Depeche Mode “People Are People” b/w “In Your Memory” 1984. Yesterday, July 23rd, was Depeche Mode’s primary songwriter, occasional vocalist, guitarist and (one of a few) keyboardist Martin Gore’s birthday (b. 1961). Written by Gore, “People Are People”  was the first single released from Some Great Reward and was DM’s first big hit in the US: released in July of ‘84 it finally hit #13 in the US in the spring of ‘85. I loved loved loved this industrial new wave synthpop song and its video, which had heavy rotation on MTV back when I watched obsessively for this and other new wave tracks. Apparently the band has had a different opinion of the song in years since, expressing embarrassment about the naive sociopolitical lyrics. However, as Allmusic states, “Musically, the explicit use of sampled metallic crashes and detailed production throughout makes the song one of the strongest incorporations of industrial music techniques in a more listener-friendly manner.”

The B-side, “In Your Memory,” was written by Alan Wilder and it appeared on the 2006 re-release DVD/CD bundle of Some Great Reward. Like “People Are People” the B-side track is tinged with pipe-clanking industrial effects to a danceable beat.