🟢 From My Current Playlist 🎧 “Work Hard” by Depeche Mode

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“Work Hard” is a gritty, industrial-tinged track by the English electronic band Depeche Mode It was released in 1983 as the B-side to the single Everything Counts during the era of their third studio album, Construction Time Again.

The song was written by Martin Gore (as most of their material is) and reflects the band’s early shift toward a darker, more industrial sound — thanks in part to their fascination with sampled metal percussion and found sounds. This was the period when Depeche Mode were moving away from bright synth-pop into something more politically and socially aware.

Lyrically, “Work Hard” is blunt and sarcastic. It tackles themes of labor, capitalism, and blind obedience — basically calling out the system that tells you to grind endlessly without questioning why. There’s this almost chant-like repetition in the chorus (“Work hard!”) that feels less motivational and more ironic, like a factory foreman barking orders.

Musically, it’s driven by metallic rhythms, mechanical textures, and a kind of cold, marching energy. It doesn’t aim for emotional vulnerability like later Depeche Mode ballads — it’s more about atmosphere and attitude. Stark. Direct. Slightly confrontational.

If you’re into that early industrial edge before they leaned fully into the dark romanticism of later records, this one’s a hidden gem.

So… podcast worthy?

Coach

@Shane Peterson

4:18

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