"Enjoy the Silence" is a song by English

electronic music Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroac ...

band

Depeche Mode Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in Basildon, Essex, in 1980. The band currently consists of Dave Gahan (lead vocals and co-songwriting) and Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, co-lead vocals and main songwriting). Depeche ...

. Recorded in 1989, it was released as the second single from their seventh studio album, '' Violator'' (1990), on 5 February 1990. The single is certified Gold in the US and Germany. The song won Best British Single at the

1991 Brit Awards Brit Awards 1991 was the 11th edition of the Brit Awards, an annual pop music awards ceremony in the United Kingdom. It was organised by the British Phonographic Industry and took place on 10 February 1991 at Dominion Theatre in London. It was ...

. "Enjoy the Silence" was re-released as a single in 2004 for the Depeche Mode remix project ''

Remixes 81–04 ''Remixes 81–04'' is a remix album by English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 25 October 2004. It was the band's first release since Daniel Miller's independent label Mute Records was acquired by industry major EMI in 2002. I ...

'', and was titled "Enjoy the Silence (Reinterpreted)" or, more simply, " Enjoy the Silence 04".

Background

Songwriter

Martin Gore Martin Lee Gore (born 23 July 1961) is an English songwriter, musician, singer, record producer and DJ. He is one of the founding members of the electronic rock band Depeche Mode and is the band's main songwriter. He is the band's guitarist an ...

created a ballad-like first version of the song, which the band took into the studio in 1989. At band member

Alan Wilder Alan Charles Wilder (born 1 June 1959) is an English musician, composer, arranger, record producer and former member of the electronic band Depeche Mode from 1982 to 1995. Since his departure from the band, the musical project called Recoil b ...

's insistence, the song was re-worked into the up-tempo version released on the album.

Release

"Enjoy the Silence" was released as a single on 5 February 1990. It was initially released as a

7-inch In music, a single is a type of release, typically a song recording of fewer tracks than an LP record or an album. One can be released for sale to the public in a variety of formats. In most cases, a single is a song that is released separate ...

and

12-inch The twelve-inch single (often written as 12-inch or 12″) is a type of vinyl ( polyvinyl chloride or PVC) gramophone record that has wider groove spacing and shorter playing time with a 'single' or a few related sound tracks on each surfac ...

vinyl single as well as a

cassette Cassette may refer to: Technology * Cassette tape (or ''musicassette'', ''audio cassette'', ''cassette tape'', or ''tape''), a worldwide standard for analog audio recording and playback ** Cassette single (or "Cassingle"), a music single in the ...

and

CD single A CD single (sometimes abbreviated to CDS) is a music single in the form of a compact disc. The standard in the Red Book for the term ''CD single'' is an 8 cm (3-inch) CD (or Mini CD). It now refers to any single recorded onto a CD of any si ...

. There are two instrumental

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

s to "Enjoy the Silence". "Sibeling" (the 12" B-side) is a soft piano-tune while "Memphisto" (the 7" B-side) is a darker, eerier track. The title of "Sibeling" refers to

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

classical

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

Jean Sibelius Jean Sibelius ( ; ; born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius; 8 December 186520 September 1957) was a Finnish composer of the late Romantic and 20th-century classical music, early-modern periods. He is widely regarded as his country's greatest com ...

. According to Martin Gore, "Memphisto is the name of an imaginary film about

Elvis Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

as a

Devil A devil is the personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conceptions of t ...

, that I created in my mind", and is a

portmanteau A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of wordsGraceland Graceland is a mansion on a estate in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, which was once owned by rock and roll icon Elvis Presley. His daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, inherited Graceland after his death in 1977. Graceland is located at 3764 Elv ...

) and "Mephisto". "Enjoy the Silence" was Depeche Mode's highest charting single in the United States, peaking at number eight on the

Billboard Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...

in July 1990.

Critical reception

Andy Healy from Albumism wrote that the song "combined much loved elements of lush synth beds, haunting melodies, and aching lyrics, which coalesced with

house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...

beats and slick guitar lines." He added, "

Gahan Gahan (and its variant Gahame) is a surname with several different origins. One origin of the surname is from a reduced form of '' McGahan'', which is in turn an Anglicised form of the Irish language '' Mac Eacháin'', meaning "son of ''Eachá ...

