I have been a Depeche Mode fan since the first time I hard songs from there Music for the Masses album. I think when they look back on this band, this song will always be the song that is synonymous with the band, it’s their definitive song. It’s as good to listen to today as the first time I heard it, and is timeless in it’s truest sense of the word.
Having read all the interpretations on this site, viewing the music video repeatedly, I think that the overall theme of this song, at it’s highest level, is one of escapism. Escapism is a mental diversion by which to relieve oneself of the perceived unpleasant aspects of daily stress.
This claim we be illustrated against both the interpretations of a drug induced stupor, deep romantic involvement, as well as symbolism within the music video, which I will explore further. I do realize that is often not good to explore music video symbolism with actual song meanings, but since the crowned king/prince symbol is closely tied to this song in the video as well as during concert performances; I feel that this is significant to the meaning and should be explored.
Lets break down the inner meanings of the word silence first. It could mean a quiet moment (who’s counter point would be chaos), or it could mean the act of not expressing, as an act of preserving.
The song begins with the first stanza:
Words like violence
Break the silence
Come crashing in
Into my little world
Painful to me
Pierce right through me
Can't you understand
Oh my little girl
Simply stated, he is speaking of a chaotic point of violence in the world around him, that it is painful. And there is a need to have an escape. If you follow the romantic relationship interpretation, it is him pressing his need to be in a quiet moment with his loved one to escape. If you follow the drug interpretation, it is his confession to his naive “little girl” that he needs an injection to escape. And if you follow the music video symbolism of a crowned king/prince (often a literary symbol of privilege, authority, higher spiritual state, or superego), then he is explaining the desire to flee the bickering of his court to his “little girl” princess.
The main chorus continues and is repeated:
All I ever wanted
All I ever needed
Is here in my arms
Words are very unnecessary
They can only do harm
Here is where interpretations of the song’s meaning diverge a bit, but at a high level, essentially have the same meaning. If you follow the romantic relationship interpretation, he is confessing that his love for his “little girl” is his escape, and that why worry a perfect moment with imperfect words. If you follow the drug interpretation, he is confessing that all he needs is the drugs running “in my arms” and that words would only take him way from his high. And if you follow the symbolism of the video, then his escape is being way from his court and using the chair in his “arms” to enjoy the silence and actually enjoy his kingdom or “little world” or just his daily journey through life. There is also an underlying desire to stay away from expression, as “words are very unnecessary, they can only do harm”
The second stanza before the main chorus is repeated:
Vows are spoken
To be broken
Feelings are intense
Words are trivial
Pleasures remain
So does the pain
Words are meaningless
And forgettable
Again divergence in interpretation, but the higher meaning is the same. If you follow the romantic relationship interpretation, he saying, why make vows, they can be broken, let’s just enjoy the feelings, the pleasures and even the pains the relationship brings without words. This reinforces the “in my arms” escape. In you follow the drug interpretation, it’s breaking of a vow because feelings are so intense for the drug, though gives pleasure, it doesn’t remove the pain it was meant to quell, and the stupor of the high makes words meaningless and forgettable. And finally, for the folks following the music video symbolism, vows and promises are often made in a position of privilege, but no matter how you try to escape, “pleasures remain, so does the pain” and hence you can never have a moment of escape last.
So hopefully I have illustrated that now matter how you try to interpret this song, it is ultimately about escapism. How everyone needs it, how good it feels, and ultimately how it is only temporary. Enjoy the Silence :)
I have been a Depeche Mode fan since the first time I hard songs from there Music for the Masses album. I think when they look back on this band, this song will always be the song that is synonymous with the band, it’s their definitive song. It’s as good to listen to today as the first time I heard it, and is timeless in it’s truest sense of the word.
Having read all the interpretations on this site, viewing the music video repeatedly, I think that the overall theme of this song, at it’s highest level, is one of escapism. Escapism is a mental diversion by which to relieve oneself of the perceived unpleasant aspects of daily stress.
This claim we be illustrated against both the interpretations of a drug induced stupor, deep romantic involvement, as well as symbolism within the music video, which I will explore further. I do realize that is often not good to explore music video symbolism with actual song meanings, but since the crowned king/prince symbol is closely tied to this song in the video as well as during concert performances; I feel that this is significant to the meaning and should be explored.
Lets break down the inner meanings of the word silence first. It could mean a quiet moment (who’s counter point would be chaos), or it could mean the act of not expressing, as an act of preserving.
The song begins with the first stanza:
Words like violence Break the silence Come crashing in Into my little world Painful to me Pierce right through me Can't you understand Oh my little girl
Simply stated, he is speaking of a chaotic point of violence in the world around him, that it is painful. And there is a need to have an escape. If you follow the romantic relationship interpretation, it is him pressing his need to be in a quiet moment with his loved one to escape. If you follow the drug interpretation, it is his confession to his naive “little girl” that he needs an injection to escape. And if you follow the music video symbolism of a crowned king/prince (often a literary symbol of privilege, authority, higher spiritual state, or superego), then he is explaining the desire to flee the bickering of his court to his “little girl” princess.
The main chorus continues and is repeated:
All I ever wanted All I ever needed Is here in my arms Words are very unnecessary They can only do harm
Here is where interpretations of the song’s meaning diverge a bit, but at a high level, essentially have the same meaning. If you follow the romantic relationship interpretation, he is confessing that his love for his “little girl” is his escape, and that why worry a perfect moment with imperfect words. If you follow the drug interpretation, he is confessing that all he needs is the drugs running “in my arms” and that words would only take him way from his high. And if you follow the symbolism of the video, then his escape is being way from his court and using the chair in his “arms” to enjoy the silence and actually enjoy his kingdom or “little world” or just his daily journey through life. There is also an underlying desire to stay away from expression, as “words are very unnecessary, they can only do harm”
The second stanza before the main chorus is repeated:
Vows are spoken To be broken Feelings are intense Words are trivial Pleasures remain So does the pain Words are meaningless And forgettable
Again divergence in interpretation, but the higher meaning is the same. If you follow the romantic relationship interpretation, he saying, why make vows, they can be broken, let’s just enjoy the feelings, the pleasures and even the pains the relationship brings without words. This reinforces the “in my arms” escape. In you follow the drug interpretation, it’s breaking of a vow because feelings are so intense for the drug, though gives pleasure, it doesn’t remove the pain it was meant to quell, and the stupor of the high makes words meaningless and forgettable. And finally, for the folks following the music video symbolism, vows and promises are often made in a position of privilege, but no matter how you try to escape, “pleasures remain, so does the pain” and hence you can never have a moment of escape last.
So hopefully I have illustrated that now matter how you try to interpret this song, it is ultimately about escapism. How everyone needs it, how good it feels, and ultimately how it is only temporary. Enjoy the Silence :)