Heaven

"Heaven" is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released as the lead single from their thirteenth studio album, Delta Machine (2013). Written by Martin L. Gore and produced by Ben Hillier, the song was world-premiered on KROQ's morning show Kevin and Bean on 30 January 2013. The single was released digitally in most territories on 31 January 2013, and physically on 1 February.

In the United Kingdom, "Heaven" was released digitally on 17 March 2013 and physically the following day. The B-side "All That's Mine" was written by Dave Gahan and Kurt Uenala. An accompanying music video for "Heaven" was directed by Timothy Saccenti and premiered on VEVO on 1 February 2013.

In June 2013, the single was certified gold by the Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana (FIMI), denoting downloads exceeding 15,000 units in Italy. In the UK, by contrast, the single reached #60, the first initial single from a Depeche Mode album to fail to reach the UK Top 40.

This blues-infused song is about personal transformation to an impersonal state.

Depeche Mode state in the Heaven EPK and the Delta Machine EPK:

Dave Gahan: "Of all the incredible songs that Martin has written over the years that I have been lucky enough to sing and perform, once in a while a song comes along - hopefully I'll write one of those myself one day - that's something I have to sing. It's something I want to sing. It feels like I'm putting on a pair of boots that I've worn for years, that I love. It fits. As soon as I heard that song he had played me the demo, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. There's no other song like it on the record. That was one song from this record that I knew that this was gonna be the linchpin to this session. Everything has got to be as good as this. To me, 'Heaven' is one of the reasons why I still make music."

Andy: "'Heaven' is interesting, because Martin really cracked it with this 'Heaven'. Pretty much, apart from Dave's voice instead of Martin's voice, the actual finished song is pretty similar [to the demo]."

Martin: "'Heaven' was written on a piano. I had all the chords and everything all worked out on the piano and the whole vocal melody and the lyrics worked out before I went anywhere near a computer."

According to Songfacts, Dave Gahan also gave some details to KROQ presenters Kevin & Bean about the choice of the tune: ''Being an electronic band, primarily, you can really experiment a lot and the songs take on different arrangements, tempos, feels, before we find something. The song we found to drive this record was the single ‘Heaven’. It was like a shot in the arm. I was like, ‘Ahh, I can’t wait to sing that song’.''

Music video
The music video for "Heaven" was directed by Timothy Saccenti and filmed in November 2012 at the Marigny Opera House, a former Catholic church in New Orleans's Faubourg Marigny. Previously, Saccenti had directed the "In-Studio Collage 2012" video for "Angel" that premiered at the band's press conference in Paris on 23 October 2012.

The video's look was inspired by Terrence Malick's 2011 film The Tree of Life, with its beautiful yet twisted, dark imagery. "Mainly it's a performance video, which we haven't done in a long time", Gahan stated. The video debuted on VEVO on 1 February 2013.

Lyrics
Sometimes I slide away Silently I slowly lose myself Over and over Take comfort in my skin Endlessly Surrender to my will Forever and ever

I dissolve in trust I will sing with joy I will end up dust I'm in heaven

I stand in golden rays Radiantly I burn a fire of love Over and over Reflecting endless light Relentlessly I have embraced the flame Forever and ever

I will scream The Word Jump into the void I will guide the herd Up to heaven