's vocals are intimate and seductive as they draw you in, with lyrics that examine the quiet satisfaction of a relationship, those tender moments when silence fills the void and your lover is in your arms and the world ceases to exist. There was something inviting. Something powerful in those declarations. Something that you could latch on to and feel a part of."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

editor Tim Di Gravina stated that it is one of

's "greatest songs", with a "pristine and lush yet punishing musical environment", and "lyrics of violence and darkness". Bill Coleman from ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' called it an "engaging charmer" and a "more radio-viable effort" than the group's last hit, "

Personal Jesus "Personal Jesus" is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was released as the lead single from their seventh studio album, '' Violator'' (1990), in 1989. It reached No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 28 on the ''Billbo ...

". He noted further that the track "blends hequintet's recognizable

techno-pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...

melodies with trendy

grooves." David Giles from ''

Music Week ''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future. History Founded in 1959 as '' Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music W ...

'' commented, "The best Depeche Mode single in years heralds a return to the classic pop approach of their early Eighties hits like

Everything Counts "Everything Counts" is a 1983 song by the English electronic band Depeche Mode from the album ''Construction Time Again''. A live version of the song was released in 1989 to support the band's live album '' 101''. Background and themes The sin ...

in contrast to the electro beat obsession of recent recordings. The song itself is heavily to the fore here, and strong enough, perhaps to furnish the band with their first number one hit." A reviewer from ''

People Magazine ''People'' is an American weekly magazine that specializes in celebrity news and human-interest stories. It is published by Dotdash Meredith, a subsidiary of IAC (company), IAC. With a readership of 46.6 million adults in 2009, ''People ...

'' said the song is "enriched", "with a strong bass and percussive bottom overwhelming the band’s penchant for thin, ethereal synthesizer motifs." Stephen Gore from

Sputnik Music Sputnikmusic is an American music community website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites. The format of the website is unusual in that it includes both professional and amateur c ...

noted the juxtaposition on ''Violator'' between "Enjoy the Silence" – where the narrator wants silence from the world as words are "like violence" – and the next song "Policy of Truth", which argues that a successful relationship can only be based on lies.

Music videos

Original versions

The

Anton Corbijn Anton Johannes Gerrit Corbijn van Willenswaard (; born 20 May 1955) is a Dutch photographer, film director and music video director. He is the creative director behind the visual output of Depeche Mode and U2,Pitman, Joanna"The silent partner"' ...

-directed

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...

for "Enjoy the Silence" references the themes and storyline of the philosophical children's book ''

The Little Prince ''The Little Prince'' (french: Le Petit Prince, ) is a novella by French aristocrat, writer, and military pilot Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. It was first published in English and French in the United States by Reynal & Hitchcock in April 1943 an ...

'' from

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Antoine Marie Jean-Baptiste Roger, comte de Saint-Exupéry, simply known as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (, , ; 29 June 1900 – 31 July 1944), was a French writer, poet, aristocrat, journalist and pioneering aviator. He became a laureate of s ...

. Footage of

Dave Gahan Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...

dressed as a stereotypical king wandering the hillsides of the

Scottish Highlands The Highlands ( sco, the Hielands; gd, a’ Ghàidhealtachd , 'the place of the Gaels') is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Sco ...

, the coast of the

Algarve The Algarve (, , ; from ) is the southernmost NUTS II region of continental Portugal. It has an area of with 467,495 permanent inhabitants and incorporates 16 municipalities ( ''concelhos'' or ''municípios'' in Portuguese). The region has it ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

and finally the

Swiss Alps The Alpine region of Switzerland, conventionally referred to as the Swiss Alps (german: Schweizer Alpen, french: Alpes suisses, it, Alpi svizzere, rm, Alps svizras), represents a major natural feature of the country and is, along with the Swiss ...

with a

deck chair A deckchair (or deck chair) is a folding chair, usually with a frame of treated wood or other material. The term now usually denotes a portable folding chair, with a single strip of fabric or vinyl forming the backrest and seat. It is meant f ...

is intercut with black-and-white footage of the band posing. Brief flashes of a single rose (which is also on the album cover of '' Violator'') appear throughout the scenes. When Corbijn presented the concept of the video to the band, which at the time was simply "Dave dressed up as a king, walking around with a deck chair", they initially rejected it. They changed their minds, when he explained that the idea was that the King (Dave) represented "a man with everything in the world, just looking for a quiet place to sit"; a king of no kingdom.

