Useless (song)

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"Useless"
"Useless" cover
Single by Depeche Mode
from the album Ultra
B-side(s) Various remixes
Released October 20, 1997
Format Vinyl record 12", CD
Recorded 1997
Genre Synthpop
Length 4:54
Label Mute Records
Writer(s) Martin Gore
Producer(s) Tim Simenon
Chart positions
Depeche Mode singles chronology
"Home"
(1997)		 "Useless"
(1997)		 "Only When I Lose Myself"
(1998)

"Useless" is Depeche Mode's thirty-fourth UK single, released on October 20, 1997, and the fourth and final single for the album Ultra. It was released with "Home" as a double A-side in the US due to "Useless" getting airplay on US radio stations before "Home" was even announced, so both were released at once.

"Useless" is a hard-rock track in the vein of "Barrel of a Gun", with a more pop twist. The single remix, by Alan Moulder, changes the intro, has an updated beat (similar to the changes done to the 7" versions of Walking In My Shoes and Condemnation) and adds some extra synth during the chorus. The "The Kruder + Dorfmeister Session" is a very prominent remix by the DJ duo of the same name.

There are no actual B-sides for "Useless", except for remixes and live versions of itself, but on some CD versions you can put them in a PC or Mac and play the music videos for "Barrel of a Gun" and "It's No Good".

The 1997 music video for "Useless" would be the last Depeche Mode video that was directed by Anton Corbijn for over eight years. Though he still did work for Depeche Mode on album/single covers and tour projections/designs, the band decided to experiment with new directors for music videos from then on until December 2005 when Anton filmed the video for "Suffer Well".

Contents

[edit] Track listings

Music sample:

[edit] 12": Mute / 12Bong28 (UK)

  1. "Useless (The Kruder + Dorfmeister Session ™)" (9:10)
  2. "Useless (CJ Bolland Funky Sub Mix)" (5:38)
  3. "Useless (Air 20 Mix)" (7:56)

[edit] CD: Mute / CDBong28 (UK)

  1. "Useless (Remix)" (4:53)
  2. "Useless (Escape from Wherever: Parts 1 & 2)" (7:17)
  3. "Useless (Cosmic Blues Mix)" (6:57)
  • Includes a bonus "Barrel of a Gun" video.

[edit] CD: Mute / LCDBong28 (UK)

  1. "Useless (CJ Bolland Ultrasonar Mix)" (6:03)
  2. "Useless (The Kruder + Dorfmeister Session ™)" (9:10)
  3. "Useless (Live)" (5:21)
  • Includes a bonus "It's No Good" video.

[edit] CD: Mute / CDBong28X (EU)

  1. "Useless (Remix)" (4:55)
  2. "Useless (Escape from Wherever: Parts 1 & 2)" (7:17)
  3. "Useless (Cosmic Blues Mix)" (6:57)
  4. "Useless (CJ Bolland Ultrasonar Mix)" (6:03)
  5. "Useless (The Kruder + Dorfmeister Session ™)" (9:10)
  6. "Useless (CJ Bolland Funky Sub Mix)" (5:38)
  7. "Useless (Air 20 Mix)" (7:56)
  8. "Useless (Live)" (5:21)
  • Includes both "Barrel of a Gun" and "It's No Good" videos.
  • The third CD is the 2004 re-release

[edit] CD: Reprise / n/a (US)

  1. "Useless (Radio Edit)" (4:44)
  2. "Useless" (5:12)

[edit] Home/Useless

In November 1997, "Home" and "Useless" were released as a Double A-side single in the US and Canada. The front cover art has the "Home" cover on the front, with the Home tracklist, and the back cover art has the Useless cover art, with the Useless tracklist.

[edit] 7": Reprise / 7-17314 (US)

  1. "Home" (5:46)
  2. "Useless (CJ Bolland Ultrasonar Edit)" (4:06)

[edit] CD: Reprise / 9 17314-2 (US)

  1. "Home" (5:46)
  2. "Home (Air "Around the Golf" Remix)" (3:58)
  3. "Useless (CJ Bolland Ultrasonar Edit)" (4:06)
  • Above released ((November 18))

[edit] CD: Reprise / 9 43906-2 (US)

  1. "Home" (5:46)
  2. "Home (Grantby Mix)" (4:38)
  3. "Home (LFO Meant to Be)" (4:26)
  4. "Home (The Noodles and The Damage Done)" (6:22)
  5. "Useless (CJ Bolland Ultrasonar Mix)" (6:00)
  6. "Useless (CJ Bolland Funky Sub Mix)" (5:38)
  7. "Useless (Kruder + Dorfmeister Session ™)" (9:10)
  8. "Useless (Escape from Wherever: Parts 1 & 2)" (7:15)
  • Released November 11
  • The CD can be put into a PC or Mac that met requirements and you can watch the videos for "Barrel of a Gun", "It's No Good", "Home", and "Useless".
  • Packaged in a clear plastic case with sliding pull-out disc tray.

[edit] External links

Depeche Mode
David Gahan | Martin Gore | Andrew Fletcher
Vince Clarke | Alan Wilder
Depeche Mode discography

Studio albums: Speak & Spell | A Broken Frame | Construction Time Again | Some Great Reward | Black Celebration | Music for the Masses | Violator | Songs of Faith and Devotion | Ultra | Exciter | Playing the Angel

Compilations: People Are People | The Singles 81>85 | Catching Up with Depeche Mode | The Singles 86>98 | Remixes 81 - 04 | The Best Of, Volume 1

Live Albums: 101 | Songs of Faith and Devotion Live

Tribute Albums: For the Masses | A Techno Tribute to Depeche Mode

Singles: Dreaming of Me | New Life | Just Can't Get Enough | See You | The Meaning of Love | Leave in Silence | Get the Balance Right | Everything Counts | Love, in Itself | People Are People | Master and Servant | Blasphemous Rumours / Somebody | Shake the Disease | It's Called a Heart | Stripped | A Question of Lust | A Question of Time | Strangelove | Never Let Me Down Again | Behind the Wheel | Little 15 | Everything Counts (Live) | Personal Jesus | Enjoy the Silence | Policy of Truth | World in My Eyes I Feel You | Walking in My Shoes | Condemnation | In Your Room | Barrel of a Gun | It's No Good | Home | Useless | Only When I Lose Myself | Dream On | I Feel Loved | Freelove | Goodnight Lovers | Enjoy the Silence 04 | Precious | A Pain That I'm Used To | Suffer Well | John the Revelator / Lilian | Martyr
Videography

Videos: The World We Live In and Live in Hamburg | Some Great Videos | Strange | 101 | Strange Too | Devotional | The Videos 86>98 | One Night in Paris | Touring the Angel: Live in Milan
Related articles
Synthpop | Depeche Mode Tours | Mute Records | Paper Monsters | Counterfeit e.p. | Counterfeit²
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