Suffer Well


"Suffer Well" is a song recorded by English electronic music band Depeche Mode from their eleventh studio album, Playing the Angel. It was released in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2006 as the album's third single, and their 43rd single overall.
It is the first Depeche Mode single to be written by lead singer Dave Gahan. It is also the first Depeche Mode single that's not written by Martin Gore since "Just Can't Get Enough" in 1981 which was written by Vince Clarke and the first Depeche Mode single ever to be co-written with non-Depeche Mode members.
The B-side for the single is "Better Days", a short song with an industrial-punk feel to it.
The song "Suffer Well" was nominated in the category of "Best Dance Recording" at the 2007 Grammy Awards but lost to Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack". The single version of the song adds a drum track to the song, and is shorter.

Music video

The video was filmed by Anton Corbijn and was his first music video for the band, excluding tour projections and promo videos, since "Useless" in 1997.
The video features a cameo appearance by Gahan's wife, Jennifer, once as the angel and once as herself. Another cameo is by the band's manager, Jonathan Kessler, who plays Gahan's limo driver. Other highlights include Gore as a bride and Fletcher as a groom. It also features the disco ball seen in the cover art of "Suffer Well".

Charts and airplay

"Suffer Well" reached number 38 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. It reached number 1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, the band's seventh song to top this chart. "Suffer Well" was added to the playlist of Xfm London on 27 February 2006. However, it failed to make the playlist of any BBC Radio station. Despite this, it entered the UK charts at number 12, beating the position achieved by "A Pain That I'm Used To".

Formats and track listings

;7": Mute / Bong37
  1. "Suffer Well" – 6:28
  2. "The Darkest Star" – 5:54
;12": Mute / 12Bong37
  1. "Suffer Well" – 6:28
  2. "Suffer Well" – 5:29
  3. "Suffer Well" – 6:44
;12": Mute / L12Bong37
  1. "Suffer Well" – 6:53
  2. "Suffer Well" – 6:28
  3. "Suffer Well" – 4:31
  4. "Better Days" – 7:09
;12": Mute / XL12Bong37
  1. "The Darkest Star" – 7:47
  2. "The Darkest Star" – 7:56
;CD: Mute / CDBong37
  1. "Suffer Well" – 3:20
  2. "Better Days" – 2:28
;CD: Mute / LCDBong37
  1. "Suffer Well" – 6:28
  2. "Suffer Well" – 6:44
  3. "Suffer Well" – 6:14
  4. "Suffer Well" – 4:31
  5. "Suffer Well" – 6:28
  6. "Suffer Well" – 6:53
;DVD: Mute / DVDBong37
  1. "Suffer Well" – 3:50
  2. "Suffer Well" – 8:53
  3. "Better Days" – 7:09
;Promo 12": Mute / P12Bong37
  1. "Suffer Well" – 6:28
  2. "Suffer Well" – 5:29
  3. "Suffer Well" – 6:44
;Promo 12": Mute / PL12Bong37
  1. "Suffer Well" – 6:53
  2. "Suffer Well" – 6:28
  3. "Suffer Well" – 4:31
  4. "Better Days" – 7:09
;Promo 12": Mute / PXL12Bong37
  1. "The Darkest Star" – 7:47
  2. "The Darkest Star" – 7:56
;Radio Promo CD: Mute / RCDBong37
  1. "Suffer Well" – 2:47
  2. "Suffer Well" – 3:50
;Club Promo CD: Mute / PCDBong37
  1. "Suffer Well" – 3:50
  2. "Suffer Well" – 6:28
  3. "Suffer Well" – 5:29
  4. "Suffer Well" – 6:44
  5. "Suffer Well" – 6:14
  6. "Suffer Well" – 6:53
  7. "Suffer Well" – 6:28
  8. "Suffer Well" – 4:31
  9. "Suffer Well" – 4:42
  10. "Better Days" – 7:09
  11. "Better Days" – 7:10
;Promo CD: Reprise / PRO-CD-101702
  1. "Suffer Well" – 2:52
  2. "Suffer Well" – 3:50
;Promo CD: Reprise / PRO-CDR-101770
  1. "Suffer Well" – 6:28
  2. "Suffer Well" – 9:00
  3. "Suffer Well" – 5:29
  4. "Suffer Well" – 6:44
  5. "Suffer Well" – 6:28
  6. "Suffer Well" – 6:53
  7. "Suffer Well" – 6:14
  8. "Suffer Well" – 4:42
;Digital downloads
  1. "Suffer Well" – 4:38
  2. "Suffer Well" – 4:32
  3. "Suffer Well" – 4:26
  4. "Suffer Well" – 4:48
  5. "Suffer Well" – 4:56
  6. "Suffer Well" – 5:29

    Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts