Get the Balance Right!

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“Get the Balance Right!”
Single by Depeche Mode from the album The Singles 81>85
B-side	"The Great Outdoors!"
Released	January 31, 1983
Format	Vinyl record (7" and 12"), CD (1991 box set)
Recorded	1982
Genre	Synthpop
Length	7" - 3:13 12" - 7:58
Label	Mute Records
Writer(s)	Martin Gore
Producer	Depeche Mode and Daniel Miller
Depeche Mode singles chronology
"Leave in Silence" (1982) "Get the Balance Right!" (1983) "Everything Counts" (1983)

"Get the Balance Right!" is the seventh single by Depeche Mode originally released on January 31, 1983. It is the first Depeche Mode single with Alan Wilder as an official band member, and the first with a song written by both Martin Gore and Alan ("The Great Outdoors!").

"Get the Balance Right!" has the main single version, which was not included on the following album Construction Time Again but does appear on the American compilation People Are People and the compilation The Singles (81-85). The "Combination" mix is an extended version using original sounds only.

The B-side is "The Great Outdoors!", an instrumental written by both Martin Gore and Alan Wilder. There is no remix of the song, though the song is already over five minutes long. It was the first Depeche Mode song not to be played live.

Included on the 12" releases is "Tora! Tora! Tora! (Live)", the first live song on a Depeche Mode single. This is the first DM single to have a Limited Edition version, which features more live tracks.

The video for "Get the Balance Right!" has one of the most famous blunders among Depeche Mode fans. At the beginning of the video, Alan lip-syncs to the first two lines of the song. The director, Kevin Hewitt, did not know the band and simply assumed Alan was the singer. The band were too scared to point out that David Gahan was the singer. The music video wasn't included on the VHS compilation Some Great Videos, despite having some rather entertaining scenes of the band playing bumper cars, riding a merry-go-round, and even playing Galaxian. Portions of the video can be seen on the documentary for Construction Time Again re-release's DVD, which also has audio of "Get the Balance Right", "The Great Outdoors!" and the Combination Mix of "Get the Balance Right!"

[edit] Track listings

[edit] 7": Mute / 7Bong2 (UK)

1. "Get the Balance Right!" (3:12)
2. "The Great Outdoors!" (5:01)

[edit] 12": Mute / 12Bong2 (UK)

1. "Get the Balance Right! [Combination Mix]" (7:57)
2. "The Great Outdoors!" (5:01)
3. "Tora! Tora! Tora! [Live]" (4:00)

[edit] 12": Mute / L12Bong2 (UK)

1. "Get the Balance Right! [Combination Mix]" (7:57)
2. "My Secret Garden [Live]" (7:28)
3. "See You [Live]" (4:11)
4. "Satellite [Live]" (4:28)
5. "Tora! Tora! Tora! [Live]" (4:00)

[edit] CD: Mute / CDBong2 (UK)

1. "Get the Balance Right!" (3:12)
2. "The Great Outdoors!" (5:01)
3. "Get the Balance Right! [Combination Mix]" (7:57)
4. "Tora! Tora! Tora! [Live]" (4:00)

• CD released in 1991

[edit] 12": Sire / 0-29704 (US)

1. "Get the Balance Right! [Combination Mix]" (7:57)
2. "The Great Outdoors!" / "Tora! Tora! Tora! [Live]" (9:15) *
3. "Get the Balance Right! [Edited Mix]" (3:10) **

* "The Great Outdoors!" and "Tora! Tora! Tora! [Live]" are listed as one track though they are two different tracks.
** "Get the Balance Right! [Edited Mix]" is the same as the original.

• All songs written by Martin Gore, except "The Great Outdoors!" which was written by Martin Gore and Alan Wilder

Live tracks recorded 25 October 1982 at Hammersmith Odeon in London.

[edit] External links

• Single information from the official Depeche Mode web site