Some Great Reward

Infobox Album |
Name = Some Great Reward
Type = Album
Artist = Depeche Mode


Released = August 27, 1984
Recorded = January - August 1984
Genre = Synthpop, new romantic, darkwave
Length = 40:18
Label = Mute - STUMM 19
Sire (US/Canada)
Producer = Depeche Mode, Daniel Miller, and Gareth Jones
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:6q4tk6ax9kr3~T00 link] |
Last album = "Construction Time Again"
(1983)
This album = "Some Great Reward"
(1984)
Next album = "Black Celebration"
(1986)

"Some Great Reward" is synthpop music band Depeche Mode's fourth proper studio album, released in 1984 on the Mute Records label in the UK and on the Sire Records label in the USA. The album saw the band's music becoming increasingly dark. The overall tone of the lyrics was less worldly than on "Construction Time Again", but it did feature the hit "People Are People", which denounced prejudice and racism. Rather than dealing with musings on the world, "Some Great Reward" was a more romantic and introspective album.

Rerelease

In 2006, "Some Great Reward" was re-released with a bonus DVD. It was released as a part of the second wave of re-issues. (Along with "A Broken Frame" and "Songs of Faith and Devotion") The first CD was remastered and (except in the USA) was released on a CD/SACD hybrid. The bonus DVD includes the two B-Sides "In Your Memory" and "Set Me Free (Remotivate Me)" in addition to "Somebody (Remix)" and several live versions of some of the songs from "Some Great Reward".

Like the other re-issues, the DVD includes a documentary on the album. The documentary confirms several known facts about the album. For example, "Master and Servant" was a difficult song to mix and once it was done, they accidentally left out the snare drum during the final chorus. Also, there's a little information on "Somebody", confirming that Martin sang the song in the nude. There was also implication that Dave was originally going to sing the song, and there is footage of him singing it. There's also footage of Martin recording samples for "Blasphemous Rumours" and Dave also states that "Lie to Me" was a nominee to be a part of the "Touring the Angel" set list.

It was released October 2, 2006 in the UK and October 3, 2006 in the US.

The remastered album was released on "deluxe" vinyl 2 March 2007 in Germany and 5 March 2007 internationally.

Track listing

1984 release: Mute / Stumm 19 (UK)

# "Something to Do" – 3:47
# "Lie to Me" – 5:03
# "People Are People" – 3:52
# "It Doesn't Matter" – 4:44
# "Stories of Old" – 3:13
# "Somebody" – 4:27
# "Master and Servant" – 4:12
# "If You Want" – 4:41
# "Blasphemous Rumours" – 6:22

2006 re-release

Mute: DM CD 4 (CD/SACD + DVD) / CDX STUMM 19 (CD/SACD)

* Disc 1 is a hybrid SACD/CD with a multi-channel SACD layer.
* Disc 2 is a DVD which includes "Some Great Reward" in DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and PCM Stereo plus bonus material

# "Something to Do" – 3:47
# "Lie to Me" – 5:03
# "People Are People" – 3:52
# "It Doesn't Matter" – 4:44
# "Stories of Old" – 3:13
# "Somebody" – 4:27
# "Master and Servant" – 4:12
# "If You Want" – 4:41
# "Blasphemous Rumours" – 6:22

Bonus Tracks (in DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1, PCM Stereo):
# "If You Want (Live In Basel, 30 November 1984)" – 5:16
# "People Are People (Live In Basel, 30 November 1984)" – 4:21
# "Somebody (Live In Liverpool, 29 September 1984)" - 4:29
# "Blasphemous Rumours (Live In Basel, 30 November 1984)" – 5:30
# "Master and Servant (Live In Basel, 30 November 1984)" – 5:38Bonus Tracks (in PCM Stereo):
# "In Your Memory" – 4:00
# "(Set Me Free) Remotivate Me" – 4:16
# "Somebody (Remix)" – 4:19

Additional Material:
# "Depeche Mode 84 (You Can Get Away With Anything If You Give It A Good Tune)" [31 Minute video]

All songs written by Martin Gore except "If You Want" and "In Your Memory" written by Alan Wilder.

ingles

# "People Are People" (12 March, 1984)
# "Master and Servant" (20 August, 1984)
# "Blasphemous Rumours / Somebody (Remix)" (29 October, 1984)

Charts

ingles

Albums

Miscellanea

*It is often speculated that Alan is the male on the cover of "Some Great Reward"; however, he is not. Nor is he on the cover of "A Question of Lust" which has also received similar speculation.
*This is the first album where Martin Gore sings two songs on the album ("It Doesn't Matter" and "Somebody"). Though he was lead vocals on one track each in the previous three albums, he sings at least two from this album onwards.
*The title of the album comes from the lyrics of the song "Lie to Me": "Make me think that at the end of the day, some great reward will be coming my way."

Credits

*Martin Gore
*Alan Wilder
*David Gahan
*Andrew Fletcher

Produced by Daniel Miller, Depeche Mode, and Gareth Jones
Assistant Engineers: Ben Ward, Stefi Marcus, and Colin McMahon

Recorded at Music Works, London and Hansa Mischraum, Berlin
Mixed at Hansa Mischraum, Berlin

Photography: Brian Griffin
Assisted by: Stuart Graham
Clothes Stylist: Jacqui Frye