Andy Fletcher Andrew Fletcher may refer to: Government * Andrew Fletcher, Lord Innerpeffer (died 1650), Scottish judge * Andrew Fletcher (patriot) (1655–1716), Scottish writer, politician and patriot * Andrew Fletcher, British Member of Parliament for Haddin ...

jokes that he favoured the video because " eonly had to do about an hour's worth of work". The video uses a slightly different mix of the album version of the song (the most notable difference being a new and extended introduction) that has not been released in any audio format. The final long shots of the king walking through the snow are not Gahan but rather the video's producer, Richard Bell. Gahan had left the set, tired of the cold in Switzerland (recounted by Gahan in the intro to ''

The Videos (86-98) The Videos can refer to the following: *'' The Videos, Vol. 1'', compilation by Winger * ''The Videos'' (Brandy compilation) * ''The Videos'' (Dannii Minogue) * ''The Videos'' (Kylie Minogue VHS) * ''The Videos'' (Nickelback DVD) * ''The Videos'' ( ...

'' and to the DVD of ''

The Best of Depeche Mode Volume 1 ''The Best of Depeche Mode Volume 1'' is a greatest hits album by English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 8 November 2006 by Mute Records. The album consists of select Depeche Mode singles from their then-25-year career, as wel ...

''). There are two edited versions of the Corbijn-directed video. One version begins with Andy Fletcher looking towards his right as the song begins. Shots of Dave Gahan dressed as a king singing directly to the camera are intercut with scenes of his walking through the Scottish Highlands, the coast of Portugal and the Swiss Alps. The video ends with Gahan singing the last line, "Enjoy the silence", then putting his finger in front of his lips as if to quiet the viewer. The second version begins with Martin Gore looking to his right as the song begins. This version omits the shots of Gahan singing directly to the camera. In this version, the only lines Gahan is shown singing are "Words are very unnecessary/They can only do harm." The video ends with Gahan sitting on a deck chair in the snow while the last line, "Enjoy the silence", is sung. There are also differences in the group shots of the band standing together between the two versions.

Promotional video

On 2 December 1989, "Enjoy the Silence" was performed live on ''Peter's Pop Show'' in Germany. On 19 December 1989, a promotional single for "Enjoy the Silence" was pressed. In 1990, a promotional video for "Enjoy the Silence" was shot by French TV (for the TV Show "Champs-Élysées" with

Michel Drucker Michel Drucker, CQ (born 12 September 1942 in Vire) is a popular French journalist and TV host. He has been on screen for so long on various shows and different networks, both public and private, that he once said that some people joked that h ...

) featuring Depeche Mode

lip-synching Lip sync or lip synch (pronounced , the same as the word ''sink'', short for lip synchronization) is a technical term for matching a speaking or singing person's lip movements with sung or spoken vocals. Audio for lip syncing is generated thr ...

the song while standing on the observation deck atop the South Tower of the original

World Trade Center World Trade Centers are sites recognized by the World Trade Centers Association. World Trade Center may refer to: Buildings * List of World Trade Centers * World Trade Center (2001–present), a building complex that includes five skyscrapers, a ...

Impact and legacy

Pitchfork Media ''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog. Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...

'' ranked "Enjoy the Silence" number 15 in their list of ''Top 200 Tracks of the 90s''. ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'' included it in their list of ''500 Best Songs of All Time'' in 2021 at No. 415.

