk feel to it, and "The Darkest Star", which entered the national singles charts in Finland for one week, at number 16.[6]

The song "Suffer Well" was nominated in the category of "Best Dance Recording" at the 2007 Grammy Awards but lost to Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack".[7] The single version of the song adds a drum track to the song and is shorter.

Chart performance

"Suffer Well" reached number 38 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. It reached number one on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, the band's seventh song to top this chart. "Suffer Well" was added to the playlist of Xfm London on 27 February 2006. However, it failed to make the playlist of any BBC Radio station. Despite this, it entered the UK charts at number 12.

Music video

The video was filmed by Anton Corbijn and was his first music video for the band, excluding tour projections and promo videos, since "Useless" in 1997.

The video features a cameo appearance by Gahan's wife, Jennifer, once as the angel and once as herself. Another cameo is by the band's manager, Jonathan Kessler, who plays Gahan's limo driver. Other highlights include Gore as a bride and Fletcher as a groom. It also features the disco ball seen in the cover art of "Suffer Well".

Track listing

Charts

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Suffer Well"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 27 March 2006
  • CD
  • DVD
  • digital download
 Mute [36]
Australia 17 April 2006
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
 [37]

See also

References

  1. ^ Parrish, Peter (15 November 2005). "Depeche Mode, Playing The Angel Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 9 October 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. ^ Baker, Trevor (5 November 2009). Dave Gahan - Depeche Mode & The Second Coming. Bonnier Zaffre. ISBN 978-1-78418-955-6. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  3. ^ Miller, Jonathan (5 November 2009). Stripped: Depeche Mode. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-026-7. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  4. ^ England, Emma; Lyons, William John (21 May 2015). Reception History and Biblical Studies: Theory and Practice. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-0-567-66010-7. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  5. ^ a b "The Wave Magazine - Silicon Valley's Finest Entertainment & Lifestyle Magazine". 16 December 2006. Archived from the original on 16 December 2006. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Depeche Mode: Suffer Well" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  7. ^ Associated Press. "Complete List of Grammy Award Nominations". 7 December 2006
  8. ^ Suffer Well (UK 7-inch picture disc sleeve). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 2006. BONG37, 0094635594874.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ Suffer Well (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 2006. 12BONG37, 0094635594812.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ Suffer Well (UK limited edition 12-inch single vinyl disc). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 2006. L12BONG37, 0094635595017.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ The Darkest Star (UK extra limited edition 12-inch single vinyl disc). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 2006. XL12BONG37, 0094635820614.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ Suffer Well (UK CD single liner notes). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 2006. CDBONG37, 0094635594225.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ Suffer Well (European CD single liner notes). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 2006. int.CDBONG37, 0094635594423.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ Suffer Well (UK limited edition CD single liner notes). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 2006. LCDBONG37, 0094635594621.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ "Suffer Well (DJ Version) – EP". Apple Music. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  16. ^ Suffer Well (UK DVD single liner notes). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 2006. DVDBONG37, 0094635594898.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ "Depeche Mode – Suffer Well" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  18. ^ "Depeche Mode – Suffer Well" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  19. ^ "Depeche Mode – Suffer Well" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  20. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 11. týden 2006 in the date selector. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  21. ^ "Depeche Mode – Suffer Well". Tracklisten. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  22. ^ "Hit of the World: Eurocharts". Music & Media. Vol. 118, no. 15. 15 April 2006. p. 77.
  23. ^ "Depeche Mode – Suffer Well" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  24. ^ "Depeche Mode – Suffer Well" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  25. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  26. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Suffer Well". Irish Singles Chart.
  27. ^ "Depeche Mode – Suffer Well". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  28. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  29. ^ "Depeche Mode – Suffer Well" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  30. ^ "Depeche Mode – Suffer Well". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  31. ^ "Depeche Mode – Suffer Well". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  32. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  33. ^ "Depeche Mode Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  34. ^ "Depeche Mode Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  35. ^ "Dance Club Songs – Year-End 2006". Billboard. Archived from the original on 10 March 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  36. ^ "Depeche Mode 'Suffer Well' 2006". depmode.com. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  37. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 17th April 2006" (PDF). ARIA. 17 April 2006. p. 28. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 April 2006. Retrieved 17 November 2021.