Depeche Mode – Clean

• 0
  General Comment:a lot of DM songs are fairly ambiguous and pretty much open for interpretation - as all good songs should be! It's fairly easy to see why a lot of people hear the words to Clean and just automatically think drugs, but to me the words stand out as someone who is changing... becoming a better person.. but the somtimes makes me think that although he claims to have changed and feel better for it, 'sometimes' he can feel himself slipping back into his old ways, and occasionally he misses the way he used to be. I suppose that's quite similar to all the relationship/repentance interpretations... but I can't see the drugs in this song, and I'm pretty sure that's not what MLG had in mind, the heavy drinking/drug taking stage was post-Violator and they weren't 'Clean' until Ultra! ;)

  Flag psychocandy96on March 31, 2012   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:i hate when people say "not all songs R about drugs!!!1111"
  
  the song is called CLEAN
  
  he says "now that im clean, you know what I mean"
  
  It doesn't matter if he meant it as a metaphor or not, but those words specifically relate to drugs

  Flag robbnthahoodon May 20, 2010   Link

  • 2 Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
    0

    Preach on, brother!

    Flag katzenfreundinon November 27, 2010  

    0

    It could be but a mere allegory, a metaphor, a symbol to something else for fuck's sake. How can people be so close-minded? Artists like to be ambiguous sometimes, sometimes they don't. Unless you've some clear proof of this being about drugs, then the meaning is open to debate.

    Flag HugsForFreeon January 12, 2013  
• 0
  General Comment:This song is about how he's trying to convince whoever that he's clean, of whatever, drugs alcohol..."sometimes" lol.
  
  I like the line "I don't advise and I don't criticise I just know what I like with my own eyes"
  
  I seriously quote depeche mode songs in everyday life. lol.

  Flag IndyModeon August 23, 2008   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:For all the songs Depeche Mode has that doubt faith or religion in general, I like to think this song is honestly about repenting of your sins. Putting a bad lifestyle behind you, being forgiven, and moving on. He says he's breaken his fall, as in he's stopped his descent into hell. It's a pretty good feeling, and I believe the song captures it pretty well.

  Flag giordano1000on April 15, 2008   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:its clearly spiritual, destiny is a choice, so are drugs
  and relationships, breaking the fall is pretty straight
  forward but as they say, if you have to ask, you will
  never know...try listening more, you might just hear
  the answer for yourself

  Flag flo70on March 30, 2008   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:its clearly spiritual, destiny is a choice, so are drugs
  and relationships, breaking the fall is pretty straight
  forward but as they say, if you have to ask, you will
  never know...try listening more, you might just hear
  the answer for yourself

  Flag flo70on March 29, 2008   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:^It's just "the cleanest I've been"

  Flag hotdingdongon December 21, 2007   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:Has anyone noticed the dark whisper scream at about 3:38 into this song?????? what is he saying?

  Flag ShadowManon September 12, 2007   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• +2
  General Comment:I love how almost every comment on songmeanings makes every song look to be about drugs and/or a failed relationship. They may be the most cliched things in the world to write a song about, but that doesn't mean that every song is about them.
  
  It's a good thing that people like circusjuggler are around to offset some of the idiocy, because this song is clearly not about drugs or some girl/boy, despite the title.

  Flag jadiuson October 26, 2006   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• +2
  General Comment:At my humble opinion Martin is talking about someone who has finally taken over his own life, which has been controlled by his extreme rigor upon himself until today ("I don't claim to know / Where my holiness goes / I just know that I like / What is starting to show"). He's telling to himself he'll be who really is from now on and not the character he has played in his life while he has also stopped to give excessive importance to the other people's opinions (All the feelings inside / Twist and they turn / As they ride with the tide / I don't advise / And I don't criticise / I just know what I like / With my own eyes). Therefore the sensation of cleaness that he's talking about it's caused by this new taste of freedom. However all of this is still unsteady on his mind and that's the reason why a dark voice sings "Sometimes" along the lyrics...

  Flag circusjuggleron September 28, 2006   Link

  • 1 Reply Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
    +1

    I think this is the rightest interpretation. It's about being yourself, transparent, clear, and not conformist. Being yourself is the best way to resolve every problem and to take right decisions.
    
    The cleanest I've been
    An end to the tears
    And the in-between years
    And the troubles I've seen
    
    Now that I'm clean
    You know what I mean
    I've broken my fall
    Put an end to it all
    I've changed my routine
    Now I'm clean
    
    

    Flag Lilian999on July 02, 2009  

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!