Track listing

7": Cassette: Mute / Bong18, CBong18 (UK) # "Enjoy the Silence" – 4:15 # "Memphisto" – 4:02 12": Mute / 12Bong18 (UK) # "Enjoy the Silence (7“ Version)" – 4:15 # "Enjoy the Silence (Hands and Feet Mix/12“ Version)" – 7:18 # "Enjoy the Silence (Ecstatic Dub)" – 5:54 # "Sibeling" – 3:14 12": Mute / L12Bong18 (UK) # "Enjoy the Silence (Bass Line)" – 7:40 # "Enjoy the Silence (Harmonium)" – 2:41 # "Enjoy the Silence (Ricki Tik Tik Mix)" – 5:27 # "Memphisto" – 4:05 12": Mute / XL12Bong18 (UK) # "Enjoy the Silence (The Quad: Final Mix)" – 15:30 CD: Mute / CDBong18 (UK) # "Enjoy the Silence" – 4:16 # "Enjoy the Silence (Hands and Feet Mix 3" Edit)" – 6:41 # "Enjoy the Silence (Ecstatic Dub Edit)" – 5:45 # "Sibeling" – 3:15 * released as 3" CD, rereleases as 5" CD CD: Mute / LCDBong18 (UK) # "Enjoy the Silence (Bass Line)" – 7:40 # "Enjoy the Silence (Harmonium)" – 2:41 # "Enjoy the Silence (Ricki Tik Tik Mix)" – 5:27 # "Memphisto" – 4:05 * released as 3" CD CD: Mute / XLCDBong18 (UK) # "Enjoy the Silence (The Quad: Final Mix)" – 15:27 Promo CD: Sire/Reprise / PRO-CD-3976 (US) # "Enjoy the Silence" – 4:18 # "Enjoy the Silence (Hands and Feet Mix)" – 7:20 # "Enjoy the Silence (Bass Line)" – 7:40 CD: Mute / CDBong18X (EU) # "Enjoy the Silence" – 4:15 # "Memphisto" – 4:02 # "Enjoy the Silence (Hands and Feet Mix 3" Edit)" – 6:41 # "Enjoy the Silence (Ecstatic Dub Edit)" – 5:45 # "Sibeling" – 3:15 # "Enjoy the Silence (Bass Line)" – 7:42 # "Enjoy the Silence (Harmonium)" – 2:41 # "Enjoy the Silence (Ricki Tik Tik Mix

romo Version Romantic Modernism, more commonly known as Romo, was a musical and nightclubbing movement, of Glam rock, glam/style pop lineage, in the UK circa 1995–1997, centred on the twin homes of Camden-based clubnight Club Skinny and its West End clo ...

" – 5:59 # "Enjoy the Silence (The Quad: Final Mix)" – 15:30 * This CD is the 2004 box set re-release Promo 12": Mute / P12Bong18 (UK) # "Enjoy the Silence (Bass Line)" – 7:40 # "Enjoy the Silence (Ricki Tik Tik Mix

" – 6:41 # "Enjoy the Silence" – 4:15 Promo CD: Mute / CDBong18R (UK) # "Enjoy the Silence" – 4:15 # "Memphisto" – 4:02 12"/Cassette: Sire/Reprise / 0-21490 / 4-21490 (US) # "Enjoy the Silence (The Quad: Final Mix)" – 15:27 # "Enjoy the Silence (Ecstatic Dub)" – 5:54 # "Enjoy the Silence (Bass Line)" – 7:40 # "Enjoy the Silence (Hands and Feet Mix)" – 7:20 # "Memphisto" – 4:05 CD: Sire/Reprise / 21490-2 (US) # "Enjoy the Silence" – 4:15 # "Enjoy the Silence (Hands and Feet Mix)" – 7:18 # "Sibeling" – 3:15 # "Enjoy the Silence (Bass Line)" – 7:40 # "Enjoy the Silence (Ecstatic Dub)" – 5:54 # "Memphisto" – 4:02 # "Enjoy the Silence (Ricki Tik Tik Mix)" – 5:27 # "Enjoy the Silence (Harmonium)" – 2:41

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Sales and certifications

"Enjoy the Silence 04"

"Enjoy the Silence" was re-released as a single on 18 October 2004 for the remix project ''

'' and was entitled "Enjoy the Silence (Reinterpreted)", or "Enjoy the Silence 04". The "Reinterpreted" version was remixed by

Mike Shinoda Michael Kenji Shinoda (; ja, 篠田賢治, Shinoda Kenji; born February 11, 1977) is an American musician, singer, rapper, songwriter and record producer. He co-founded the rock band Linkin Park in 1996 and was the band's collaborative vocali ...

