Precious (Depeche Mode song)

"Precious"
Single by Depeche Mode
from the album Playing the Angel
B-side"Free"
Released3 October 2005 (2005-10-03)
StudioSound Design (Santa Barbara, California)
GenreSynth-pop[1][2]
Length4:10
Label
Songwriter(s)Martin Gore
Producer(s)Ben Hillier
Depeche Mode singles chronology
"Enjoy the Silence 04"
(2004) 		"Precious"
(2005) 		"A Pain That I'm Used To"
(2005)
Music video
"Precious" on YouTube
Audio sample
Depeche Mode – "Precious"

"Precious" is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode from their eleventh studio album, Playing the Angel (2005). It was released on 3 October 2005 by Mute, Sire, and Reprise Records as the album's lead single. The song reached No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 71 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and No. 23 on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart. It also topped the charts in Denmark, Italy, Spain, and Sweden, and it peaked within the top 10 in Austria, Wallonia, Canada, Finland, Germany, and Norway.

Background and lyrics

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Depeche Mode main songwriter Martin Gore wrote the song while he was going through a divorce. The track is a message to Gore's children, who were aware of the divorce, and Gore felt guilty that they had to witness the process. Recognising their "fragile" state, Gore expresses his sympathy for them but also mentions that "things get broken" and tells them to keep faith in their parents.[3]

Chart performance

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Released in the United Kingdom on 3 October 2005,[3] "Precious" debuted at No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart, which would become its peak, and spent a total of six weeks in the top 100. As of 2024, it is the band's last top-10 single in the UK.[4] In Ireland, on 6 October, the song first appeared at its peak of No. 12 on the Irish Singles Chart.[5][6] It was a chart-topper across mainland Europe, debuting at the top position in Italy and Spain[7][8] and rising to No. 1 in Denmark, Hungary, and Sweden.[9][10][11] On the Eurochart Hot 100, "Precious" reached No. 4,[12] peaking within the top 10 in Austria, Finland, Germany, Greece, Norway, and the Wallonia region of Belgium.[13][14] In the Czech Republic, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the Flanders region of Belgium, it entered the top 40.[15][16]

In the United States, where "Precious" was serviced to radio on 26 September 2005,[17] the song debuted at No. 99 on the Billboard Hot 100 and rose its highest position, No. 71, the following issue, 7 November 2005.[18][19] It spent only one more week on the Hot 100, at No. 80, before leaving the listing.[20] The single found better success on the Billboard dance charts, topping both the Hot Dance Club Play and Hot Dance Singles Sales rankings on 29 October 2005.[21][22] It additionally found peaks of No. 6 on the Adult Alternative Songs chart,[23] No. 23 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart,[24] and No. 32 on the Adult Top 40.[25] On the Canadian Singles Chart, the record reached No. 2 and remained on the listing for 12 weeks.[26]

Music video

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The music video for "Precious" features the band performing on an empty, computer-generated ocean liner, before walking out into an alien-looking (also CG) forest. The video was directed by Uwe Flade, who directed the "Enjoy the Silence 04" video, and was leaked online before the song's release.[3]

B-sides

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"Free" is the B-side to "Precious". It's a techno beat with an old school feel. It was unavailable in the US, aside from importing, but is now available on iTunes. It also appears as a bonus track on the Japanese version of Playing the Angel. There is no remix of the song, aside from an early version that was heard at the Touring the Angel press conference, as shown on the Playing the Angel Electronic Press Kit, however, the full/stand-alone version is not available for download or purchase at this time.

Track listing

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Personnel

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Personnel are lifted from the UK CD single liner notes.[28]

Charts

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Certifications and sales

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Certifications and sales for "Precious"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Germany (BVMI)[61] Gold 150,000‡
Italy — 15,000[62]

