# It's No Good

"It's No Good" a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 31 March 1997 by Mute and Reprise Records as the second single from their ninth studio album, Ultra (1997). It was written by Martin L. Gore and produced by Tim Simenon, and was commercially successful, reaching number one in Denmark, Spain, Sweden and on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The single also entered the top 10 in Finland, Germany, Iceland, Italy, and the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number five.
On 15 May 1997, the band went on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and performed the song, a recording made available at the official Depeche Mode website. The B-side is an instrumental, called "Slowblow".

## Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard stated that the song is "considerably more low-key" than their "more caustic" previous hit, "Barrel of a Gun". He added, "In fact, this is the single that diehard Depeche Mode disciples have been starved for, in that it somewhat revisits the stylistic days of "Master and Servant". The music cruises at a funky, electro-pop pace with minimal sound-effect clutter. Rather, the focus is on Dave Gahan's forlorn performance and Martin Gore's sensitive lyrics." Dominic Pride from Music & Media noted that the band "return with a sound which programmers and audiences can instantly recognise and identify with", adding that Gahan's voice "soars above the minimal electronics, which are interspersed with some spartan synth interludes, in a song that glides along smoothly to its conclusion."
Alan Jones from Music Week described it as "a superbly retro track which harks back to their old style. Powerful and synth-based, it is a sublime and slightly disturbing piece that totally contradicts its title." Later, he also declared it "a brooding and menacing monster of a track." A reviewer from Sunday Mirror wrote, "Although the first verse sounds scarily like Jimmy Nail to me, by the time the chorus sets in you recognise that proper Mode sound right away. Not as noisy as the last single but there's a stackful of harder remixes to please the mental, mental crowd".

## Legacy

In 2017, Billboard ranked "It's No Good" number 52 in their list of "The 100 Greatest Pop Songs of 1997", writing, "The sixth and to date final top 40 hit for U.K. synth-rock greats Depeche Mode was a sleek sleaze-pop banger, delightfully cheesy enough that singer Dave Gahan pretty much had to play a lounge singer in the video. Still, the thing works because of the bass tremors unsettling the crooning underneath, and the zooming synths that crest and crash like ocean waves around Gahan, giving "It's No Good" just enough edge to keep Depeche Mode relevant amidst the rise of electronica."

## Track listings

All songs were written by Martin L. Gore.

## Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the Ultra album booklet.
Studios
* Recorded at Abbey Road, Eastcote, Westside, Strongroom, RAK (London), Electric Lady (New York City), and Larrabee West (Los Angeles)
* Mastered at The Exchange (London)
Personnel
* Martin Gore – writing (as Martin L. Gore)
* Dave Clayton – keyboards, keyboard programming
* Victor Indrizzo – percussion
* Tim Simenon – production, mixing
* Q. – mixing, engineering
* Kerry Hopwood – programming
* Mike Marsh – mastering

## Release history

Release dates for "It's No Good" :
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) |
| United States | 19 March 1997 | Modern rock radio | RepriseMute |
| United Kingdom | 31 March 1997 | CDcassette | Mute |
| United States | 15 April 1997 | Contemporary hit radio | RepriseMute |
| United Kingdom | 21 April 1997 | 12-inch vinyl | Mute |
| Japan | 18 June 1997 | CD | Mute |