Everything Counts
"Everything Counts" is a song by the English electronic band Depeche Mode, written by band member Martin L. Gore and released on 11 July 1983 as the lead single from their third studio album, Construction Time Again.[1][2] Produced by Depeche Mode and Daniel Miller at The Garden Studios in London, the track features a distinctive sampled industrial percussion sound, marking an evolution in the band's sound toward a more experimental and percussion-driven style.[1] The lyrics serve as a sharp critique of capitalism and corporate greed, with imagery of "grabbing hands" and insincere business deals underscoring the competitive, self-serving nature of commerce in the 1980s economic climate.[3] The song's chorus, repeating "Everything counts in large amounts," encapsulates this theme of quantification and exploitation in business transactions.[3] Accompanied by a music video directed by Clive Richardson and filmed on location in West Berlin, the visual emphasizes the band's performance amid urban industrial settings, enhancing the track's gritty commentary.[4][5] Commercially, "Everything Counts" became one of Depeche Mode's early hits, peaking at number 6 on the UK Singles Chart and reaching number 17 on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.[6][7] The single was issued in multiple formats, including 7-inch and 12-inch vinyl editions with B-sides like "Work Hard" (co-written by Gore and Alan Wilder), contributing to its promotion of the album's themes of labor and industry.[2] A live version recorded during the 1988 Music for the Masses Tour at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena was released as a single on 13 February 1989 to promote the concert album 101, charting at number 22 in the UK. Over the years, the song has been recognized as a pivotal track in Depeche Mode's discography, exemplifying their transition from synth-pop to more socially conscious electronic music and remaining a staple in their live performances.[8] Its enduring popularity is evident in its inclusion on compilations like The Singles 81→85 and frequent rankings among the band's top songs.[8]Background and development
Writing and inspiration
"Everything Counts" was composed by Martin Gore, who had assumed the role of Depeche Mode's primary songwriter following Vince Clarke's departure from the band in late 1981. This transition positioned Gore as the chief creative force for the group's second album, A Broken Frame (1982), and continued into their third effort, Construction Time Again (1983), where "Everything Counts" served as the lead single. Gore wrote the track in 1983 amid the band's experimentation with a more rugged, industrial-leaning sound, moving away from their earlier synth-pop roots toward incorporating metallic percussion and sampled noises.[9] The song's development reflected the broader influences of emerging industrial music on Depeche Mode during their 1982–1983 period, a time marked by significant lineup changes that reshaped their artistic direction. Clarke's exit had left the core trio of Gore, Dave Gahan, and Andrew Fletcher seeking to evolve beyond lightweight pop, while the addition of multi-instrumentalist Alan Wilder in 1982 brought technical depth and a shared interest in experimental textures. This era drew inspiration from industrial pioneers, with Gore particularly citing the impact of attending a concert by Einstürzende Neubauten, whose unconventional use of industrial materials and noise influenced the album's sonic palette.[9] The band's exposure to acts like Cabaret Voltaire, through label head Daniel Miller's own affinities and the post-punk electronic scene, further encouraged this shift toward a darker, more percussive aesthetic.[10] Gore's songwriting process for "Everything Counts" began with basic home demos, typically sketched on acoustic guitar to test melodic viability before adapting them to synthesizers and rhythms.[11] The lyrics emerged from Gore's observations of economic disparity and transactional greed, sparked in part by the band's April 1983 tour stop in Bangkok, Thailand, where scenes of poverty amid commercial excess prompted reflections on global capitalism.[12] In a contemporary interview, Gore noted that the track's themes were partly inspired by this trip, infusing it with a subtle "oriental flavour" while critiquing the "grabbing hands" of profiteers.[13] This conceptual foundation aligned with Construction Time Again's overarching exploration of labor, industry, and societal inequities.Recording and production
