01/31/2026
WHERE DOES "GET THE BALANCE RIGHT!" SIT AMONG DEPECHE MODE'S 1980s SINGLES—TOP 5, TOP 10, OR OUTSIDE THE TOP 10? ⚖️
On this date in 1983, DEPECHE MODE released their seventh single, GET THE BALANCE RIGHT! (Jan 31, 1983). Recorded at Blackwing Studios in December 1982, it introduced Alan Wilder as an official member of the group and included his first writing credit, co-composing the instrumental B-side “The Great Outdoors!” with Martin Gore. The main track itself was notable for featuring processed guitar, an element Andy Fletcher said was “phased out of time” for added texture.
The single peaked at No. 13 on the UK charts, which was encouraging for a band entering a new phase after Vince Clarke’s departure. Alan, having already toured with Depeche Mode, downplayed his impact on the recording. “Yeah, it was my first single, but I don’t think I made a great deal of difference,” he remarked in one 1985 interview. Martin expressed his own reservations, calling “Get the Balance Right!” the group’s “least favourite single,” while Andy described the recording period as fraught with technical problems. Despite these criticisms, the single struck a chord with many fans, some of whom regard it as a distinctive piece of early ‘80s synthpop.
David Gahan offered an explanation of the song’s subject matter in 1983: “It’s about telling people to go their own way. It also takes a dig at people who like to be different just for the sake of it. You’ve just got to reach the right balance between normality and insanity.” Listeners in Britain seemed to connect with that sentiment, and the track secured a spot on American compilation albums such as People Are People. It was, however, notably absent from Depeche Mode’s third LP, Construction Time Again, though it would later appear on The Singles 81→85.
The B-side “The Great Outdoors!” found its own place in the band’s live setup. Martin and Alan’s atmospheric instrumental was used as the introduction theme at selected shows on the Broken Frame Tour, following an accident with a Revox machine that destroyed most of the group’s previous intro tape. The 12-inch release of GET THE BALANCE RIGHT! contained the first official live recording to appear on a Depeche Mode single—an energetic version of “Tora! Tora! Tora!”—and the limited edition 12-inch offered additional live cuts, including “My Secret Garden,” “See You,” and “Satellite.” This marked the first time the band issued a limited edition version of a single, foreshadowing a tradition of special releases and remixes that would become increasingly important to their catalogue.
The accompanying video, directed by Kevin Hewitt, quickly became notorious among fans. Hewitt assumed Alan was the lead vocalist and filmed him miming David’s opening lines, leaving the band too embarrassed to correct the mistake. “As an indication of our naivety, we were too embarrassed to point out this mistake,” Alan later admitted. The finished promo continues to show Wilder lip-syncing David’s part, making it one of Depeche Mode’s more unusual visual moments.
The press reaction in 1983 was mixed, with some reviewers questioning whether the group could sustain the momentum they had enjoyed with earlier hits. Writing for Sounds, Johnny Waller noted that “Depeche seem to have fallen from grace with the critical cognoscenti, but this is the sort of single they do better than anyone else.” Regardless of certain lukewarm assessments, the four band members—David, Martin, Alan, and Andy—pushed forward with a focus on evolving their electronic pop and embracing fresh approaches to production.
GET THE BALANCE RIGHT! was played live during the latter leg of the Broken Frame Tour and again on the subsequent Construction Time Again Tour, yet it never returned to their setlists in later years. While the band has been vocal about the difficulties surrounding its creation, the single remains an intriguing snapshot of Depeche Mode at a turning point in their development, balancing their pop instincts with a growing interest in heavier, more experimental sounds.
