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Master and Servant

{{short description|1984 single by Depeche Mode}}

{{About|a song by Depeche Mode|other uses|Master and servant (disambiguation){{!}}Master and servant}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}

{{Use British English|date=September 2012}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Master and Servant

| cover = DepecheModeMasterAndServant.jpg

| caption = 12″ single cover

| alt =

| border = yes

| type = single

| artist = Depeche Mode

| album = Some Great Reward

| B-side = (Set Me Free) Remotivate Me

| released = {{Start date|1984|8|20|df=yes}}

| recorded = May 1984

| studio =

| genre =

  • Synth-pop{{cite web|first= Tom |last= Hawking |title= 10 of Music's Most Delightfully Dark Pop Songs |website= Flavorwire |date= 12 April 2012 |access-date= 23 June 2013 |url= https://www.flavorwire.com/279340/10-of-musics-most-delightfully-dark-pop-songs}}{{cite web|first= Justin M. |last= Norton |title= The 10 Best Depeche Mode Songs |website= Stereogum |date= 7 November 2012 |access-date= 5 June 2014 |url= http://www.stereogum.com/1194802/depeche-modes-10-best-songs/franchises/listomania/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130209055604/http://www.stereogum.com/1194802/depeche-modes-10-best-songs/franchises/listomania/ |archive-date= 9 February 2013}}
  • industrial{{cite web|first= Ned |last= Raggett |title= Depeche Mode – Master and Servant |website= AllMusic |access-date= 23 June 2013 |url= https://www.allmusic.com/album/master-and-servant-mw0000238120}}

| length =

  • 3:46 (7"/single version)
  • 3:27 (radio edit)
  • 9:38 (12" version)
  • 4:12 (album version)

| label = Mute

| writer = Martin L. Gore

| producer =

| prev_title = People Are People

| prev_year = 1984

| next_title = Blasphemous Rumours" / "Somebody

| next_year = 1984

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|IsvfofcIE1Q|"Master and Servant"}}}}

}}

"Master and Servant" is a song by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 20 August 1984 as the second single from their fourth studio album, Some Great Reward (1984).{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/80s/84/Record-Mirror-1984-08-18-OCR.pdf |title=News |magazine=Record Mirror |date=18 August 1984 |page=4 |issn=0144-5804 |via=World Radio History |quote=DEPECHE MODE are back in action this month with their single 'Master And Servant' out on August 20.}} Its subject matter is BDSM relationships, which caused some controversy, though it has an underlying political theme that is often overlooked by media. It reached number 9 on the UK Singles Chart, number 49 on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart and number 87 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Background and recording

The overtly sexual, BDSM-themed lyrics of 'Master and Servant'—complete with synthesized whip-and-chain sound effects—reportedly led to the song being banned by many radio stations in the United States, although the song reached the Billboard Hot 100 anyway, albeit only at number 87 and for only a three-week chart stay. The song derived from Martin Gore going to various S&M clubs at the time, which he began to form an idea for the song after "seeing a correlation between what's happening there and life and politics and stuff."{{cn|date=May 2025}}

The song narrowly avoided a radio ban by the BBC as well: "Master and Servant" might have been banned if the one BBC staffer who wanted to ban the record had not been away on holiday at the time the other staffers voted on whether to add "Master and Servant" to their playlist.{{cite magazine|first= Mark |last= Jenkins |date= 22 September 1984 |title= Blasphemy Rewarded |magazine= Melody Maker |url= http://www.sacreddm.net/1980s/mel220984/mel220984maina.htm |issn= 0025-9012 |via= Sacred DM |archive-date= 28 October 2007 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071028032736/http://www.sacreddm.net/1980s/mel220984/mel220984maina.htm}}{{cite book | title=Depeche Mode | last=Thomas | first=Dave | publisher=Bobcat Books | year=1986 | isbn=0-7119-0804-4}}

The band included sampled sounds on "Master and Servant", such as the whip effect, which is based on Daniel Miller standing in the studio hissing and spitting. According to the band, they tried to sample a real whip, but "it was hopeless". Another sampled sound was of Andrew Fletcher spanking Martin Gore.

Track listings

All tracks written by Martin L. Gore.

  • 7-inch single

: A. "Master and Servant" – 3:46

: B. "(Set Me Free) Remotivate Me" – 4:12

  • US 7-inch single

: A. "Master and Servant" (edit) – 3:27

: B. "(Set Me Free) Remotivate Me" – 4:12

  • 12-inch single

: A. "Master and Servant" (Slavery Whip Mix/12" Version) – 9:38

: B1. "(Set Me Free) Remotivate Me" (Release Mix) – 8:49

: B2. "Master and Servant" (Voxless) – 4:00

  • UK and German limited-edition 12-inch single

: A. "Master and Servant" (An ON-USound Science Fiction Dance Hall Classic) – 4:34

: B1. "Are People People?" – 4:29

: B2. "(Set Me Free) Remotivate Me" (7" Mix) – 4:12

Track 1 was re-released on the 2- and 3-disc CD versions of Remixes 81–04 (2004), while track 2 only appears on the 3-disc version.

