Heaven (Depeche Mode song) explained

Heaven
Cover:Depeche Mode - Heaven.png
Border:yes
Type:single
Artist:Depeche Mode
Album:Delta Machine
B-Side:All That's Mine
Genre:
Length:4:03
Label:Columbia
Producer:Ben Hillier
Prev Title:Personal Jesus 2011
Prev Year:2011
Next Title:Soothe My Soul
Next Year:2013

"Heaven" is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released as the lead single from their thirteenth studio album, Delta Machine (2013). Written by Martin Gore and produced by Ben Hillier, the song was world-premiered on KROQ's morning show Kevin and Bean on 30 January 2013.[3] The single was released digitally in most territories on 31 January 2013, and physically on 1 February.

In the United Kingdom, "Heaven" was released digitally on 17 March 2013 and physically the following day. The B-side "All That's Mine" was written by Dave Gahan and Kurt Uenala. An accompanying music video for "Heaven" was directed by Timothy Saccenti and premiered on VEVO on 1 February 2013.

In June 2013, the single was certified gold by the Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana (FIMI), denoting downloads exceeding 15,000 units in Italy.[4] In the UK, by contrast, the single reached #60, the first initial single from a Depeche Mode album to fail to reach the UK Top 40.[5]

Background and composition

According to Martin Gore in an interview "'Heaven' was written on a piano. I had all the chords, and everything all worked out on the piano and the whole vocal melody, and the lyrics worked out before I went anywhere near a computer."[6] Additionally, Andy Fletcher also says that the demo wasn't too different to the final and, "Pretty much, apart from Dave's voice instead of Martin's voice, the actual finished song is pretty similar [to the demo]."

Dave Gahan has expressed his appreciation to the song in the same interview, expressing, "Of all the incredible songs that Martin has written over the years that I have been lucky enough to sing and perform, once in a while a song comes along—hopefully I'll write one of those myself one day—that's something I have to sing. It's something I want to sing." He further states, "To me, 'Heaven' is one of the reasons why I still make music."

Music video

The music video for "Heaven" was directed by Timothy Saccenti and filmed in November 2012 at the Marigny Opera House, a former Catholic church in New Orleans's Faubourg Marigny.[7] [8] Previously, Saccenti had directed the "In-Studio Collage 2012" video for "Angel" that premiered at the band's press conference in Paris on 23 October 2012.[9] [10]

The video's look was inspired by Terrence Malick's 2011 film The Tree of Life, with its beautiful yet twisted, dark imagery. "Mainly it's a performance video, which we haven't done in a long time", Gahan stated.[11] The video debuted on VEVO on 1 February 2013.[12]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Martin L. Gore, except where noted

This is the first Depeche Mode single since 1982 to drop the "BONG" prefix.

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from CD single liner notes.[13]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2013)! scope="col"
Peak
position
US Hot Singles Sales (Billboard)[14] 2

Year-end charts

Chart (2013)! scope="col"
Position
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[15] 92
Italy (FIMI)[16] 95
US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[17] 29

Release history

Region!scope="col"
DateFormat(s)Label
France[18] 31 January 2013Digital downloadSony Music
Germany[19]
United States[20] [21] Columbia Records
Germany[22] 1 February 2013Sony Music
United States[23] 5 February 2013Columbia Records
France[24] 18 February 2013Sony Music
Germany22 February 201312" single
United States[25] 26 February 2013Columbia Records
United Kingdom[26] 17 March 2013Digital downloadSony Music
18 March 2013

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Depeche Mode - Delta Machine track-by-track review. Billboard. McCarthy, Zel. March 27, 2013. April 3, 2014.
  2. Web site: Depeche Mode – Delta Machine Album Review . . 2 April 2013 . 1 September 2015 . Gieben, Bram E..
  3. Web site: Tilles . Jay . Sterling . Scott . [EXCLUSIVE] Depeche Mode Premieres "Heaven" From Forthcoming Album 'Delta Machine' ]. . 30 January 2013 . 30 January 2013 . 6 April 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130406181518/http://kroq.cbslocal.com/2013/01/30/exclusive-depeche-mode-premiere-heaven-from-forthcoming-album-delta-machine/ . dead .
  4. Web site: Certificazioni . it . . 17 June 2013 . 6 October 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141006100124/http://www.fimi.it/archivio_certificazioni.php . dead . Select Online, Week 22, Year 2013, then press Avvia la ricerca.
  5. http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/Depeche%20Mode Depeche Mode chart history
  6. Web site: Heaven - Depeche Mode Live Wiki . 2022-09-26 . dmlive.wiki . en.
  7. Web site: Knight . David . Depeche Mode 'Heaven' by Timothy Saccenti . Promo News . 4 February 2013 . 4 February 2013.
  8. Web site: Coviello . Will . The Marigny Opera House grows into an arts center . . 29 November 2012 . 4 February 2013 . 1 December 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121201205751/http://www.bestofneworleans.com/blogofneworleans/archives/2012/11/29/the-marigny-opera-house-grows-into-an-arts-center . dead .
  9. Web site: Minsker . Evan . Pelly . Jenn . Listen/Watch: New Depeche Mode Song . . 23 October 2012 . 4 February 2013.
  10. Web site: Nelson . Michael . Listen To A New Depeche Mode Song . . 23 October 2012 . 4 February 2013.
  11. Web site: Tilles . Jay . Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan: "We're Still Kind Of The Biggest Alternative Band Out There." . KROQ. CBS Radio . 31 January 2013 . 1 February 2013 . 6 April 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130406181523/http://kroq.cbslocal.com/2013/01/31/depeche-modes-dave-gahan-were-still-kind-of-the-biggest-alternative-band-out-there/ . dead .
  12. Web site: Depeche Mode New Studio Album 'Delta Machine' Set For Release March 26th on Columbia Records . . 24 January 2013 . 4 February 2013.
  13. "Heaven" (CD single liner notes). Depeche Mode. Columbia Records. 2013. 88765461572.
  14. Web site: Hot Singles Sales : Feb 16, 2013 . . 6 March 2013.
  15. Web site: MAHASZ Rádiós TOP 100 – radios – 2013 . hu . MAHASZ . 9 January 2014.
  16. Web site: CLASSIFICHE ANNUALI 2013 TOP OF THE MUSIC BY FIMI GfK . it . . 7 January 2014 . 9 January 2014 . 11 January 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140111064931/http://www.fimi.it/4111 . dead .
  17. Web site: 2013 Year-End Charts – Dance Club Songs . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . 3 January 2014.
  18. Web site: Heaven – EP by Depeche Mode . iTunes Store France. Apple . 8 February 2013.
  19. Web site: Heaven – Single by Depeche Mode . . 4 February 2013.
  20. Web site: Heaven – EP by Depeche Mode . iTunes Store US. Apple . 4 February 2013.
  21. Web site: Depeche Mode – Heaven . de . . 4 February 2013 . dead . https://archive.today/20130217065532/http://www.sonymusic.de/Depeche-Mode/Heaven/P/2820927 . 17 February 2013 . dmy-all .
  22. Web site: Heaven (12" Single) . 4 February 2013.