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"Wagging Tongue"
Single by Depeche Mode
from the album Memento Mori
Released	7 July 2023 (2023-07-07)
Recorded	2022
Genre	Synth-pop new wave
Length	3:25
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Dave Gahan Martin L. Gore
Producer(s)	James Ford
Depeche Mode singles chronology
"My Cosmos Is Mine" (ANNA Remix) (2023) "Wagging Tongue" (2023) "Speak to Me" (HI-LO Remix) (2023)
Music videos
"Wagging Tongue" on YouTube
"Wagging Tongue" (Vinegar Hill Sessions) on YouTube

"Wagging Tongue" is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was released on 7 July 2023 as the third single from their fifteenth studio album, Memento Mori.

Background

It is the fourth track that Dave Gahan and Martin Gore collaborated on together (along with "Oh Well", "Long Time Lie" and "You Move"), and the first to be released as a single.

Of the song, Gahan stated: "Martin will take one of my songs, for instance, let's say 'Wagging Tongue', which is on this record. I sent my little demo to Martin of me hamfistedly trying to play the guitar, and get the song out and find the chords and all that. And then Martin sends it back with these beautiful Kraftwerk-esque chords and arpeggiated synths and stuff, and I'm like, 'Oh, okay...' But that then takes me to another place, you see, because that changes the perception again."

"It's the first song from both of us that ever made it onto a record. I could sense early on that we really hit the mark with this one." Gore elaborated: "The melody is excellent, and the entire song has something intoxicating. It's positive, it's pop, but it's not too much pop."

Reception

Joe Muggs of The Arts Desk stated, "The opening brace of tracks 'My Cosmos Is Mine' and 'Wagging Tongue' have synth patterns and deliberately simple melodies that hark all the way back to 1981 and DM's first work with Vince Clarke still in the band."

Kory Grow of Rolling Stone commented, "On 'Wagging Tongue', a rare Gahan–Gore songwriting collaboration, Gahan sings about feeling sadness 'when you watch another angel die' over sparkly New Wave synths that recall the group's earliest work. The lyrics, which Gahan sings ominously, could be a metaphoric indictment of politicians needing to act on gun safety or Gahan could be singing about rising above personal obstacles, but, either way, with the shimmery keyboard backdrop, the words have a way of sticking in your brain."

Music video

The music video was released on 24 May 2023. It was directed by the Sacred Egg, with Anton Corbijn acting as a creative director.

Remix

On 6 July 2023, British indie rock group Wet Leg remixed the song, featuring new, haunting vocals and an ethereal feel. This remix would go on to be nominated for and win the Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.

Track listing

Charts

References

1. Zemler, Emily (7 July 2023). "Wet Leg Deliver Ethereal Remix of Depeche Mode's 'Wagging Tongue'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
2. "Apple Podcasts Preview". Apple. 25 May 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
3. ""Now it's just the two of us"". Depeche Mode in the RNZ interview. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
4. Muggs, Joe (23 March 2023). "Album: Depeche Mode – Memento Mori". The Arts Desk. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
5. Grow, Kory (23 March 2023). "Depeche Mode's 'Memento Mori' Is a Bleak Celebration". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
6. Minsker, Evan (24 May 2023). "Depeche Mode Share New "Wagging Tongue" Video: Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
7. Redfern, Mark (24 May 2023). "Depeche Mode Share New Video for "Wagging Tongue"". Under the Radar. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
8. Richards, Will (29 May 2023). "Watch Depeche Mode's stunning new video for 'Wagging Tongue'". NME. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
9. Mendelsohn, Jon (7 July 2023). "Wet Leg Remixes Depeche Mode's 'Wagging Tongue'". American Songwriter. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
10. Monroe, Jazz (7 July 2023). "Wet Leg Remix Depeche Mode's "Wagging Tongue": Listen". Pitchfork. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
11. "Depeche Mode – Wagging Tongue (Remixes) – 12" Vinyl". Mute Bank. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
12. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 27. týden 2023 in the date selector. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
13. "Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100 (22 December 2023 – 28 December 2023)". Official Charts Company. 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.

External links

• Official website

• 2023 songs
• 2023 singles
• Depeche Mode songs
• Columbia Records singles
• Black-and-white music videos
• Song recordings produced by James Ford (musician)
• Songs written by Dave Gahan
• Songs written by Martin Gore