Modern Rock Tracks No. 1s - Depeche Mode and "Walking In My Shoes"
Depeche Mode steps back into the top spot with a somber ode to justifying difficult decisions
Depeche Mode - “Walking In My Shoes”
Weeks atop the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart: 1 week (May 15, 1993)
Previous Modern Rock Tracks chart #1 hit: New Order - “Regret”
Next Modern Rock Tracks chart #1 hit: Porno for Pyros - “Pets”
Billboard Hot 100 chart toppers during this time:
Janet Jackson - “That’s The Way Love Goes” (5/15/93)
Wait, didn’t we JUST talk about Depeche Mode?
It’s true. Only two weeks after the band topped the charts with “I Feel You,” the band managed to interrupt New Order’s extended run at #1 with another track off their “Violator” follow-up album, “Songs of Faith and Devotion,” called “Walking In My Shoes.”
I don’t have a lot to say about this time in Depeche Mode’s history. I was, and am still, a guy who holds their biggest hits in the highest esteem, but never took a deep dive into their other songs. I regret that to a degree, because I’ve really enjoyed some of their relatively lesser-known tracks. “I Feel You,” for example, earned a respectable 8 out of 10 when I rated it a couple weeks ago, and I still hold that it’s a song that needs more play in my regular ‘90s rotation.
I don’t feel *as* strongly about “Walking In My Shoes,” but I have to admit that it’s a pretty solid track in its own right, even if it’s more of a “situational” song rather than a regular-rotation track.
What do I mean by “situational”? To put it simply, it’s the kind of song you need to be in the right mood to listen to in order to enjoy it properly. By way of example, I’m likely not going to be playing this song to, say, pump myself up at the gym, or listen to in the car on the way to a birthday party or gala event.
I have the same feelings about albums like Radiohead’s “Kid A.” It’s an album that I love and appreciate like so many others do, but it’s not something that I routinely play just for funsies. Usually, I need to have the right atmosphere, like a snowy ride to work on a dark Monday morning, or a walk through the city on a chilly, overcast spring day.
The point is, I can absolutely appreciate the message and tone that Depeche Mode is expressing with “Walking In My Shoes.” The steady pulse of the drums punctuated by the minor-key undertones and subtle bass flourishes just carry a low-level dread throughout the song. This track absolutely belongs on the soundtrack of a grim ‘90s movie, like “Dark City” or “Spawn” or “Blade.” There’s a gritty feel to it, like Dave Gahan knows he’s living a grimy existence, yet seems almost resigned to it, unapologetic.
Morality would frown upon
Decency look down upon
The scapegoat fate's made of me
But I promise now, my judge and jurors
My intentions couldn't have been purer
Damn, that’s fucking poetry, my friends. So good.
This beautiful lamentation about doing certain things many would find abhorrent, while also not calling for complete absolution because the ends effectively justify the means, is lovely in its own way but also not something that translates to one’s day-to-day playlist. It’s a song that fits a certain mood, and while it’s notable that many Depeche Mode tracks likely fit that description, this feels even *more* moody and specific than, say, “Just Can’t Get Enough.”
The music video is just as disquieting and haunting as the song, with an unusual but pointed juxtaposition between black-and-white framing and Gahan appearing in deep red. I’m sure there are deeper layers to be mined from the video, even moreso in the uncensored version that features some naked folks sitting on the laps of the band members, but they definitely achieve the song’s moody aesthetic with the tapestry of unusual images in the video. Smooshed faces and all.
Even though the song only managed to hold down the top spot on the Modern Rock Tracks chart for a single week, it cemented Depeche Mode as a legitimate alternative rock hitmaker. The song was the band’s fourth #1 hit on the MRT chart, which tied R.E.M., U2, and The Cure for the most #1 hits on that chart at that time. And even though the band has not (yet) gone back to #1 on the signature alternative chart, their run of chart hits did not end with the singles off “Songs of Faith and Devotion.” In fact, up to the present day, Depeche Mode has appeared on the Modern Rock Tracks chart a stunning 21 times since their first MRT hit, “Everything Counts,” peaked at #13 in May 1989.
And lest you think that their chart peaks all happened in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, think again: Depeche Mode hit #9 on the MRT chart LAST YEAR! Their track “Ghosts Again” hit the top 10 on the chart in April 2023, and almost in symmetry with “Walking In My Shoes,” the video is shot in black and white. The truth is, “Ghosts Again” is pretty good as well, which speaks to the amazing longevity of this band.
At this moment, it doesn’t appear that Depeche Mode is destined for another MRT chart #1 hit, but never say never. We’ll see them again on occasion in the “Chart Check” section of this newsletter, at the very least.
Rating: 8/10
Chart Check
Other notable MRT chart songs from this time period
Since this is a #1 hit sandwiched between two runs at #1 by New Order, there’s only one song that peaked on the Modern Rock Tracks chart during this specific week in May 1993.
“Cursed Female” by Porno for Pyros (#3): One half of Jane’s Addiction came together to form a band called Porno for Pyros, and the first single off the band’s self-titled album, “Cursed Female,” topped out at #3 behind Depeche Mode. This track showcases a bit of a harder edge than Perry Farrell and Stephen Perkins did with Jane’s Addiction, though they would soften their sound a bit with the band’s next single, which will very, very soon be the subject of an upcoming “Chart Chat” article. Very soon.
I was a bigger fan of this one than "I Feel You." I really like the lyrics and production. It is pretty different from some of their earlier work but it's a solid tune!
I love Songs Of Faith And Devotion. It’s one of my favourite DM albums and Walking In My Shoes is one of my favourite tracks. It definitely is dark and moody but I love it for that. Dave Gahan’s vocals on Condemnation are second to none. I get similar vibes from their later album Playing The Angel which is also excellent.