"Shake the Disease" is Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...

's thirteenth UK single

Single (music)

In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...

 (released on 29 April 1985), and was not released on an actual studio album

Studio album

A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...

 but was released on the compilation The Singles (81-85)

The Singles (81-85)

The Singles 81→85 is a singles compilation album released in October 1985 by Depeche Mode. The compilation was not originally released in North America, being replaced by its counterpart Catching Up with Depeche Mode. This was their first ever release with a picture of the band on the cover...

in the same year, along with "It's Called a Heart

It's Called a Heart

"It's Called a Heart" is Depeche Mode's fourteenth UK single . It was not released on an actual studio album, but was included on the compilation The Singles in the same year, along with "Shake the Disease". It reached #18 in the UK singles chart...

". It reached #18 in the UK singles chart. The American version of The Singles 81-85, Catching Up with Depeche Mode

Catching Up with Depeche Mode

Catching Up with Depeche Mode is a compilation released only in North America by British band Depeche Mode on November 11, 1985.As the title suggests it was an attempt to let the public catch up with the band's four previous LP's, by including singles and album songs...

, also includes "Shake the Disease"'s B-side, "Flexible".

Former band member Alan Wilder felt this song captured the essence of the band, stating "there's a certain edge to what we do that can make people think twice about things. If we've got a choice between calling a song Understanding or Shake the Disease, we'll call it Shake the Disease. There's a lot of perversity and innuendo in our lyrics, but nothing direct."

Music video

The music video is the first Depeche Mode video directed by Peter Care

Peter Care

Peter Care is an English director of music videos, commercials and film. He has directed music videos for R.E.M., Bruce Springsteen, Roy Orbison and Depeche Mode, amongst others.- Biography :...

 and features an innovative camera trick to make it appear as though the band members are falling.

12": Mute / 12Bong8 (UK)

1. "Shake the Disease [Remixed Extended Version]" – 8:43 (engineered by Flood)
2. "Flexible [Remixed Extended Version]" – 6:15 (engineered by Flood)

12": Mute / L12Bong8 (UK)

1. "Shake the Disease [Edit the Shake]" – 7:08
2. "Master and Servant [Live]" – 5:38
3. "Flexible [Pre-Deportation Mix]" – 4:40 (remixed by Bert Bevins)
4. "Something to Do [Metal Mix]" – 7:25 (remixed by Gareth Jones
   Gareth Jones (music producer)
   Gareth Jones is an English music producer and engineer notable for working with Depeche Mode, Einstürzende Neubauten, Wire and Erasure.-Background:Gareth Jones is married and currently living in North London....
   
   )

• "Master and Servant" was recorded at the Basel, Switzerland show on 30 November 1984.

CD: Mute / CDBong8 (UK)

1. "Shake the Disease" – 4:48
2. "Flexible" – 3:11
3. "Shake the Disease [Remixed Extended Version]" – 8:43
4. "Flexible [Remixed Extended Version]" – 6:15
5. "Shake the Disease [Edit the Shake]" – 7:11
6. "Something to Do [Metal Mix]" – 7:26

• The UK CD single was released in 1991 as part of the singles box set compilations

CD: Intercord / INT 826.829 / CDL12Bong8 (Germany)

1. "Shake the Disease [Edit the Shake]" – 7:08
2. "Master and Servant [Live]" – 5:38
3. "Flexible [Pre-Deportation Mix]" – 4:40 (remixed by Bert Bevins)
4. "Something to Do [Metal Mix]" – 7:25 (remixed by Gareth Jones
   Gareth Jones (music producer)
   Gareth Jones is an English music producer and engineer notable for working with Depeche Mode, Einstürzende Neubauten, Wire and Erasure.-Background:Gareth Jones is married and currently living in North London....
   
   )

CD: Virgin / 30135 (France)

1. "Shake the Disease [Edit the Shake]" – 7:08
2. "Master and Servant [Live]" – 5:38
3. "Flexible [Pre-Deportation Mix]" – 4:40 (remixed by Bert Bevins)
4. "Something to Do [Metal Mix]" – 7:25 (remixed by Gareth Jones
   Gareth Jones (music producer)
   Gareth Jones is an English music producer and engineer notable for working with Depeche Mode, Einstürzende Neubauten, Wire and Erasure.-Background:Gareth Jones is married and currently living in North London....
   
   )
5. "Shake the Disease [7" mix]" – 4:48

• The German and French CD singles were released in 1985.

All songs written by Martin Gore

Martin Gore

Martin Lee Gore is an English songwriter, lyricist, singer, guitarist, keyboardist, remixer and DJ. He is a founding member of Depeche Mode and has written the vast majority of their songs...

.

Trivia

• The lyric "I've got things to do, and I've said before that I know that you have too" is possibly a reference to the song "Stories Of Old" on the 1984 Depeche Mode album Some Great Reward
  Some Great Reward
  Some Great Reward is the fourth album by the British electronic group Depeche Mode, released in 1984. The album peaked at #5 in the UK and at #51 in the US. The title comes from the last lines of the bridge in "Lie to Me" when it repeats near the end....
  
  , which contains the lyric "I've got things to do/You have too/And I've got to be me, you've got to be you."
• Los Angeles
  Los Ángeles
  Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
  
   modern rock
  Modern rock
  Modern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
  
   radio station KROQ-FM
  KROQ-FM
  KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
  
   named "Shake the Disease" as the number one song of 1985.
• The song was covered by the Belgian band Hooverphonic
  Hooverphonic
  Hooverphonic are a Belgian rock/pop group, formed in 1995. Though early on categorized as a trip hop group, they quickly expanded their sound to the point where they could no longer be described as a lone genre, but rather encompass alternative, electronica, electropop, rock, and mixture of others...
  
   for the 1998 tribute album For the Masses
  For the Masses
  For the Masses is a 1998 tribute album to Depeche Mode, specifically the works of Martin Gore. The album charted in America and reached the Top 20 in Germany, making it the most successful Depeche Mode tribute album of all time....
  
  .
• The song was covered by the Swedish Soul artist Tingsek
  Tingsek
  Tingsek, first name Magnus, was born in 1978 and raised in the small town of Södra Sandby in the lush countryside of southern Sweden.-Biography:Tingsek began his musical career in his early teens...
  
  on his 2006 album "World of Its Own"
• The song was covered by the Colombian artist Dicken Schrader featuring his daughter Milah and his son Korben playing common utensils as music instruments.

External links

• Single information from the official Depeche Mode web site