Barrel of a Gun (Depeche Mode song)

"Barrel of a Gun"
Single by Depeche Mode
from the album Ultra
B-side	"Painkiller"
Released	3 February 1997
Format	Vinyl record 7", 12", CD
Recorded	1996 Abbey Road, Eastcote, Westside, Strongroom, RAK, London Electric Lady, New York Larrabee West, Los Angeles
Genre	Dance-rock,[1] industrial rock
Length	5:35 (album version) 5:29 (single version) 4:00 (radio edit)
Label	Mute
Writer(s)	Martin Gore
Producer(s)	Tim Simenon
Depeche Mode singles chronology
"In Your Room" (1994) "Barrel of a Gun" (1997) "It's No Good" (1997)

"Barrel of a Gun" is Depeche Mode's 31st UK single, released on 3 February 1997 (28 January in the US), and the first single from the band's ninth studio 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. Lead singer Dave Gahan entered the hospital briefly in August 1995 after slashing his wrists in a suicide attempt, thought to be a result of his long battle with heroin addiction. In May 1996, Gahan overdosed on a speedball at the Sunset Marquis Hotel in Los Angeles, which resulted in his heart stopping for two minutes until he was revived by paramedics. The lyrics are thought to be an allusion to these events (and perhaps, how the media had portrayed Gahan at the time).

Martin Gore had a string of seizures as well as battling alcoholism, and Andy Fletcher was suffering from depression. In mid-1996, Gore tried to get Gahan and Fletcher interested in recording new Depeche Mode material by writing a few songs to promote interest in working together again. It worked, and the band were back together, except now as a trio again—the first time since 1982's A Broken Frame.

"Barrel of a Gun" brings back the industrial music sound, and is one of the band's darkest songs. Gore wasn't sure if it was going to be a big hit, and was reluctant to recommend this song as the first single. Gore did eventually recommend the song and it turned out the rest of band, Daniel Miller, and producer Tim Simenon agreed. It reached number 4 in the UK singles chart in 1997, which at the time was their highest chart position jointly with "People Are People", released in 1984. Since then, "Precious" has also reached number 4 in the UK, in 2005.

The B-side is a 7+ minute instrumental called "Painkiller", which reflects the new dirty-electronic, vaguely rock angle of the band. 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 Gahan with long hair singing with his eyes closed, with eyeballs drawn on his eyelids to make it seem like they are open. The video was shot in Morocco.

Track listings

	Depeche Mode "Barrel of a Gun" (1997) 30 second sample from Depeche Mode's "Barrel of a Gun".
Problems playing this file? See media help.

12": Mute / 12Bong25 (UK)

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

12": Mute / L12Bong25 (UK)

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

CD: Mute / CDBong25 (UK)

1. "Barrel of a Gun" (5:29)
2. "Painkiller" (7:29)
3. "Barrel of a Gun (Underworld Soft Mix)" (6:29)
4. "Barrel of a Gun (One Inch Punch Mix)" (5:25)

CD: Mute / LCDBong25 (UK)

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

CD: Mute / CDBong25X (EU)

1. "Barrel of a Gun" (5:29)
2. "Painkiller" (7:29)
3. "Barrel of a Gun (Underworld Soft Mix)" (6:29)
4. "Barrel of a Gun (One Inch Punch Mix)" (5:25)
5. "Barrel of a Gun (Underworld Hard Mix)" (9:37)
6. "Barrel of a Gun (United Mix)" (6:36)
7. "Painkiller (Plastikman Mix)" (8:39)
8. "Barrel of a Gun (3 Phase Mix)" (5:23)
9. "Barrel of a Gun (One Inch Punch Mix V2)" (5:28)

• This CD is the 2004 re-release

Promo 12": Mute / P12Bong25 (UK)

1. "Barrel of a Gun (Underworld Hard Mix)" (9:37)
2. "Painkiller (Plastikman Mix)" (8:39)
3. "Barrel of a Gun" (5:29)
4. "Barrel of a Gun (Underworld Hard Instrumental)" (9:13)

Promo 12": Mute / PL12Bong25 (UK)

1. "Barrel of a Gun (One Inch Punch Mix V2)" (5:25)
2. "Painkiller (Original Mix)" (5:26)
3. "Barrel of a Gun (3 Phase Mix)" (5:29)
4. "Barrel of a Gun (Original Mix)" (5:35)

Promo CD: Mute / RCDBong25 (UK)

1. "Barrel of a Gun (Radio Edit)" (4:01)
2. "Barrel of a Gun (Album Version)" (5:29)

7": Reprise / 17390-7 (US)

1. "Barrel Of A Gun" (5:30)
2. "Painkiller" (7:28)

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

1. "Barrel of a Gun" (5:29)
2. "Barrel of a Gun (United Mix)" (6:36)
3. "Painkiller" (7:29)

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

1. "Barrel of a Gun" (5:29)
2. "Painkiller (Plastikman Mix)" (8:39)
3. "Barrel of a Gun (Underworld Soft Mix)" (6:27)
4. "Barrel of a Gun (One Inch Punch Mix V2)" (5:25)
5. "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 US till the 2004 re-release.

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

1. "Barrel of a Gun (Radio Edit)" (4:01)
2. "Barrel of a Gun" (5:29)

• All songs written by Martin L. Gore.

Charts

References

External links

• Single information from the official Depeche Mode web site
• Allmusic review
• LYRICS