The recording of "Everything Counts" took place at The Garden Studios in London from April to July 1983, with mixing completed at Hansa Mischraum in West Berlin.[14][15] The track was produced by Depeche Mode and label founder Daniel Miller, who provided oversight throughout the sessions, while Gareth Jones served as tonmeister and engineer, contributing to the album's polished yet innovative sound.[15][16] This period marked Depeche Mode's shift toward experimental production, emphasizing sampling techniques to incorporate industrial and found sounds, a departure from their earlier synth-pop reliance on purely synthesized elements.[17] Alan Wilder, newly integrated as a full band member, played a key role in sampling and engineering, enhancing the track's textural depth alongside Martin Gore's contributions on vocals and synthesizers, and Dave Gahan's lead vocals.[18] The distinctive industrial percussion was created by sampling sounds from striking metal scaffolding and other objects at a construction site.[9] For additional percussion, the song utilized samples from the E-mu Drumulator, providing a crisp, mechanical rhythm that underscored its rhythmic drive.[19] Layered synthesizers formed the core of the arrangement, adding metallic and evolving tones to the melody and accompaniment. Additional synth elements were likely drawn from a custom Synclavier II timbre, processed for the verse sections to create a distinctive, wavering texture.[19] The extended mix, clocking in at over six minutes, expanded the structure by repeating the chorus and bridge sections, allowing for greater emphasis on the sampled percussion and layered synth builds to heighten the track's hypnotic quality.[20]Composition and lyrics
Musical structure
"Everything Counts" is structured in a verse-chorus form typical of 1980s synth-pop, featuring an intro, two verses, pre-choruses, choruses, a bridge, and an outro, with the 7" single version clocking in at 3:58. The song is composed in the key of A minor and maintains a tempo of 114 beats per minute (BPM), contributing to its driving, mid-tempo energy suitable for dance floors.[21][22][23] The instrumentation centers on a prominent synthesized bassline that anchors the track, layered with sampled industrial percussion from custom recordings of metal objects like scaffolding, alongside elements from the E-mu Drumulator drum machine, creating a rhythmic foundation infused with metallic clangs and snaps. These industrial percussion samples were recorded by the band and producer Gareth Jones at a London builders' yard, striking materials like scaffolding to capture authentic metallic tones.[19][24] Arpeggiated synth melodies, played on synthesizers like the Synclavier II, weave through the arrangement, while Dave Gahan's baritone vocals provide a contrasting warmth over the electronic elements; acoustic samples such as xylophone and melodica add subtle textural depth.[19][24][25] The structural progression begins with an intro of stark metallic samples that build tension, transitioning into the first verse where the bassline and percussion establish the groove, leading to a pre-chorus synth swell that heightens anticipation before exploding into the hook-laden chorus. This pattern repeats for the second verse and chorus, with the bridge introducing a brief instrumental breakdown featuring layered arpeggios for variation, before the outro reprises the chorus motif fading on echoing synths.[22][26] From its initial demo stages, the song evolved through refinements in the final mix to emphasize the repetitive chorus hooks, tightening the arrangement for radio play; the 12" extended version, clocked at 7:20, expands this with additional instrumental breakdowns and extended percussion loops, allowing for deeper immersion in the synth patterns. Sampling techniques, such as processing industrial sounds for percussion, were key in shaping this evolution during production.[2][27]Thematic content
"Everything Counts," written by Martin Gore, presents a sharp critique of capitalism through its lyrics, which highlight the pervasive influence of bureaucracy and commodification in everyday interactions. The verses depict scenarios such as "the handshake seals the contract / From the contract there's no turning back" and "the turning point of a career / In Korea being insincere," illustrating how personal and professional relationships are reduced to transactional exchanges driven by self-interest. The iconic chorus, "The grabbing hands grab all they can / All for themselves, after all / It's a competitive world / Everything counts in large amounts," serves as a potent symbol of corporate greed, where success is measured solely in financial terms, underscoring the dehumanizing effects of unchecked ambition.[28][29] The song's themes extend to broader alienation in modern society, reflecting the socio-economic tensions of 1980s Britain under Margaret Thatcher's policies, which emphasized deregulation and individualism at the expense of social cohesion. Gore drew inspiration from stark contrasts in wealth he observed during the band's Asian tour, capturing a sense of disconnection in an era marked by economic inequality and the rise of yuppie culture. This aligns with Depeche Mode's growing interest in social commentary, using pop structures to probe deeper societal issues without overt preaching.[30] Tying into the industrial motifs of the parent album Construction Time Again, the lyrics portray the exploitation inherent in labor and production, mirroring the record's use of sampled factory and construction sounds to evoke the mechanized grind of industrial life. Gore has described the song's intent as highlighting how "everything counts" in a world dominated by monetary transactions, where even human connections become quantified and exploitative. This thematic thread reinforces the band's shift toward examining power dynamics and societal mechanization.[30]Release and promotion