, the rapper and producer for the

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

band

Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. The band's current lineup comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Mike Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave Farrell, DJ/turntablist Joe Hahn and drummer ...

, who played most of the instruments.

Track listings

CD: Mute / CDBong34 (EU) # "Enjoy the Silence (Reinterpreted)" – 3:32 # "Halo (

Goldfrapp Goldfrapp are an English electronic music duo from London, formed in 1999. The duo consists of Alison Goldfrapp (vocals, synthesiser) and Will Gregory (synthesiser). Despite favourable reviews and a short-listing for the Mercury Prize, their ...

Remix)" – 4:22 CD: Mute / LCDBong34 (EU) # "Enjoy the Silence (

Timo Maas Timo Maas (born July 27, 1969, Bückeburg, West Germany) is a German DJ/ producer and remixer whose career in electronic music spans well over 30 years. His remix of Azzido Da Bass's single "Dooms Night" helped launch his career in 2000. In ...

Extended Remix)" – 8:41 # "Enjoy the Silence (

Ewan Pearson Ewan Pearson (born 1 April 1972) is an English electronic music producer/remixer who works under various aliases including Maas, Sulky Pup, Villa America, World of Apples, and Dirtbox. He is also in Partial Arts with Al Usher. He has remixed ...

Remix

adio Edit Adio may refer to: Business *Adio (company), the former skateboard footwear and apparel company Music Songs * "Adio" (song), a song by Montenegrin recording artist Knez that represented Montenegro at the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 *"Adio", a 19 ...

" – 3:33 # "Something to Do (

Black Strobe Black Strobe (sometimes Blackstrobe) is an electroclash group formed in Paris in 1997 by record producer Arnaud Rebotini and DJ Ivan Smagghe. They were instrumental in the rise of the electroclash movement in the UK with their breakthrough single ...

Remix)" – 7:11 CD: Mute / XLCDBong34 (EU) # "Enjoy the Silence (

Richard X Richard Philips, better known by his stage name Richard X, is a British songwriter and music producer. Gaining attention as a pioneer of the bootleg craze, Richard X has earned success as a producer and remixer. He has helmed hit singles for arti ...

Extended Mix)" – 8:22 # "Enjoy the Silence (

Extended Remix)" – 8:39 # "World in My Eyes (

Cicada The cicadas () are a superfamily, the Cicadoidea, of insects in the order Hemiptera (true bugs). They are in the suborder Auchenorrhyncha, along with smaller jumping bugs such as leafhoppers and froghoppers. The superfamily is divided into two ...

Remix)" – 6:18 # "Mercy in You (The BRAT Mix)" – 7:03 12": Mute / 12Bong34 (EU) # "Enjoy the Silence (Timo Maas Extended Remix)" – 8:41 # "Enjoy the Silence (

Extended Remix)" – 8:39 12": Mute / L12Bong34 (EU) # "Something to Do (Black Strobe Remix)" – 7:11 # "World in My Eyes (Cicada Remix)" – 6:18 # "Photographic (

Rex the Dog Jake Williams (born 1974) is a British electronic music producer and remixer, who currently records as Rex the Dog. Rex the Dog currently releases on Kompakt Records. As Rex the Dog, Williams is a proponent of DIY electronics and performs live ...

Dubb Mix)" – 6:20 12": Mute / XL12Bong34 (EU) # "Halo (Goldfrapp Remix)" – 4:22 # "Clean ( Colder Version)" – 7:09 # "Little 15 (

Ulrich Schnauss Ulrich Schnauss (born 1977) is a German electronic musician and producer based in London, England. He is best known for being a member of Tangerine Dream from 2014 to 2020. Biography Ulrich Schnauss was born in the northern German seaport of ...

