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"Policy of Truth"
Single by Depeche Mode
from the album Violator
B-side	"Kaleid"
Released	7 May 1990 (1990-05-07)
Studio	Puk (Gjerlev) Logic (Milan)
Genre	Alternative rock funk
Length	4:55
Label	Mute
Songwriter(s)	Martin L. Gore
Producer(s)	Depeche Mode Flood
Depeche Mode singles chronology
"Enjoy the Silence" (1990) "Policy of Truth" (1990) "World in My Eyes" (1990)
Alternative cover
Cover art for the limited-edition 12-inch single
Music video
"Policy of Truth" on YouTube

"Policy of Truth" is a song by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 7 May 1990 as the third single from their seventh studio album Violator (1990). It is the only Depeche Mode single to chart higher on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart (number 15) than on the UK Singles Chart (number 16), and it became the band's second chart-topper on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.

Critical reception

Jon Wilde from Melody Maker wrote "Depeche has never sounded so cute as they did on their recent hit "Enjoy the Silence". Then again, they have rarely sounded quite as ineffectual as this, not since the days when they were busy composing jingles for the mix 'n' match department of Woolworths (Basildon)."

Remixes

François Kevorkian mixed a new single version for the release, extending it slightly while lowering the tempo, and also making Dave Gahan's vocals more prominent. He also mixed the Beat Box Mix (the 12-inch version of the single mix) and the Pavlov's dub. The "Trancentral" mix is by the KLF, a popular acid house band at that time that only did remix work for other artists on 3 occasions (the others being "So Hard" and its B-side "It Must Be Obvious" by the Pet Shop Boys and "What Is Dub?" by Moody Boys). The "Capitol" mix uses the sample "I want to tell you my side of the case" from the Checkers speech by Richard Nixon. A version of "Kaleid" was used as intro music for Depeche Mode's World Violation Tour in 1990.

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Policy of Truth" is directed by Anton Corbijn and appears on the VHS collection Strange Too.

Track listings

All songs were written by Martin L. Gore.

Charts

Release history

See also

• List of Billboard Modern Rock Tracks Number Ones of the 1990s

References

1. Cranna, Ian (April 1990). "Insidious". Q. p. 77.
2. "Ranking: Every Alternative Rock No. 1 Hit From Worst to Best". 28 March 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
3. Raggett, Ned. "Violator – Depeche Mode". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
4. Wilde, Jon (5 May 1990). "Singles". Melody Maker. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
5. Policy of Truth (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 1990. BONG 19.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
6. Policy of Truth (UK cassette single sleeve). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 1990. C BONG 19.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
7. Policy of Truth (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 1990. 12 BONG 19.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
8. Policy of Truth (UK limited 12-inch single sleeve). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 1990. L12 BONG 19.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
9. Policy of Truth (UK CD single liner notes). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 1990. CD BONG 19.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
10. Policy of Truth (UK limited CD single liner notes). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 1990. LCD BONG 19.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
11. Policy of Truth (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Depeche Mode. Sire Records, Reprise Records, Mute Records. 1990. 0-21534.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
12. Policy of Truth (US maxi-CD single liner notes). Depeche Mode. Sire Records, Reprise Records, Mute Records. 1990. 9 21534-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
13. Policy of Truth (US maxi-cassette single cassette notes). Depeche Mode. Sire Records, Reprise Records, Mute Records. 1990. 4-21534.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
14. Policy of Truth (Japanese CD EP liner notes). Depeche Mode. Mute Records. 1990. ALCB-110.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
15. "Australian (ARIA) chart positions outside the top 100 provided by ARIA, through response to chart inquiry received 5 June 2015". Retrieved 29 July 2015 – via Imgur.
16. "Depeche Mode – Policy of Truth" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
17. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1307." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
18. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 26. 30 June 1990. p. V. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
19. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
20. "Depeche Mode – Policy of Truth" (in French). Les classement single.
21. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Policy of Truth". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
22. "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 31 May 2022. Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Depeche Mode" in the "Artista" field and press "cerca".
23. "Depeche Mode – Policy of Truth" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
24. "Depeche Mode – Policy of Truth" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
25. Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Sociedad General de Autores y Editores. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
26. "Depeche Mode – Policy of Truth". Singles Top 100.
27. "Depeche Mode – Policy of Truth". Swiss Singles Chart.
28. "Depeche Mode: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
29. "Distribution Top Indie – Top 40 Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 2 June 1990. p. 38. ISSN 0265-1548 – via World Radio History.
30. "Depeche Mode Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
31. "Depeche Mode Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
32. "Depeche Mode Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
33. "Depeche Mode Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
34. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending October 13, 1990". Cashbox. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
35. "Offiziellecharts.de – Depeche Mode – Policy of Truth" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
36. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1990" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 51. 22 December 1990. p. 36. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
37. "Alternative Songs – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Archived from the original on 20 December 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
38. "Dance Club Songs – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Archived from the original on 24 February 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
39. "The Year in Music 1990 – Top Dance Sales 12-Inch Singles" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 102, no. 52. 22 December 1990. p. YE-31. ISSN 0006-2510 – via World Radio History.
40. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1990" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
41. "New Singles". Music Week. 5 May 1990. p. 35.
42. "New Singles". Music Week. 19 May 1990. p. 37.
43. "New Singles". Music Week. 26 May 1990. p. 30.
44. "ポリシー・オブ・トゥルース | デペッシュ・モード" [Policy of Truth | Depeche Mode] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 16 November 2023.

External links

• Single information from the official Depeche Mode website
• AllMusic review
• Video on YouTube

• 1989 songs
• 1990 singles
• Depeche Mode songs
• Music videos directed by Anton Corbijn
• Mute Records singles
• Song recordings produced by Flood (producer)
• Songs written by Martin Gore