10 Greatest Ever Depeche Mode Songs
7. Halo (1990)
Halo is the single that never was from the band's 1990 magnum opus, Violator. Upon first listen, it is easy for the track to become lost in the shuffle alongside thumping hits Personal Jesus and Policy Of Truth, the euphoric World In My Eyes, and a certain other single that unsurprisingly occupies a spot in the upper echelon of this list.
Halo has all the hallmarks of a typical Martin Gore song, walking the tightrope between irresistible temptation and the inevitable guilt that manifests in the chorus: "And when our worlds they fall apart / When the walls come tumbling in / Though we may deserve it / It will be worth it." Each refrain is delivered with an increasing level of desperation and immorality.
Although it was on Violator, this is an underrated track in the pantheon of Depeche Mode anthems. Despite the company it shared on the album, Halo should have been a hit. A promotional video was even recorded, though the track never received an official worldwide single release.
The culmination of the song, where Martin Gore's backing vocals overpower and eclipse Dave Gahan's, remains one of the best moments in their entire discography.