Barrel of a Gun (Depeche Mode song)

Single infobox
Name = Barrel of a Gun


Artist = Depeche Mode
from Album = Ultra
B-side = "Painkiller"
Released = February 3 1997
Format = Vinyl record 7", 12", CD
Recorded = 1996
Genre = Synthpop
Length = 5:29
Label = Mute Records
Writer = Martin Gore
Producer = Tim Simenon
Reviews =
* allmusic [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:w6ge4j473wal link]
Last single = "In Your Room" (1994)
This single = "Barrel of a Gun" (1997)
Next single = "It's No Good" (1997)

"Barrel of a Gun" is Depeche Mode's thirty-first UK single, released on February 3, 1997 (January 28 in the USA), and the first single for the then upcoming album "Ultra".

Track history

"Barrel of a Gun" came after some difficult times for the band and its members. Musician Alan Wilder left the band in 1995 and lead singer David Gahan nearly committed suicide. Martin Gore had a string of seizures, and Andrew Fletcher had some emotional problems of his own. In mid-1996 Martin tried to get Dave and Fletch back together by writing a few songs and see if anybody was interested in continuing after that. It worked, and the band were back together, except now a trio again for the first time since 1982's "A Broken Frame".

"Barrel of a Gun" brings back in the industrial music sound, and is possibly the darkest DM song yet. Martin wasn't sure if this was going to be a big hit on the radio, so he was reluctant to recommend this song as the first single, but when he eventually did, it turned out the rest of band, Daniel Miller, and producer Tim Simenon agreed. It reached #4 in the UK chart in 1997, which at the time was their joint highest chart position with People Are People released in 1984. Since then, Precious has also reached #4 in the UK, in 2005.

The B-side is a 7+ minute instrumental called "Painkiller", which is very hard-rockish. A condensed (2+ minute) version shows up as a hidden track on the "Ultra" album as "Junior Painkiller".

Video

The music video for "Barrel of a Gun" is directed by Anton Corbijn, DM's long-time visual collaborator. It features Dave singing with his eyes closed, with eyeballs drawn on his eyelids to make it seem like they are open. Dave has rather amusing commentary on the video on The Videos 86-98. The video was shot in Morocco.

Track listings

Listen
filename=Depeche mode barrel of a gun.ogg
title=Depeche Mode "Barrel of a Gun" (1997)
description=30 second sample from Depeche Mode's "Barrel of a Gun".
format=Ogg

12": Mute / 12Bong25 (UK)

# "Barrel of a Gun" (5:29)
# "Barrel of a Gun (Underworld Hard Mix)" (9:37)
# "Barrel of a Gun (3 Phase Mix)" (5:23) (remixed by Sven Röhrig)
# "Barrel of a Gun (One Inch Punch Mix V2)" (5:28) (remixed by One Inch Punch)
# "Barrel of a Gun (Underworld Soft Mix)" (6:29)

CD: Mute / CDBong25 (UK)

# "Barrel of a Gun" (5:29)
# "Painkiller" (7:29)
# "Barrel of a Gun (Underworld Soft Mix)" (6:29)
# "Barrel of a Gun (One Inch Punch Mix)" (5:25)

12": Mute / L12Bong25 (UK)

# "Painkiller (Plastikman Mix)" (8:39)
# "Painkiller" (7:29)
# "Barrel of a Gun (One Inch Punch Mix)" (5:25)
# "Barrel of a Gun (United Mix)" (6:36) (remixed by United - Marc Waterman and Paul Freegard)

CD: Mute / LCDBong25 (UK)

# "Barrel of a Gun (Underworld Hard Mix)" (9:37)
# "Barrel of a Gun (United Mix)" (6:36)
# "Painkiller (Plastikman Mix)" (8:39)

12": Mute / P12Bong25 (UK)

# "Barrel of a Gun (Underworld Hard Mix)" (9:37)
# "Painkiller (Plastikman Mix)" (8:39)
# "Barrel of a Gun" (5:29)
# "Barrel of a Gun (Underworld Hard Instrumental)" (9:13)

CD: Mute / CDBong25X (EU)

# "Barrel of a Gun" (5:29)
# "Painkiller" (7:29)
# "Barrel of a Gun (Underworld Soft Mix)" (6:29)
# "Barrel of a Gun (One Inch Punch Mix)" (5:25)
# "Barrel of a Gun (Underworld Hard Mix)" (9:37)
# "Barrel of a Gun (United Mix)" (6:36)
# "Barrel of a Gun (3 Phase Mix)" (5:23)
# "Painkiller (Plastikman Mix)" (8:39)
# "Barrel of a Gun (One Inch Punch Mix V2)" (5:28)
*The third CD is the 2004 re-release

CD: Sire/Reprise / 2-17409 (US)

# "Barrel of a Gun" (5:29)
# "Barrel of a Gun (United Mix)" (6:36)
# "Painkiller" (7:29)

CD: Sire/Reprise / 43828-2 (US)

# "Barrel of a Gun" (5:29)
# "Painkiller (Plastikman Mix)" (8:39)
# "Barrel of a Gun (Underworld Soft Mix)" (6:27)
# "Barrel of a Gun (One Inch Punch Mix V2)" (5:25)
# "Barrel of a Gun (Underworld Hard Mix)" (9:36)
*"One Inch Punch Mix V2" was falsely mistaken for the regular "One Inch Punch Mix". The latter was not released in the USA till the 2004 re-release.

CD: Sire/Reprise / PRO-CD-8600 (US)

# "Barrel of a Gun (Radio Edit)" (4:01)
# "Barrel of a Gun" (5:29)
*All songs written by Martin L. Gore

External links

* [http://archives.depechemode.com/discography/singles/36_barrelofagun.html Single information from the official Depeche Mode web site]