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"Behind the Wheel"
Single by Depeche Mode
from the album Music for the Masses
B-side	"Route 66"
Released	28 December 1987 (1987-12-28)
Recorded	February–July 1987
Genre	Dance-rock alternative dance
Length	5:18
Label	Mute
Songwriter(s)	Martin L. Gore
Producer(s)	Depeche Mode David Bascombe
Depeche Mode singles chronology
"Never Let Me Down Again" (1987) "Behind the Wheel" (1987) "Little 15" (1988)
Music video
"Behind the Wheel" on YouTube

"Behind the Wheel" is a song by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode from their sixth studio album, Music for the Masses (1987). It was released on 28 December 1987 as the album's third single, reaching number 21 in the United Kingdom, number six in both Switzerland and West Germany, also entering the US Billboard Hot 100 as its predecessors.

"Route 66"

A cover version of the Bobby Troup song "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" features on the single as a B-side. Martin Gore states that he chose the song because he "thought it would be a good idea to record a driving song on the B-side of 'Behind the Wheel'". It was remixed by the Beatmasters and was made up from elements of "Behind the Wheel".

Critical reception

Cash Box called it a "dark, European funk tune for those who dance with a touch of sadness" that is "very strange, yet appealing."

In 1989, the single was ranked number 30 on Spin magazine's list of "The 100 Greatest Singles of All Time".

Other releases

Remixes of "Behind the Wheel" appear on compilations such as The Singles 86–98 (1998), Remixes 81–04 (2004) and Remixes 2: 81–11 (2011). Live versions appear on 101 (1989) and releases of Recording the Angel (2006) and Recording the Universe (2010).

Track listings

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"Behind the Wheel" was written by Martin L. Gore. "Route 66" was written by Robert William Troup Jr.

7": Mute / 7Bong15 (UK)

1. "Behind the Wheel" (remix) – 4:03
2. "Route 66" – 4:11

12": Mute / 12Bong15 (UK)

1. "Behind the Wheel" (Shep Pettibone mix) – 5:56
2. "Route 66" (Beatmasters mix) – 6:19

12": Mute / L12Bong15 (UK)

1. "Behind the Wheel" (Beatmasters mix) – 8:00
2. "Route 66" (Casualty mix) – 10:40 (remixed by Dave Allen)

CD: Mute / CDBong15 (UK)

1. "Behind the Wheel" (7" remix) – 4:03
2. "Route 66" – 4:11
3. "Behind the Wheel" (Shep Pettibone mix) – 5:56
4. "Behind the Wheel" (LP mix) – 5:19

CD: Mute / CDBong15 (UK)

1. "Behind the Wheel" (remix) – 4:03
2. "Route 66" – 4:11
3. "Behind the Wheel" (Shep Pettibone mix) – 5:56
4. "Route 66" (Beatmasters mix) – 6:19
5. "Behind the Wheel" (Beatmasters mix) – 8:00
6. "Route 66" (Casualty mix) – 10:40
7. "Behind the Wheel" (LP mix) – 5:19

• The second CD is the 1992 re-release.

Cassette maxi-single: Mute / CBong15 (UK)

1. "Behind the Wheel" (Shep Pettibone mix) – 5:56
2. "Route 66" (Beatmasters mix) – 6:19
3. "Behind the Wheel" (LP mix) – 5:19

7": Sire / 7-27991 (US)

1. "Behind the Wheel" (remix) – 4:03
2. "Route 66/Behind the Wheel" (mega-single mix) – 4:13 (remixed by Ivan Ivan)

12": Sire / 0-20858 (US)

1. "Behind the Wheel/Route 66" (megamix) – 7:48 (remixed by Ivan Ivan)
2. "Behind the Wheel/Route 66" (megadub) – 6:10 (remixed by Ivan Ivan)
3. "Behind the Wheel" (extended remix) – 5:56
4. "Behind the Wheel" (Beatmasters mix) – 8:00

12": Sire / PRO-A-2952 (US promo)

1. "Behind the Wheel" (extended remix) – 5:56
2. "Behind the Wheel" (dub) – 5:53
3. "Behind the Wheel" (Beatmasters mix) – 8:00
4. "Behind the Wheel" (7" DJ remix) – 3:48

CD: Sire / PRO-CD-2953 (US promo)

1. "Behind the Wheel" (remix) – 4:03
2. "Behind the Wheel/Route 66" (mega-single mix) – 4:29 (remixed by Ivan Ivan)
3. "Route 66/Behind the Wheel" (mega-single mix) – 4:12
4. "Behind the Wheel/Route 66" (Megamix) – 7:48 (remixed by Ivan Ivan)
5. "Behind the Wheel" (Beatmasters mix) – 8:00
6. "Behind the Wheel" (extended remix) – 5:56

Music video

The music video was directed by Anton Corbijn and included on the Strange compilation. Shot entirely in black and white, the video depicts Dave Gahan's car from the Never Let Me Down Again video being towed away while he waits on crutches, only to discard those crutches as he rides on the back of a Vespa SS180 driven by a female companion to a local village, where the rest of the band play the song while Gahan and the woman dance.

The video features the 7" remix of the song, although an alternative video also exists set to the original album version.

Charts

Behind the Wheel 2011

"Behind the Wheel 2011" (Reprise / Rhino / Mute PRCD-400205) is a US-only promotional CD single, released in 2011. The title track is a remix made by former Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke for the band's Remixes 2: 81–11 album. The single was promotional only, and not for sale. It reached number three on the Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart in 2011.

Track listing

1. "Behind the Wheel 2011" (Vince Clarke extended vocal) – 6:42
2. "Behind the Wheel 2011" (Mark Picchiotti re-edited Vince Clarke dub) – 6:44
3. "Behind the Wheel 2011" (Mark Picchiotti re-edited Vince Clarke radio mix) – 3:36

References

1. "Xmas News". Record Mirror. 26 December 1987. p. 9. ISSN 0144-5804.
2. DiGravina, Tim. "Depeche Mode - Barrel of a Gun". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
3. Andy Kellman. "Arthur Baker Presents Dance Masters: Shep Pettibone - The Classic 12" Master-Mixes". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
4. "Route 66". dmlive.wiki. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
5. "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. 23 April 1988. p. 8. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
6. "Rocklist.net...Spin Magazine (USA) Lists...Page 2".
7. "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 7. 13 February 1988. p. 16. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
8. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
9. "Depeche Mode – Behind the Wheel" (in French). Les classement single.
10. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Behind the Wheel". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
11. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
12. "Depeche Mode – Behind the Wheel". Singles Top 100.
13. "Depeche Mode – Behind the Wheel". Swiss Singles Chart.
14. "Depeche Mode: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
15. "The Indie Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 23 January 1988. p. 24. ISSN 0265-1548 – via World Radio History.
16. "Depeche Mode Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
17. ^ "Depeche Mode Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
18. "Depeche Mode Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
19. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending May 28, 1988". Cash Box. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
20. "Offiziellecharts.de – Depeche Mode – Behind the Wheel" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
21. "1988 The Year in Music & Video – Top Dance Club Play Singles" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 100, no. 52. 24 December 1988. p. Y-25. ISSN 0006-2510 – via World Radio History.
22. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1988" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
23. "DM Discography Singles – Behind The Wheel 2011". Depechemode.com. Retrieved 26 January 2014.

External links

• Single information from the official Depeche Mode website
• AllMusic review

• 1987 singles
• 1987 songs
• Black-and-white music videos
• Depeche Mode songs
• Music videos directed by Anton Corbijn
• Mute Records singles
• Songs written by Martin Gore
• UK Independent Singles Chart number-one singles
• Songs about cars