A Question of Lust

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“A Question of Lust”
Single by Depeche Mode from the album Black Celebration
B-side	"Christmas Island"
Released	April 14, 1986
Format	Vinyl record (7" and 12"), CD (1991 box set)
Recorded	Late 1985
Genre	Synthpop
Length	7" - 4:20
Label	Mute Records
Writer(s)	Martin Gore
Producer	Depeche Mode, Daniel Miller, Gareth Jones
Depeche Mode singles chronology
"Stripped" (1986) "A Question of Lust" (1986) "A Question of Time" (1986)

"A Question of Lust" is Depeche Mode's sixteenth UK single, released on April 14, 1986. It is the second Depeche Mode single using Martin Gore on lead vocals, and the first to specifically be its own single (the first Martin-sung single, "Somebody," was released as a double-A side with "Blasphemous Rumours").

The B-Side is an instrumental called "Christmas Island", named after the island of the same name. It is penned by both Martin Gore and Alan Wilder. It was produced by Depeche Mode themselves.

The live tracks available on some versions of the single are taken from a 1984 concert in Basel, Switzerland. However the cassette version of the single features a live version of Blasphemous Rumours from the Birmingham show in 1986.

The music video for "A Question of Lust" brings the return of Clive Richardson. It is also his last video with the band. At the beginning of the video, you see Martin running around naked at a club with bandmates and staff trying to cover him up.

The following single is similarly titled "A Question of Time", however they're not directly linked, neither conceptually nor musically.

[edit] Track listings

[edit] 7": Mute / 7Bong11 (UK)

1. "A Question of Lust" (4:29)
2. "Christmas Island" (4:51)

[edit] 12": Mute / 12Bong11 (UK)

1. "A Question of Lust" (4:29)
2. "Christmas Island [Extended]" (5:37)
3. "People are People [Live]" (4:21)
4. "It Doesn't Matter Two [Instrumental]" (2:49)
5. "A Question of Lust [Minimal]" (6:46)

[edit] Cassette: Mute / CBong11 (UK)

1. "A Question of Lust [Flood Mix]" (5:08)
2. "Christmas Island" (4:51)
3. "If You Want [Live]" (5:16)
4. "Shame [Live]" (4:13)
5. "Blasphemous Rumours [Live]" (5:25)

• This format came in a 7"-sized card envelope with an insert and a badge.

[edit] CD: Mute / CDBong11 (UK)

1. "A Question of Lust" (4:29)
2. "Christmas Island" (4:51)
3. "Christmas Island [Extended]" (5:37)
4. "People are People [Live]" (4:21)
5. "It Doesn't Matter Two [Instrumental]" (2:49)
6. "A Question of Lust [Minimal]" (6:46)

The CD single was released in 1991 as part of the singles box set compilations

[edit] 7": Sire / 7-28697-DJ (US)

1. "A Question of Lust [Edit]" (4:11)
2. "A Question of Lust [Robert Margouleff Remix]" (3:50)

[edit] 12": Mute / INT 126.844 (L12Bong11) (GER)

1. "A Question of Lust [Flood Mix]" (5:08)
2. "Christmas Island" (4:51)
3. "If You Want [Live]" (5:16)
4. "Shame [Live]" (4:13)
5. "Blasphemous Rumours [Live]" (5:30)

This was the only 12" release of the UK Mute CBONG11

All songs written by Martin L. Gore, except "Christmas Island" was written by Martin Gore and Alan Wilder and "If You Want" was written by Alan Wilder.

[edit] Trivia

• It is often speculated that Alan is the male on the cover of the "A Question of Lust" single, he's not. Nor is he on the cover of Some Great Reward which has also received similar speculation.
• The person on the cover of "A Question of Lust" is London-based Gary Bruton. The photograph was taken one morning in a Brixton apartment when the artist commissioned to do the cover realised in the morning, in his inebriated state, that he had completely forgotten about the deadline and had failed to produce anything and panicked - thus this hasty shot. Gary Bruton is photographed kissing an attractive female friend of his. Gary is a London-based international aid worker and has worked in places like Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Sudan.
• Martin L. Gore has sung A Question of Lust on every tour since it's release except The World Violation Tour and The Exciter Tour.

[edit] External links

• Single information from the official Depeche Mode web site