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Release dates and formats for "Precious"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States 26 September 2005
[17]
3 October 2005 Digital download [33]
United Kingdom
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
 Mute [3]
Australia 17 October 2005
  • Vinyl
  • CD
 [63]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Terich, Jeff (5 March 2013). "Celebrate the Catalog: Depeche Mode". Treble. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  2. ^ Rolland, David (4 October 2023). "10 Songs That Show Depeche Mode Are Synth-Pop Masters". Miami New Times. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d London, Amanda (31 December 2020). ""Precious" by Depeche Mode". Song Meanings and Facts. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  5. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Precious". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  6. ^ "Top 50 Singles, Week Ending 6 October 2005". GfK Entertainment. Archived from the original on 6 July 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Depeche Mode – Precious". Top Digital Download.
  8. ^ a b "Depeche Mode – Precious" Canciones Top 50.
  9. ^ a b "Depeche Mode – Precious". Tracklisten.
  10. ^ a b "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  11. ^ a b "Depeche Mode – Precious". Singles Top 100.
  12. ^ a b "Hits of the World – Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 43. 22 October 2005. p. 91. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  13. ^ a b "Top 50 Singles Eβδομάδα 20–26/11" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 24 November 2005. Retrieved 24 November 2005.
  14. ^ a b "Depeche Mode – Precious" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  15. ^ a b "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 3. týden 2006 in the date selector. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  16. ^ a b "Depeche Mode – Precious" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  17. ^ a b "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1635. 23 September 2005. p. 32. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  18. ^ "The Hot 100 Week of October 29, 2005". Billboard. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  19. ^ a b "Depeche Mode Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  20. ^ "The Hot 100 Week of November 12, 2005". Billboard. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  21. ^ a b "Depeche Mode Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  22. ^ a b "Depeche Mode Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  23. ^ a b "Depeche Mode Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  24. ^ a b "Depeche Mode Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  25. ^ a b "Depeche Mode Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  26. ^ a b "Depeche Mode Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  27. ^ a b c d e "Depeche Mode – Precious" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  28. ^ a b Depeche Mode (2005). Precious (UK CD single liner notes). Mute Records. CDBONG35, 0094634208222.
  29. ^ Depeche Mode (2005). Precious (European 12-inch single vinyl disc). Mute Records. 12BONG35.
  30. ^ Depeche Mode (2005). Precious (European enhanced CD single liner notes). Mute Records. eintCDBONG35.
  31. ^ Depeche Mode (2005). Precious (US maxi-CD single liner notes). Sire Records, Reprise Records, Mute Records. 42831-2.
  32. ^ Depeche Mode (2005). Precious (Canadian maxi-CD single liner notes). Sire Records, Reprise Records, Mute Records. CDW 42831.
  33. ^ a b "Precious (Radio Version) – Single". Apple Music. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  34. ^ "R&R Canada Hot AC Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1641. 20 January 2006. p. 55. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  35. ^ Depeche Mode — Precious. TopHit. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  36. ^ "Depeche Mode: Precious" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
  37. ^ "Depeche Mode – Precious" (in French). Les classement single.
  38. ^ "Depeche Mode – Precious" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  39. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  40. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Dance Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  41. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 43, 2005" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  42. ^ "Depeche Mode – Precious" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  43. ^ "Depeche Mode – Precious". VG-lista.
  44. ^ "Top Radio Hits Russia Weekly Chart: Dec 15, 2005". TopHit. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  45. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  46. ^ "Depeche Mode – Precious". Swiss Singles Chart.
  47. ^ "Rapports annuels 2005" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  48. ^ "Top Radio Hits 2005". TopHit. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  49. ^ "Year End European Hot 100 Singles Chart 2005 01 – 2005 52" (PDF). Billboard. VNU Media. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  50. ^ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 2005" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  51. ^ "Rádiós Top 100 - hallgatottsági adatok alapján - 2005". Mahasz. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  52. ^ "Classifiche annuali 2005 FIMI Nielsen, dominano gli artisti italiani" (in Italian). FIMI. Archived from the original on 6 May 2006. Retrieved 15 January 2021. Click on Scarica l'allegato.
  53. ^ "Top Radio Hits Russia Annual Chart: 2005". TopHit. Archived from the original on 21 April 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  54. ^ "Top Ten Singles 2005" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  55. ^ "Årslista Singlar, 2005" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  56. ^ "The Official UK Singles Chart 2005" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. January 2006. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  57. ^ a b "2005 The Year in Music & Touring: Hot Dance Club Play Singles". Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 52. 24 December 2005. p. YE-58.
  58. ^ "Top Radio Hits 2006". TopHit. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  59. ^ "Top Radio Hits Russia Annual Chart: 2006". TopHit. Archived from the original on 25 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  60. ^ "Top Radio Hits Russia Decade Chart: 00s". TopHit. Archived from the original on 21 April 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  61. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Depeche Mode; 'Precious')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  62. ^ "Le cifre di vendita" (PDF). Musica e dischi: 9. January 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  63. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 17th October 2005" (PDF). ARIA. 17 October 2005. p. 28. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2005. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
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