Originally released 15 October 1985, “The Singles 81→85” is the first compilation album issued in the UK by Depeche Mode. The CD version features all the band’s singles from ”Dreaming Of Me”, to the previously unreleased ”It’s Called A Heart” and ”Shake The Disease”. On the vinyl version, ”The Meaning Of Love” and ”Somebody” are omitted.
“The Singles 81→85” was released in most parts of the world. However, North America did not see a release of this title, instead the somewhat different compilation “Catching Up With Depeche Mode”, was released there.
In 1998, shortly after the release of “The Singles 86>98”, the original “The Singles 81→85” was reissued as the remastered and repackaged “The Singles 81>85”, with two additional tracks.
LP – UK
Mute – MUTEL 1 (released 15 October 1985, gatefold sleeve)
- A1 Dreaming Of Me 3:44 vc (1981)
- A2 New Life 3:44 vc (1981)
- A3 Just Can’t Get Enough 3:37 vc (1981)
- A4 See You 3:53 (1982)
- A5 Leave In Silence 3:59 (1982)
- A6 Get The Balance Right! 3:12 (1983)
- A7 Everything Counts 3:58 (1983)
- B1 Love, In Itself 3:59 (1983)
- B2 People Are People 3:43 (1984)
- B3 Master And Servant 3:50 (1984)
- B4 Blasphemous Rumours 5:08 (1984)
- B5 Shake The Disease 4:47 (1985)
- B6 It’s Called A Heart 3:48 (1985)
LP blue transparent vinyl white label test pressing – UK
Mute – MUTEL 1 (released in September or October 1985, standard inner sleeve)
- A1 Dreaming Of Me 3:44 vc (1981)
- A2 New Life 3:44 vc (1981)
- A3 Just Can’t Get Enough 3:37 vc (1981)
- A4 See You 3:53 (1982)
- A5 Leave In Silence 3:59 (1982)
- A6 Get The Balance Right! 3:12 (1983)
- A7 Everything Counts 3:58 (1983)
- B1 Love, In Itself 3:59 (1983)
- B2 People Are People 3:43 (1984)
- B3 Master And Servant 3:50 (1984)
- B4 Blasphemous Rumours 5:08 (1984)
- B5 Shake The Disease 4:47 (1985)
- B6 It’s Called A Heart 3:48 (1985)
LP – grey opaque vinyl edition – Germany
Mute – Mutel 1 – Intercord Ton – INT 146.817 (released 15 October 1985 with silver or blue sticker on front cover – reissue with blue sticker released in 1988 and 1989, gatefold sleeve, printed metallic-like picture of the band included)
Get your German edition of “The Singles 81→85” in coloured vinyl format from eBay (subject to availability).
- A1 Dreaming Of Me 3:44 vc (1981)
- A2 New Life 3:44 vc (1981)
- A3 Just Can’t Get Enough 3:37 vc (1981)
- A4 See You 3:53 (1982)
- A5 Leave In Silence 3:59 (1982)
- A6 Get The Balance Right! 3:12 (1983)
- A7 Everything Counts 3:58 (1983)
- B1 Love, In Itself 3:59 (1983)
- B2 People Are People 3:43 (1984)
- B3 Master And Servant 3:50 (1984)
- B4 Blasphemous Rumours 5:08 (1984)
- B5 Shake The Disease 4:47 (1985)
- B6 It’s Called A Heart 3:48 (1985)
Metallic-like picture
LP – Brazil
Mute – Sire – 670.8026 (reissue released in 1988 simply titled “The Singles”, features Route 66 [the B-side of the single Behind The Wheel] as a bonus track, this title was also released on cassette)
- A1 Dreaming Of Me 3:46 vc (1981)
- A2 New Life 3:43 vc (1981)
- A3 Just Can’t Get Enough 3:41 vc (1981)
- A4 See You 3:59 (1982)
- A5 Leave In Silence 3:59 (1982)
- A6 Get The Balance Right! 3:12 (1983)
- A7 Everything Counts 3:57 (1983)
- B1 Love, In Itself 4:02 (1983)
- B2 People Are People 3:50 (1984)
- B3 Master And Servant 3:46 (1984)
- B4 Blasphemous Rumours 5:06 (1984)
- B5 Shake The Disease 4:49 (1985)
- B6 It’s Called A Heart 3:48 (1985)
- B7 Route 66 4:09 ★ (1988)
CD – UK
Mute – CD MUTEL 1 (released 15 October 1985)
- Dreaming Of Me 3:44 vc (1981)
- New Life 3:43 vc (1981)
- Just Can’t Get Enough 3:37 vc (1981)
- See You 3:52 (1982)
- The Meaning Of Love 3:05 (1982)
- Leave In Silence 3:58 (1982)
- Get The Balance Right! 3:11 (1983)
- Everything Counts 3:57 (1983)
- Love, In Itself 3:58 (1983)
- People Are People 3:43 (1984)
- Master And Servant 3:50 (1984)
- Blasphemous Rumours 5:07 (1984)
- Somebody 4:21 (1984)
- Shake The Disease 4:46 (1985)
- It’s Called A Heart 3:48 (1985)
Note: “The Singles 81→85” was also released on cassette and mini-disc.
Depeche Mode – The Singles 81→85
- all tracks written by Martin Gore, except vc by Vince Clarke and ★ by Robert William Troup Jr
- produced by Daniel Miller, Gareth Jones, and Depeche Mode
- highest chart position 6 (UK)
- 1985 Depeche Mode was Andrew Fletcher, David Gahan, Martin Gore, and Alan Wilder (Vince Clarke was in the band from 1980 to 1981)