Depeche Mode – Condemnation

General CommentAnother DM song about faithfulness to God versus faithfulness to humans. Those who control our world have different sets of values than what God sets forth for us. It's about only fearing and apologizing to God, because He's the only one we will answer to that really matters. And it's a good example of spitting in the face of your enemy by not giving him what he wants, which in this case is repentance for commiting a "crime of man". Why repent for something those who despise God call a crime, when you know that what you did wasn't a crime to God?

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  @Trent Reznor
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  Here here.

  Flag Grungemanon June 14, 2014  

General CommentMartin is using criminal judgement and court ("book in my hand"; "blindness") as an allegory for personal, moral judgement.

It's ambiguous what kind of judgement it is: could be about God, a lover... or anything else. But he claims to be innocent: "If you see purity/As immaturity/Well it's no surprise"

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  @blynx

General Commenthe's obviously saying "Condem me if you wish, I don't care and you don't have any idea"

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  @xyouxtastexemox

General CommentFeel elation
High
To know I can trust this
Fix of injustice
Time after time

I agree with the overall meaning that Trent posted. I think that the fix of injustice part is truly truly inspired. Like there is a self correcting feature of the world that exerts itself.

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  @xinnieful

General CommentI think he's making reference to Adam being condemned in the 4th verse and then references people being condemned today.

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  @VictoriaS^

General CommentBasically saying, yes sinful as I may be the only one that can judge me is God, so I accept your condemnations.

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  @starfire

General CommentI agree with Trent

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  @IndyMode

Song MeaningIt's about being addicted to Heroin. The video makes it obvious to, with Dave being chained to his bride, she represents the drug. Lyrics like "because my duty was always to beauty" show his addiction, and Dave was addicted at that time for sure.

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  @tristesseglobale

General CommentI thought it was mocking...

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  @DJgif

General CommentI have always thought this song is about a man who's charged and (morally) tried for being unfaithful to his lover.

As he involves himself in this moral struggle, he assumes the role of a man who's being unfairly charged:
"here on the stand with the book in my hand. And truth on my side".

As he engages more in this moral strife, he assumes a very victimized and dignified position, so BEFORE defending himself, he asks for his sentence:
"Hand me my sentence. I'll show no repentance. I'll suffer with pride".

Then, AFTER accepting his sentence, he defends himself, arguing some sort of "innocent manhood purity", which justifies his unfaithfulness.
"Because my duty was always to beauty. And that was my crime.
...
If you see purity as immaturity. Well it's no surprise".

But then, at the end, the accused gives this moral confrontation a dramatic turn over: he shows he was not really feeling victimized and unfairly charged. He was actually being brazen, cheeky and shameless -very usual on Depeche's lyrics-. So, he tells his lover/accuser/judge that he feels "elation, high" to know he can trust this fix of injustice "time after time".

More over, at the very end he even gets offensive and asks her to "open her eyes", like asking her not to be stupid, and stop fooling herself.

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  @maureynoso