{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}} {{Use British English|date=September 2012}} {{Infobox song | name = A Question of Lust | cover = DepecheModeAQuestionOfLust.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Depeche Mode | album = Black Celebration | B-side = Christmas Island | released = {{Start date|1986|4|14|df=yes}}<ref>{{cite magazine|date=12 April 1986|title=New Singles|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1986/Music-Week-1986-04-12.pdf|magazine=Music Week|page=6|access-date=26 August 2024}}</ref> | recorded = November 1985 – January 1986 | studio = * Westside (London) * Hansa Mischraum (Berlin) | genre = * Synth-pop<ref>{{cite news |last=Zaleski |first=Annie |date=26 February 2015 |title=Where to start with '80s U.K. synth-pop |url=https://www.avclub.com/where-to-start-with-80s-u-k-synth-pop-1798277406 |work=The A.V. Club |access-date=24 January 2019}}</ref> * dark wave<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Unterberger |first=Andrew |date=18 March 2017 |title=The 10 Most Underrated Depeche Mode Singles: Critic's Take |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/depeche-mode-most-underrated-singles-critics-take-7728683/ |magazine=Billboard |access-date=27 January 2022}}</ref> | length = 4:29 (7" single version)<br>4:23 (album version) | label = Mute | writer = Martin L. Gore | producer = * Depeche Mode * Gareth Jones * Daniel Miller | prev_title = Stripped | prev_year = 1986 | next_title = A Question of Time | next_year = 1986 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|glw10co1IRs|"A Question of Lust"}}}} }} {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|last=Raggett|first=Ned|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-question-of-lust-mw0000200617|title=A Question of Lust – Depeche Mode|website=AllMusic|access-date=26 August 2024}}</ref> }}
"'''A Question of Lust'''" is a song by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode from their fifth studio album, ''Black Celebration'' (1986). It was released on 14 April 1986 in the UK by Mute Records and in West Germany by Intercord Records.
The single reached number 28 in United Kingdom and number 8 in West Germany.
==Background and recording== Depeche Mode released their album ''Black Celebration'' in mid-March 1986,{{sfn|Burmeister|Lange|2017|pp=138-139}} and its first single, "Stripped", was released the month before.{{sfn|Burmeister|Lange|2017|p=132}} Due to scheduling and recording conditions, recording sessions for the album were tense and the band were constantly under deadlines to deliver.<ref name="GoodEnough">{{cite AV media |title=Depeche Mode: 1985–86 (The Songs Aren't Good Enough, There Aren't Any Singles and It'll Never Get Played on the Radio) |last1=Hallard |first1=Ross (director) |last2=Lane |first2=Phil Michael (director) |publisher=Mute Records |year=2007 |type=DVD |OCLC=}}</ref> Recording for "A Question of Lust" occurred around 19 November 1985.<ref name="GoodEnough" /> "A Question of Lust" was one of four songs sung by songwriter Martin Gore on the album, and the first Gore-sung Depeche Mode single since 1984.<ref name="GoodEnough" /> Although recording started at Westside Studios in London, final production and mixing moved to Hansa Studios in West Berlin by early 1986.<ref name="n1">{{cite web |date=22 February 1986|magazine=Number One|access-date=28 August 2025 |title=Depeche Mode Interview|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/57779449@N02/49694817922/in/album-72157713608978211/ | pp=8-11 |last=Bell | first=Max|issue=140}}</ref> In 1998, Gore said the song is "almost like an old 50s or 60s classic pop song. It's a really good song to do live and has a great melody."<ref name="bong37">{{cite magazine|magazine=Bong 37|date=September 1998|issue=37|pp=18–19|title=The Singles 86>98 by Martin Gore|last=Olexova|first=Michaela}}</ref>
B-side "Christmas Island", an instrumental, was co-written by Gore and Alan Wilder, and represented Wilder's final writing credit for the band before his departure in 1995.{{sfn|Burmeister|Lange|2017|pp=141,148}}
==Release and promotion== "A Question of Lust" was released on 14 April 1986<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archives.depechemode.com/discography/singles/16_aquestionoflust.html | title=Depeche Mode Discography: A Question of Lust | access-date=6 September 2025}}</ref> by Mute Records in the UK and Intercord Records in West Germany.{{sfn|Burmeister|Lange|2017|p=141-144}} In the UK, the single was released on 7" and 12" vinyl with catalogue numbers 7BONG11 and 12BONG 11, respectively.{{sfn|Burmeister|Lange|2017|p=141}} Intercord released a 7" single (first editions were pressed on red vinyl), a 12" single, and a limited 12" single that included a booklet containing band photos and information with catalogue numbers INT 111.836, INT 126.841 and INT126.844, respectively.{{sfn|Burmeister|Lange|2017|p=141,148}}
In the US, Sire Records released the single only promotionally, with 7" and 12" vinyl releases that contained unique remixes by Robert Margouleff; catalogue numbers were 7-28697-DJ for the 7" and PRO-A-2504 for the 12".{{sfn|Burmeister|Lange|2017|p=144}} In addition, on 4 March 1987, Sire Records released a promotional 7" with "A Question of Lust" on the A-side and "People Are People" on the B-side (catalogue number 92 86977 in Canada and 7 21994 in the US).{{sfn|Burmeister|Lange|2017|p=144}}
"A Question of Lust" reached number 28 in the UK and made it into the top 10 on the West German charts.{{sfn|Burmeister|Lange|2017|p=141}} The band reported that George Michael liked the song enough that he considered releasing a cover of it, although that apparently never came to fruition.{{sfn|Miller|2003|p=340}}
In 2017, "A Question of Lust" was included on Billboard's list of their top 20 Depeche Mode songs.<ref name="bb20">{{cite web | url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/depeche-mode-songs-best-hits-list-7972846/ | title=The 20 Best Depeche Mode Songs: Critic’s Picks | date=20 September 2017 | last=Bein | first=Kat}}</ref>
The B-side, "Christmas Island", was featured in the end credits for the second episode of the Disney+ series, ''Hawkeye'' in 2021.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.looper.com/677521/whats-the-song-at-the-end-of-hawkeye-episode-2/ | title=What's The Song At The End Of Hawkeye Episode 2? | date=3 December 2021 | access-date=6 June 2025 | last=Rowe | first=Brandon}}</ref>
===Music video=== The music video for "A Question of Lust" features the return of director Clive Richardson for his last video with the band.{{sfn|Burmeister|Lange|2017|p=141}}
==Track listings== All songs written by Martin L. Gore, except "Christmas Island", written by Gore and Alan Wilder, and "If You Want", written by Wilder.
