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Dressed In Black Lyrics

She's dressed in black again
And I'm falling down again
Down to the floor again
I'm begging for more again
But oh what can you do
When she's dressed in black
My mind wanders endlessly
On paths where she's leading me
With games that she likes to play
And words that she doesn't say
Not when we're alone
And she's dressed in black
As a picture of herself
She's a picture of the world
A reflection of you
A reflection of me
And it's all there to see
If you only give in
To the fire within
Dressed in black again
Shadows fall onto me
And she stands there over me
And waits to encompass me
I lay here helplessly
But oh what can you do
When she's dressed in black




By Fistan Majere
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Cover art for Dressed In Black lyrics by Depeche Mode

To me it means temptation and sin that I cannot resist. "She's dressed in black again... and I am falling down again..." ..."And it's all there to see if you only give in to the fire within"

Cover art for Dressed In Black lyrics by Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode has had a long history of BDSM tinged songs i.e. Master and Servant, In Your Room, and others. Though somewhat more subtle than those previously mentioned, this song is about BDSM. Note the title "Dressed in Black", which refers to a black leather costume, the references to domination and submission of "I'm falling down again/ Down to the floor again" and "I lay here helplessly".

@Empiricalproof No, after a husband or other close family member would die in older days the women would wear a black dress in mourning, and would be left alone by all lovers until she stopped wearing black dresses. This song is about be led along and then being manipulated.

Cover art for Dressed In Black lyrics by Depeche Mode

Yes, DM often looked & sounded like they were into that. M Gore especially; he was the songwriter/Dangerously Dressed Dude of the band, LOL! But no, gotta agree w/the 1st. person: it was a nice Goth song-"I give in to sin" (from another DM song) is how I see it too. "Master & Servant" is NOT a S&M song! "It's a lot like life" is the 1st line. Read: Truth is Stranger Than Fiction, Esp. in Love. The BBC decided to approve airplay for "M&S" based on that meaning; also the 1 person who would've pushed it the other way-NO way, LOL, was out sick that day. I'm not kidding. (grin)

Cover art for Dressed In Black lyrics by Depeche Mode

Of all the Depeche Mode songs I've heard (and I own Speak & Spell, Black Celebration, Music For The Masses, Violator, Ultra, and Playing The Angel) this ties as the worst with Nodisco. This song just doesn't have anything good going for it.

Cover art for Dressed In Black lyrics by Depeche Mode

Lol, definite BDSM theme here.

When they are out in public, she's a normal girl, seemingly like everyone else. But behind closed doors, her kinky dominant side comes out, and he's completely captivated by it.

Cover art for Dressed In Black lyrics by Depeche Mode

Lol, definite BDSM theme here.

When they are out in public, she's a normal girl, seemingly like everyone else. But behind closed doors, her kinky dominant side comes out, and he's completely captivated by it.

Cover art for Dressed In Black lyrics by Depeche Mode

The unique thing about the album "Black Celebration" is that rather simple, but beautiful songs like this one (along with Sometimes, It Doesn't Matter Two, Here Is The House, World Full Of Nothing) make a great counterpoint to those classic Mode anthems like Stripped, A Question Of Time, Black Celebration, Fly On The Windscreen.

They add up to a well-balanced mixture that IMHO no other DM album achieved - even though it's not my top favourite one.

Cover art for Dressed In Black lyrics by Depeche Mode

Does this song strike anyone else as being very Beatles-esque? The lyrics ("But oh, what can you do when she's dressed in black,") and the harmonies in particular are quite reminiscent of early Lennon-McCartney hits such as Baby's in Black. Obviously there's the usual dark twist thrown in there typical of DM but there's an oddly bouncy upbeat to it as well.