Member-only story
Walking in My Shoes
Depeche Mode connects my family’s history together.
My family and I opened the door to exit the restaurant when I first heard “Personal Jesus” blaring on some Goth chick’s boom box in 1989. I remember an instant connection to the song — and I didn’t even know who Depeche Mode was, despite the fact that they’d been around for almost a decade.
I was fourteen years old that summer in the hot Arizona sun, in awe of the beat, the lyrics, that voice. And what I couldn’t know, because I hadn’t met him yet, is that my husband followed the band and their music, too.
Before we dated, my husband and I were pen pals — and he sent me mix tapes with Depeche Mode and other bands. I got to know him through his music. When we started dating, he played Depeche Mode cds for me. I learned all the lyrics enthusiastically. Each song had an association — most of them surrounding my relationship with my boyfriend, then fiance, then husband.
And then babies entered the picture. My children rocked in utero to “People Are People” and danced on my feet to the entire Black Celebration album while we sang along.
Our tastes in music informed theirs — and expanded them.
As my sons grew older, one started writing music, and the other son’s eclectic tastes were a delight to discover.