Single formats
"Everything Counts" was initially released as a single on July 11, 1983, in the United Kingdom by Mute Records under catalog number BONG 3.[31] The United States release followed on November 2, 1983, distributed by Sire Records.[31] The single was available in multiple physical formats, including 7-inch and 12-inch vinyl, with a focus on providing both radio-friendly edits and extended mixes suitable for club play. The standard 7-inch vinyl format featured the single version of "Everything Counts" on the A-side and the non-album track "Work Hard," co-written by Alan Wilder and Martin L. Gore, on the B-side. This configuration was released across various international markets, including the UK (catalog 7 BONG 3), Germany (INT 111.812), and the US (7-29482), with minor variations in labeling and pressing.[20][2] Durations for this format were approximately 3:56 for "Everything Counts" and 4:22 for "Work Hard."[20]| Track | Title | Duration | Writer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Everything Counts | 3:56 | M. L. Gore |
| B | Work Hard | 4:22 | A. Wilder, M. L. Gore |
| Track | Title | Duration | Writer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Everything Counts (In Larger Amounts) | 7:19 | M. L. Gore |
| B | Work Hard (East End Remix) | 6:59 | A. Wilder, M. L. Gore |
Music videos
The music video for "Everything Counts," directed by Clive Richardson, was filmed in and around West Berlin in 1983. The band returned to Richardson for this project after expressing dissatisfaction with Julien Temple's direction of their previous videos from the A Broken Frame era. Produced to promote the single, the video aligns with Mute Records' emphasis on visually striking content that complements the band's electronic sound. In the video, Depeche Mode—dressed in formal suits—perform the song on a simple stage set against an industrial backdrop, with close-ups highlighting their synchronized movements and instrumentation, including xylophones and melodicas. This performance footage is intercut with surreal scenes of corporate life, such as office workers typing at desks, executives in suits shaking hands to seal deals, and individuals counting stacks of cash, directly visualizing the lyrics' critique of commercial greed and exploitative contracts. The color cinematography employs straightforward yet evocative imagery to underscore the song's themes without overt narrative complexity. The video played a key role in the single's promotion, appearing on the band's 1985 compilation Some Great Videos 81>85, which collected early promotional clips directed by Richardson and Peter Care. It achieved significant rotation on MTV during the 1980s, helping elevate Depeche Mode's visibility in the American market alongside tracks like "People Are People." Later remasters, including high-definition upscales, have preserved its aesthetic for digital platforms and reissues.Commercial performance
Chart positions
"Everything Counts" achieved significant commercial success upon its release in July 1983, particularly in the UK where it marked Depeche Mode's highest-charting single to date. The track entered the UK Singles Chart on 17 July 1983 at number 41 before climbing to its peak position of number 6 on 20 August 1983, spending a total of 8 weeks within the top 40.[33] It also ranked at number 75 on the UK year-end singles chart for 1983, reflecting its sustained popularity throughout the year.[34] Internationally, the single performed well across Europe and beyond, benefiting from strong radio airplay, the innovative music video directed by Clive Richardson—which emphasized industrial themes aligning with the song's lyrics—and synergy with the parent album Construction Time Again, which itself charted moderately in several markets. In Ireland, it peaked at number 15 on the Irish Singles Chart after entering on 31 July 1983.[35] In West Germany, the song reached number 23 on the Media Control Singles Chart, maintaining a presence for 17 weeks.[36] On the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, it peaked at number 17, highlighting its appeal in club and alternative scenes.[37] The single also secured top-30 positions in several other regions, underscoring Depeche Mode's growing global reach during this period. In Switzerland, it attained a peak of number 8; in Sweden, number 18; in South Africa, number 20, where it charted for 7 weeks; in Australia, number 50; and in New Zealand, number 27.[37]| Country | Chart | Peak Position | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | UK Singles Chart | 6 | 1983 |
| Ireland | Irish Singles Chart | 15 | 1983 |
| West Germany | Media Control Singles Chart | 23 | 1983 |
| United States | Billboard Dance Club Songs | 17 | 1983 |
| Switzerland | Swiss Singles Chart | 8 | 1983 |
| Sweden | Swedish Singles Chart | 18 | 1983 |
| South Africa | Springbok Radio Singles Chart | 20 | 1983 |
| Australia | Kent Music Report | 50 | 1983 |
| New Zealand | RIANZ | 27 | 1983 |