* '''7" single: Mute / 7BONG11 (UK)''' # "A Question of Lust" – 4:29 # "Christmas Island" – 4:51
* '''12" single: Mute / 12BONG11 (UK)''' # "A Question of Lust" – 4:29 # "Christmas Island (Extended)" – 5:37 # "People are People (Live)" – 4:21 # "It Doesn't Matter Two (Instrumental)" – 2:49 # "A Question of Lust (Minimal)" – 6:49
* '''12" single: Intercord: INT 826.841''' # "A Question of Lust (Flood Mix)" – 5:07 [*] # "Christmas Island" – 4:51 # "If You Want (Live)" – 5:16 # "Shame (Live)" – 4:13 # "Blasphemous Rumours (Live)" – 5:25
==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} ===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Weekly chart performance for "A Question of Lust" ! scope="col"| Chart (1986) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{single chart|Flanders|32|artist=Depeche Mode|song=A Question of Lust|rowheader=true|access-date=20 December 2020}} |- ! scope="row"| Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Media-IDX/IDX/80s/86/M&M-1986-05-24-OCR-Page-0005.pdf |title=European Hot 100 Singles |magazine=Music & Media |volume=3 |issue=20 |date=24 May 1986 |page=13 |oclc=29800226 |via=World Radio History}}</ref> | 21 |- ! scope="row"| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)<ref>{{cite book |last=Pennanen |first=Timo |title=Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 |language=fi |edition=1st |location=Helsinki |publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava |year=2006 |isbn=978-951-1-21053-5}}</ref> | 15 |- {{single chart|Ireland2|13|song=A Question of Lust|rowheader=true|access-date=20 December 2020}} |- {{single chart|Dutch40|24|artist=Depeche Mode|rowheader=true|access-date=20 December 2020}} |- {{single chart|Dutch100|19|artist=Depeche Mode|song=A Question of Lust|rowheader=true|access-date=20 December 2020}} |- {{single chart|Sweden|17|artist=Depeche Mode|song=A Question of Lust|rowheader=true|access-date=20 December 2020}} |- {{single chart|Switzerland|12|artist=Depeche Mode|song=A Question of Lust|rowheader=true|access-date=20 December 2020}} |- {{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|28|artist=Depeche Mode|artistid=20192|rowheader=true|access-date=20 December 2020}} |- ! scope="row"| UK Indie (OCC)<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Week-IDX/IDX/1986/Music-Week-1986-05-03-IDX-11.pdf |title=Indies – Top 50 Singles |magazine=Music Week |date=3 May 1986 |page=11 |issn=0265-1548 |via=World Radio History}}</ref> | 1 |- {{single chart|West Germany|8|songid=1435|artist=Depeche Mode|song=A Question of Lust|rowheader=true|access-date=20 December 2020}} |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Year-end chart performance for "A Question of Lust" ! scope="col"| Chart (1986) ! scope="col"| Position |- ! scope="row"| West Germany (Media Control)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1986 |title=Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1986 |language=de |publisher=Offizielle Deutsche Charts |access-date=20 December 2020}}</ref> | 59 |} {{col-end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
===Works cited=== {{Refbegin}} * {{cite book |last1=Burmeister |first1=Dennis |last2=Lange |first2=Sascha |title=Depeche Mode: Monument |location=New York |publisher=Akashic Books |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-61775-593-4}} * {{cite book |last=Miller |first=Jonathan |title=Stripped: The True Story of Depeche Mode |location=London |publisher=Omnibus Press |year=2004 |isbn=1-84449-415-2}} {{Refend}}
==External links== * {{Discogs master|type=single|21236}} * [https://archives.depechemode.com/discography/singles/16_aquestionoflust.html Single information from the official Depeche Mode website]
{{Depeche Mode}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Question of Lust, A}} Category:1986 singles Category:1986 songs Category:Depeche Mode songs Category:Mute Records singles Category:Songs written by Martin Gore Category:Song recordings produced by Daniel Miller Category:Song recordings produced by Gareth Jones Category:UK Independent Singles Chart number-one singles