Remix)" – 4:52 Promo 2x12": Mute / P12Bong34 (EU) # "Enjoy the Silence (Timo Maas Extended Remix)" – 8:41 # "Enjoy the Silence (

Extended Remix)" – 8:39 # "Enjoy the Silence (Richard X Extended Mix)" - 8:22 # "Enjoy the Silence (

Extended Instrumental)" - 8:35 Promo 12": Mute / PL12Bong34 (EU) # "Something to Do (Black Strobe Remix)" – 7:11 # "World in My Eyes (Cicada Remix)" – 6:18 # "Photographic (

Dubb Mix)" – 6:20 Promo 12": Mute / PXL12Bong34 (EU) # "Halo (Goldfrapp Remix)" – 4:22 # "Clean ( Colder Version)" – 7:09 # "Little 15 (

Remix)" – 4:52 Radio Promo CD: Mute / RCDBong34 (EU) # "Enjoy the Silence (Reinterpreted By Mike Shinoda)" – 3:32 # "Enjoy the Silence (Richard X Mix)" – 3:30 # "Enjoy the Silence (Ewan Pearson Remix (Radio Edit))" – 3:33 12": Reprise / 42757-0 (US) # "Enjoy the Silence (Timo Maas Extended Remix)" – 8:41 # "Enjoy the Silence (

Extended Remix)" – 8:39 # "Enjoy the Silence (Richard X Extended Mix)" – 8:22 # "World in My Eyes (Cicada Remix)" – 6:18 CD: Reprise / 42757-2 (US) # "Enjoy the Silence (Reinterpreted)" – 3:32 # "Enjoy the Silence (Timo Maas Extended Remix)" – 8:41 # "Enjoy the Silence (

Extended Remix)" – 8:39 # "Enjoy the Silence (Richard X Extended Mix)" – 8:22 # "World in My Eyes (Cicada Remix)" – 6:18 # "Something to Do (Black Strobe Remix)" – 7:11 Promo 12": Reprise / PRO-A-101419A (US) # "Enjoy the Silence (Reinterpreted)" – 3:32 # "Nothing (Headcleanr Rock Mix)" – 3:30 # "Halo (Goldfrapp Remix)" – 4:22 Promo 2x12": Reprise / PRO-A-101430 (US) # "Enjoy the Silence (Reinterpreted)" – 3:32 # "Enjoy the Silence (Ewan Pearson Extended Remix)" – 8:39 # "Enjoy the Silence (Richard X Extended Mix)" – 8:22 # "Enjoy the Silence (Timo Maas Extended Remix)" – 8:41 # "World in My Eyes (Cicada Remix)" – 6:18 # "Something to Do (Black Strobe Remix)" – 7:11 Promo CD: Reprise / PRO-CDR-101419 (US) # "Enjoy the Silence (Reinterpreted)" – 3:33 # "Nothing (Headcleanr Rock Mix)" – 3:31 # "Halo (Goldfrapp Remix)" – 4:22

Personnel

* Dave Gahan - lead vocals *

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

guitars The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

, bass, drums,

synthesizer A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...

s * Martin Gore - guitars, backing vocals *

Rob Bourdon Robert Gregory Bourdon (born January 20, 1979) is an American musician, best known as the drummer and co-founding member of the American rock band Linkin Park. Early life Bourdon was born in Calabasas, California. He received classical piano le ...

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

Music video

's "Enjoy the Silence 04" was a distortion guitar-driven version of the song, in which he imprinted

's distinctive

nu metal Nu metal (sometimes stylized as nü-metal, sometimes called aggro-metal) is a subgenre of that combines elements of heavy metal music with elements of other music genres such as hip hop, alternative rock, funk, industrial, and grunge. Nu met ...

sound. Its animated music video was directed by

Uwe Flade Uwe Flade is a German music video director and entrepreneur. He has directed videos for many artists, such as a-ha, Depeche Mode, Franz Ferdinand, Apocalyptica, Westbam, Volbeat, In Extremo, Nickelback and Rammstein Rammstein (, "ramming stone" ...

