This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Words like violence
Break the silence
Come crashing in
Into my little world
Painful to me
Pierce right through me
Can't you understand
Oh, my little girl
All I ever wanted
All I ever needed
Is here in my arms
Words are very unnecessary
They can only do harm
Vows are spoken
To be broken
Feelings are intense
Words are trivial
Pleasures remain
So does the pain
Words are meaningless
And forgettable
All I ever wanted
All I ever needed
Is here in my arms
Words are very unnecessary
They can only do harm
Break the silence
Come crashing in
Into my little world
Painful to me
Pierce right through me
Can't you understand
Oh, my little girl
All I ever wanted
All I ever needed
Is here in my arms
Words are very unnecessary
They can only do harm
Vows are spoken
To be broken
Feelings are intense
Words are trivial
Pleasures remain
So does the pain
Words are meaningless
And forgettable
All I ever wanted
All I ever needed
Is here in my arms
Words are very unnecessary
They can only do harm
Lyrics submitted by antispork, edited by UltimateWho
Enjoy The Silence [Harmonium] Lyrics as written by Martin Gore
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, O/B/O DistroKid
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I think it's about a relationship. He is saying that if we don't speak we can't hurt each other, i enjoy being with you, in your arms, and it's perfect, but don't tell me things I won't want to hear...
:)
@klepto2000 -You hit the nail right on the head. Put Enjoy The Silence and Policy of Truth (form the same album) in the same context and you can see what experience Gore was channelling when he wrote this.
I think this song just expresses exactly HOW powerful words can be among people. He's saying "enjoy the silence" because once the silence is broken... You are bound to be hurt at one point or another.. Which is very true.. I'm JUST getting into Depeche Mode and I think they ROCK the house.
actions/behavior > verbal communication
that's what I read from this song. Every time a boyfriend tells me he loves me for the first time, I feel like rolling my eyes and saying "well duh, you act like it" or "yeah I know, I don't need you to tell me that". Of course, I never actually say this.
But it seems like the narrator is commenting on the triviality of words like these. He is emphasizing the power of non-verbal communication. Words don't matter -- which is why I hate it when people tell me they love me. Things like that are more effectively SHOWN than TOLD.
Your comment is the most accurate. Thanks!
@leerish sometimes people NEED to hear the loving words like I love you or I’m sorry. The rest of the words I agree with you on being best to be shown by action.
I've always thought that the song is referring to that very specific moment right after making love, when there are intense feelings around, and for some people (mostly men) pillow talk is not only unnecessary, but can ruin the moment. That's just my two cents.
@hestia74 Never thought of it this way; but very glad you brought it up.
silence is beautiful...don't screw it up with stupid meaningless words that won't get you anywhere
Man, I had forgotten how beautiful this song is. I always think of my gf when I hear this song. To me its not about ruining anything with words, or expecting one of us to say something wrong, or even to try to communicate better or any of that crap. When I'm just holding my gf in my arms, I have anything I need. I enjoy the silence because it helps point out a feeling I get that I can't describe with words. Any words spoken at that point would just halt my silent message of love to her......
um, yeah, anyways.... good song! hehe
@blinkbomber I think thats beautiful. Even now, responding 16 FREAKING YEARS later, I agree. I hope everything worked out alright for you.
It's about how sometimes saying the wrong thing can destroy everything,
Depenche mode - Enjoy the sillence meaning is a loop!
First of all, it is a love song. He is talking to his love, telling her about, words..
Besides from, him or her being mean to each other, he still feels that there is love between them, everyday growing even stronger. "All I ever wanted, All I ever needed, Is here in my arms". Meaning, All I ever wanted was to have you, here in my arms. That shows how much he still does love her.
He is blaming words that are "trivial" and "forgettable" and "can only do harm" for what happened between them and for alot of reasons. With one of them, being that words are easily misinterpreted and misunderstood compared to actions.
Enjoy the silence, is a song that means, // I lost you and you lost me and all that because of just words, which are trivial and forgettable // ... They can only do harm because I can never see you again or you to see me again. We lost ourselves inside a dictionary... Maybe if words weren't there, we would still be around to each other.
This is a unique and extraordinary song. Because he brings up AND devalues the topic of verbal communication, using... verbal communication!! Literally the lyrics ARE words! Meaning, that he is still inside the same trap! Unable to get out! Unable to express himself withought words! He understands that words are bad, but he still uses them to make the song! But at the same time, trying to show her how he feels. But he can't because he still use words even to make the song! (words are trivial and forgettable and can only do harm). That's the loop. And that loop is the true meaning of the song.
