People Are People

About this song

"People Are People" was Depeche Mode's ninth single and became one of their most successful songs. It peaked at #4 in the UK, tied with two other singles as their highest-charting UK single, and was their first song to go gold in the US and reach the Hot 100, peaking at #13. The track was used as the theme for West Germany's television coverage of the 1984 Olympics, and it hit #1 there, the group's first time at the top spot anywhere in the world. Alan Wilder wrote the music and Martin Gore wrote the lyrics, and Gore counts it among his least favorite of his songs.

What it's about

The song is described by a Billboard critic as an ode to finding common ground despite hatred in its many forms, and to the belief that people are fundamentally good deep down.

Summary written with AI, based on the song's page on Genius.

Fun facts

• Sampled in 6 other songs.
• Covered 10 times, including “People Are People by Atrocity”.
• Written by Martin L. Gore.
• Produced by Depeche Mode, Gareth Jones and Daniel Miller.
• Recorded at Hansa by the Wall.