  • US 12-inch single

: A. "Master and Servant" (US Black & Blue Version) – 8:02 (edited by Joseph Watt)

: B1. "(Set Me Free) Remotivate Me" (12" Mix) – 7:59 (edited by Joseph Watt)

: B2. "Are People People?" – 4:29

  • CD single (1990)
  1. "Master and Servant" (Slavery Whip Mix) – 9:38
  2. "(Set Me Free) Remotivate Me" (Release Mix) – 8:49
  3. "Master and Servant" (Voxless) – 4:00
  4. "Master and Servant" (7" Version) – 3:46
  • CD single (1991)
  1. "Master and Servant" – 3:46
  2. "(Set Me Free) Remotivate Me" – 4:12
  3. "Master and Servant" (Slavery Whip Mix) – 9:38
  4. "(Set Me Free) Remotivate Me" (Release Mix) – 8:49
  5. "Master and Servant" (Voxless) – 4:00

Released as part of the 2 (Singles 7–12) box set.

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

= Weekly charts =

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ Weekly chart performance for "Master and Servant"

! scope="col" | Chart (1984–1985)

! scope="col" | Peak
position

scope="row" | Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book |last=Kent |first=David |author-link=David Kent (historian) |title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 |edition=illustrated |location=St Ives, N.S.W. |publisher=Australian Chart Book |year=1993 |page=88 |isbn=0-646-11917-6}}

| 89

{{single chart|Flanders|6|artist=Depeche Mode|song=Master and Servant|rowheader=true|access-date=23 July 2013}}
scope="row" | Denmark (IFPI){{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MiQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT117 |title=Hits of the World |magazine=Billboard |volume=96 |issue=38 |date=13 October 1984 |page=68 |issn=0006-2510 |via=Google Books}}

| 4

scope="row" | Europe (European Top 100 Singles){{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Media-IDX/IDX/80s/84/M&M-1984-10-15-OCR-Page-0004.pdf |title=European Top 100 Singles |magazine=Eurotipsheet |volume=1 |issue=29 |date=15 October 1984 |page=4 |oclc=29800226 |via=World Radio History}}

| 5

{{single chart|France|34|artist=Depeche Mode|song=Master and Servant|rowheader=true|access-date=23 July 2013}}
{{single chart|Ireland2|6|song=Master & Servant|rowheader=true|access-date=23 July 2013}}
scope="row" | Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade){{cite web |url=https://www.top40.nl/depeche-mode/depeche-mode-master-and-servant-16371 |title=Depeche Mode – Master and Servant |language=nl |publisher=Dutch Top 40 |access-date=13 July 2022}}

| 13

{{single chart|Dutch100|41|artist=Depeche Mode|song=Master and Servant|rowheader=true|access-date=23 July 2013}}
{{single chart|Sweden|7|artist=Depeche Mode|song=Master and Servant|rowheader=true|access-date=23 July 2013}}
{{single chart|Switzerland|8|artist=Depeche Mode|song=Master and Servant|rowheader=true|access-date=23 July 2013}}
{{single chart|UK|9|date=19840916|rowheader=true|access-date=23 July 2013|refname="UK"}}
scope="row" | UK Indie (MRIB){{cite book |last=Lazell |first=Barry |chapter=Depeche Mode |chapter-url=http://www.cherryred.co.uk/books/indiehits/d.htm |title=Indie Hits 1980–1989: The Complete U.K. Independent Charts (Singles & Albums) |publisher=Cherry Red Books |year=1997 |isbn=0-95172-069-4 |access-date=13 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205032823/http://www.cherryred.co.uk/books/indiehits/d.htm |archive-date=5 February 2009}}

| 1

{{single chart|Billboardhot100|87|artist=Depeche Mode|rowheader=true|access-date=13 July 2022|note=with "(Set Me Free) Remotivate Me"|refname="UShot100"}}
{{single chart|Billboarddanceclubplay|49|artist=Depeche Mode|rowheader=true|access-date=13 July 2022|note=with "(Set Me Free) Remotivate Me"|refname="USdance"}}
{{single chart|West Germany|2|songid=1158|artist=Depeche Mode|song=Master and Servant|rowheader=true|access-date=23 July 2013}}

{{col-2}}

= Year-end charts =

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ Year-end chart performance for "Master and Servant"

! scope="col" | Chart (1984)

! scope="col" | Position

scope="row" | Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders){{cite web|title= Jaaroverzichten 1984 – Singles |publisher= Ultratop |access-date= 16 June 2014 |url= https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1984 |language= nl}}

| 92

scope="row" | West Germany (Official German Charts){{cite web |url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1984 |title=Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1984 |language=de |publisher=GfK Entertainment |access-date=13 July 2022}}

| 33

{{col-end}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://archives.depechemode.com/discography/singles/11_masterandservant.html Single information from the official Depeche Mode website]
  • [https://www.allmusic.com/album/master-and-servant-mw0000238120 AllMusic review] {{rating|4.5|5}}
  • {{discogs master|type=single|18276}}

{{Depeche Mode}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Master And Servant}}

Category:1984 singles

Category:1984 songs

Category:Depeche Mode songs

Category:Mute Records singles

Category:Song recordings produced by Daniel Miller

Category:Song recordings produced by Gareth Jones

Category:Songs about BDSM

Category:Songs written by Martin Gore

Category:UK Independent Singles Chart number-one singles