. Monitors in the animation show performances of "Enjoy the Silence" excerpted from '' Devotional'' and '' One Night in Paris'', as well as footage from a concert from ''The Singles Tour'' filmed in Cologne in 1998 for MTV.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Notable cover versions

Tori Amos version

Tori Amos Tori Amos (born Myra Ellen Amos; August 22, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. She is a classically trained musician with a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Having already begun composing instrumental pieces on piano, Amos won a full ...

covered the song for her 2001 concept album ''

Strange Little Girls ''Strange Little Girls'' is a concept album released by singer-songwriter Tori Amos in 2001. The album's 12 tracks are covers of songs written and originally performed by men, reinterpreted by Amos from a female point of view. Amos created f ...

''.

Stereogum ''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine. ''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several award ...

listed Tori's version as one of the 8 most memorable Depeche Mode covers.

Lacuna Coil version

"Enjoy the Silence" is the second single by

Lacuna Coil Lacuna Coil is an Italian gothic metal band from Milan. Since their formation in 1994, the group has had two name changes, being previously known as Sleep of Right and Ethereal, and they have recorded nine studio albums, two extended plays, two ...

from their album ''

Karmacode ''Karmacode'' is the fourth studio album by Italian gothic metal band Lacuna Coil, released on 31 March 2006 in several countries in Europe, 3 April in the UK and other European countries, 4 April in North America, and 5 April in several other E ...

''. It made the ''

New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com. It was established ...

''s Top 100 Cover Songs list.

Music video

There is a UK version of the video and an international one. Both videos, shot with "Closer" music video on 12 March 2006, came out in June 2006, include the band performing in a dark room, but aside from that the UK version shows live clips of the

London Forum The O Forum Kentish Town is a concert venue in Kentish Town, London, England owned by MAMA & Company, and originally built in 1934. History The venue was built in 1934 and was originally used as an art deco cinema. After the cinema was close ...

show, while the international one shows scenes of a city (

Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...

), the countryside, and a bay.

Charts

Track listings

There are three "volumes" of the single. ;Volume I # "Enjoy the Silence" – 4:08 # "The Edge" (live) – 3:28 # "Fragile" (live) – 4:40 # "Video Interview" (enhanced video) ;Volume II # "Enjoy the Silence" # "To the Edge" (live) # "Fragile" (live) # "Tight Rope" (live) ;Volume III (picture disc) # "Enjoy the Silence" # "Silence" ;Digital single # "Enjoy the Silence" – 4:06 # "Virtual Environment" – 5:23 # "To the Edge" (live) – 3:28 # "Fragile" (live) – 4:40 # "Tight Rope" (live) – 4:54 # "Enjoy the Silence" (live) – 4:22

Other cover versions

The only other version to be a hit single in the UK was by

Mike Koglin Mike may refer to: Animals * Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum * Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off * Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and documen ...

. Slightly re-titled as "The Silence", it reached number 20 in 1998. Besides this, a cover by

Breaking Benjamin Breaking Benjamin is an American Rock music, rock band from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, formed in 1999 by lead singer and guitarist Benjamin Burnley and drummer Jeremy Hummel. The first lineup of the band also included guitarist Aaron Fink an ...

was featured in their compilation album Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin.

References

External links

Single information from the official Depeche Mode web site

Allmusic review

Enjoy the Silence
arranged by

Eric Whitacre Eric Edward Whitacre (born January2, 1970) is an American composer, conductor, and speaker best known for his choral music. In March2016, he was appointed as Los Angeles Master Chorale's first artist-in-residence at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. ...

for SATB
Single information from the official Depeche Mode web site
{{authority control 1989 songs 1990 singles Brit Award for British Single Depeche Mode songs Songs written by Martin Gore Song recordings produced by Flood (producer) Music videos directed by Anton Corbijn Mute Records singles Number-one singles in Spain Number-one singles in Denmark 2004 singles Songs written by Mike Shinoda 2006 singles Lacuna Coil songs UK Independent Singles Chart number-one singles