Personal Jesus

"Personal Jesus"
Song

"Personal Jesus" is Depeche Mode's twenty-third UK single, released on August 29, 1989, and the first single for the then upcoming album Violator.

The song became a big hit across the world, and is one of Depeche Mode's most successful songs, along with the following single, "Enjoy the Silence". It may be first time the guitar was used as the main instrument on a DM song. This country-ish number took the world by storm and featured more advertising than usual with DM, with magazine ads and a telephone campaign. (People could call a number seen on magazine ads that'd play the song)

"Personal Jesus" has a pleathora of remixes, almost unprecented for DM at the time. While most other DM singles prior to "P.J" usually had band-made extended mixes, DM started to invite more DJs and mixers to the fold, which would become the mainstay for all future DM singles.

The B-side to "Personal Jesus" is "Dangerous", a more disco-electronic track.

The back-cover of "Personal Jesus" features one of the band members and the back-side of a naked girl. The band member she's with depends on whether you have the 7" Vinyl (Martin), the 12" Vinyl (David), the Cassette (Fletch), or the original CD (Alan). Sometimes she's not on it at all, like on the 2004 CD rerelease, and on promo copies. On some limited releases, like the GBong17, you can see all four pictures.

The Anton Corbijn directed music video for "Personal Jesus" is his first DM video in color, and features the band in a ranch, with some pretty ladies. MTV edited out some suggestive mouth movements of Martin Gore during the bridge, and replaced it with some other footage from the video.

Track Listings

7": Mute / Bong17 (UK)

1. "Personal Jesus" (3:44)
2. "Dangerous" (4:20)

7": Mute / GBong 17 (UK)

1. "Personal Jesus" (3:44)
2. "Dangerous [Hazchemix Edit]" (3:01)
3. "Personal Jesus [Acoustic]" (3:26)

12": Mute / 12Bong17 (UK)

1. "Personal Jesus [Holier Than Thou Approach]" (5:51)
2. "Dangerous [Sensual Mix]" (5:24)
3. "Personal Jesus [Acoustic]" (3:26)

12": Mute / L12Bong17 (UK)

1. "Personal Jesus [Pump Mix]" (7:47)
2. "Personal Jesus [Telephone Stomp Mix]" (5:32)
3. "Dangerous [Hazchemix]" (5:34)

CD: Mute / CDBong17 (UK)

1. "Personal Jesus [Holier Than Thou Approach]" (5:51)
2. "Dangerous [Sensual Mix]" (5:24)
3. "Personal Jesus [Acoustic]" (3:26)

CD: Mute / CDBong17X (EU)

1. "Personal Jesus" (3:44)
2. "Dangerous" (4:20)
3. "Personal Jesus [Acoustic]" (3:26)
4. "Dangerous [Hazchemix Edit]" (3:01)
5. "Personal Jesus [Holier Than Thou Approach]" (5:51)
6. "Dangerous [Sensual Mix]" (5:24)
7. "Personal Jesus [Pump Mix]" (7:47)
8. "Personal Jesus [Telephone Stomp Mix]" (5:32)
9. "Dangerous [Hazchemix]" (5:34)

The second CD is the 2004 re-release

CD: Sire/Reprise / 21328-2 (US)

1. "Personal Jesus" (3:44)
2. "Personal Jesus [Holier Than Thou Approach]" (5:51)
3. "Dangerous [Hazchemix]" (5:34)
4. "Personal Jesus [Pump Mix]" (7:47)
5. "Personal Jesus [Acoustic]" (3:26)
6. "Dangerous [Sensual Mix]" (5:24)
7. "Personal Jesus [Telephone Stomp Mix]" (5:32)
8. "Dangerous" (4:20)

Released September 19th 1989

All songs written by Martin L. Gore

External Links

Single information from the official Depeche Mode web site