Sex jibe husband murders wife
Bomb blast victim fights for life
Girl, thirteen, attacked with knife
Princess Di is wearing a new dress

Jet airliner shot from sky
Famine horror, millions die
Earthquake terror figures rise
Princess Di is wearing a new dress

You can't change the world
But you can change the facts
And when you change the facts
You change points of view
If you change points of view
You may change a vote
And when you change a vote
You may change the world

In black townships fires blaze
Prospects better premier says
Within sight are golden days
Princess Di is wearing a new dress

You can't change the world
But you can change the facts
And when you change the facts
You change points of view
If you change points of view
You may change a vote
And when you change a vote
You may change the world

Princess Di is wearing a new dress
Princess Di is wearing a new dress
Princess Di is wearing a new dress
Princess Di is wearing a new dress


Lyrics submitted by Fistan

New Dress Lyrics as written by Martin Gore

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Unison Rights S.L., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

New Dress song meanings
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15 Comments

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  • +4
    General Comment

    This is one of my top ten fav DM songs. It's talking about how people focus on stupid things like Princess Di's new dress instead of real issues or more important news. And then the chorus explains the spin doctor tactic very well.

    Helixion June 12, 2002   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    The lyrics to this song are fantastic! I do agree with the first commenter that it's about people focusing on mundane issues when there is much suffering going on. On a political standpoint, it reflects to me the people who are too preoccupied with small issues, that they can't focus on more important issues and actually trying to do something for the world.

    son_of_salmonon March 04, 2006   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    I worked for the Daily Mail for a short time a few years ago. At the morning editorial meeting there would be a round-up of the big news stories - bomb blast in Baghdad, NHS hospital in crisis, Pope dies etc. We'd run with the headline 'Jennifer Aniston gets new hairdo' or similar. Reminded me of this song every time.

    Fenteron February 07, 2008   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    It's crazy that over 25 years on, nothing has changed at all. In fact, it's much worse. It's a very similar message to Panic by The Smiths.

    tommyhaychon January 28, 2014   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    This song is fantastic. It really makes you realize that gossip is so much bs and the world has much bigger problems to deal with. Really cool song. One of my DM favorites.

    johndon August 17, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    As per my understanding, this song is about how the media was using the fact that Princess Di was updating her wardrobe and running that as headlines rather than actual news.

    music1994on March 02, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I bought a "best of" depeche mode album a few years ago and it just became part of my collection. I then played it when I had some friends around and realised what I had been missing so I bought further albums which is when I stumbled accross this song. I'm saying all this because I think this song is amazing and is so apt today it is unbelievable. I think everyone has covered what the song means I just wanted to put my personal feeling down.

    Big Tkon January 30, 2007   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning

    I think there is more to this than DM lambasting the media for giving the public 'bread and circuses' (and the public's eager acceptance of same). Yes, there is plenty of 'Which star has celulite' and 'Which Royal was behaving badly' and all of that crap, but Diana used that attention for charities like landmine removal, starving children, and AIDS awareness. She used the existing machinery that works to create more and more fluff to create somthing of substance. You can't change the world, but she was able to start changing the facts, which ultimately did change the world in some lasting ways.

    AlexPixleyon May 29, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It might be about pop culture, and how all people care about is what the most popular or well loved person is wearing, like in this time in Britain, was Princess Di.

    DepecheRozeon October 02, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    And still, these days people are more fascinated with what Meghan Markle or Kate Middleton are wearing, versus famine, disease, or heck, even any of their accomplishments. Same with actors, people care more about the shallow and superficial, like their dress and its cost, than the substance and achievements of the person. The world could be falling apart, everything going to hell in a hand basket, but people would only notice and focus on someone's appearance or gossip, nothing else would matter!

    BeachGalon March 22, 2019   Link

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