Have a very nice day :)
COME ON!!!!!! Just because he says "All I ever needed is here in my arms" You guys think it's about heroin. DICKS. First of all- Heroin is ALMOST ALWAYS referred to as a male. Second of all there is nothing else to indicate that this is about heroin. This song is about an interpersonal relationship between a man and a woman. You people know fucking ZERO about junkies, and you should be happy that you don't. But don't pretend to know what the fuck you're talking about.
THANK YOU!!! that's exactly how I see it
More than interpretation, your rude comments justify the song lyric "enjoy the silence"
@LoganNYC the song was written, not by Gahan, but by principal Depeche Mode songwriter Martin Gore. While Gore has likely struggled with his own, less publicized, addictions- his lyrics typically touch upon dark romanticism and relationships. He prefers writing abstract songs in which people can attach their own meaning to. He has been known to write lyrics mindful that Gahan would be singing them, however, in this case, Gore originally wrote the song as a piano ballad with himself on vocals. The album's producer coerced Gore to pick up the tempo and put Gahan on vocals. Gore fought very hard for his song but eventually conceded, paving the way for one of the band's greatest singles.<br /> <br /> Read more: musicbanter.com/lyrics/Depeche-Mode-Enjoy-The-Silence.html
I have been a Depeche Mode fan since the first time I hard songs from there Music for the Masses album. I think when they look back on this band, this song will always be the song that is synonymous with the band, it’s their definitive song. It’s as good to listen to today as the first time I heard it, and is timeless in it’s truest sense of the word.
Having read all the interpretations on this site, viewing the music video repeatedly, I think that the overall theme of this song, at it’s highest level, is one of escapism. Escapism is a mental diversion by which to relieve oneself of the perceived unpleasant aspects of daily stress.
This claim we be illustrated against both the interpretations of a drug induced stupor, deep romantic involvement, as well as symbolism within the music video, which I will explore further. I do realize that is often not good to explore music video symbolism with actual song meanings, but since the crowned king/prince symbol is closely tied to this song in the video as well as during concert performances; I feel that this is significant to the meaning and should be explored.
Lets break down the inner meanings of the word silence first. It could mean a quiet moment (who’s counter point would be chaos), or it could mean the act of not expressing, as an act of preserving.
The song begins with the first stanza:
Words like violence Break the silence Come crashing in Into my little world Painful to me Pierce right through me Can't you understand Oh my little girl
Simply stated, he is speaking of a chaotic point of violence in the world around him, that it is painful. And there is a need to have an escape. If you follow the romantic relationship interpretation, it is him pressing his need to be in a quiet moment with his loved one to escape. If you follow the drug interpretation, it is his confession to his naive “little girl” that he needs an injection to escape. And if you follow the music video symbolism of a crowned king/prince (often a literary symbol of privilege, authority, higher spiritual state, or superego), then he is explaining the desire to flee the bickering of his court to his “little girl” princess.
The main chorus continues and is repeated:
All I ever wanted All I ever needed Is here in my arms Words are very unnecessary They can only do harm
Here is where interpretations of the song’s meaning diverge a bit, but at a high level, essentially have the same meaning. If you follow the romantic relationship interpretation, he is confessing that his love for his “little girl” is his escape, and that why worry a perfect moment with imperfect words. If you follow the drug interpretation, he is confessing that all he needs is the drugs running “in my arms” and that words would only take him way from his high. And if you follow the symbolism of the video, then his escape is being way from his court and using the chair in his “arms” to enjoy the silence and actually enjoy his kingdom or “little world” or just his daily journey through life. There is also an underlying desire to stay away from expression, as “words are very unnecessary, they can only do harm”
The second stanza before the main chorus is repeated:
Vows are spoken To be broken Feelings are intense Words are trivial Pleasures remain So does the pain Words are meaningless And forgettable
Again divergence in interpretation, but the higher meaning is the same. If you follow the romantic relationship interpretation, he saying, why make vows, they can be broken, let’s just enjoy the feelings, the pleasures and even the pains the relationship brings without words. This reinforces the “in my arms” escape. In you follow the drug interpretation, it’s breaking of a vow because feelings are so intense for the drug, though gives pleasure, it doesn’t remove the pain it was meant to quell, and the stupor of the high makes words meaningless and forgettable. And finally, for the folks following the music video symbolism, vows and promises are often made in a position of privilege, but no matter how you try to escape, “pleasures remain, so does the pain” and hence you can never have a moment of escape last.
So hopefully I have illustrated that now matter how you try to interpret this song, it is ultimately about escapism. How everyone needs it, how good it feels, and ultimately how it is only temporary. Enjoy the Silence :)