Depeche Mode: Now in Simlish

Alternative band has single rerecorded in gibberish language of The Sims; "Suffer Well" with new lyrics appears in game's expansion.

The Sims 2: Open for Business

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Musician David Gahan once sang "People are people," and apparently he wasn't just talking about the flesh-and-bones variety. His band, Depeche Mode, has shown its soft spot for artificial people--it has rerecorded one of its songs in simlish, the language of the titular characters in Maxis' The Sims franchise.

The band's song "Suffer Well," off the album Playing the Angel, can now be heard in the digital characters' fake language in the PC game The Sims 2: Open for Business, which was shipped earlier this week by publisher Electronic Arts. Other songs in the game include "Things Can Only Get Better" by Howard Jones, "Too Shy" by Kajagoogoo, and "Synthesized" by Epoxies.

This isn't the first time a big-name band has recorded one of its songs in the gibberish speak. Hip-hop group The Black Eyed Peas recorded several songs in simlish for the game The Urbz: Sims in the City.

Depeche Mode hails from Basildon, England, and is most well known for its albums 101 (1989) and Violator (1990), which were huge hits when Maxis' Sim City was becoming a hit on PCs. The band has since ditched its Flock of Seagulls hairdos and is still popular today. In April, Depeche Mode will headline the Coachella Festival, along with another pop star that knows a thing or two about longevity--Madonna.

Simlish isn't just gobbledygook. The language is carefully constructed by Maxis' audio engineers to ensure that it replicates familiar structure and tone. Diehard fans have even gone so far as to create online simlish dictionaries.

The Sims 2: Open for Business is rated T for Teen and retails for $34.99. For more information, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

44 Comments

  • Lucianno16

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 7:03 am PT

    oh, my favorite band

  • Rigadoon

    Posted Mar 12, 2006 8:35 pm PT

    Very cool. On Depeche Mode, my favorite album was Black Celebration followed by Music for the Masses and the Some Great Reward. If you like it dark, you might really enjoy Depeche Mode if you haven't ever heard them.

  • Jennaphoenix

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 8:24 am PT

    Haha now this I gotta hear!!! No surprises a lot of people are saying 'er who are DM!?' Only one of the best selling live acts in America and worldwide is all =P Got my ticket for April yeeehaw!

  • Murdoink

    Posted Mar 7, 2006 8:59 am PT

    I might get the game just to hear the track, haha

  • darkfalzx

    Posted Mar 7, 2006 6:41 am PT

    I have been a huge DM fan since early 90s, and I think it is awesome that they are getting their name out in all sorts of unorthodox ways. To those who didn't know, there is a Depeche Mode track in GTA San Andreas (unfortunately only one)... Ohh.. also just something funny I came across recently - I was reading some Goth girl's webpage, and she mentioned on it that "Personal Jesus" is her favorite Merelin Manson song... that's hilarious - I wonder if she heard the original: )

  • anamnawshad

    Posted Mar 5, 2006 8:55 am PT

    Depeche Mode is a great band. The first song of them I heard was Enjoy the Silence 04'. I was turned into their fan immediately! Those who haven't heard their song must check them out. I've heard some of their songs which are-Enjoy the Silence 04', Precious, World in my Eyes and would recommend these to anyone who haven't heard them.

    Friend Requests will be accepted

  • deadone1000

    Posted Mar 4, 2006 7:53 am PT

    WOW, imagine if instead of paying money to bands to record songs in giberish, they invested in into the game so the charactersd actually spoke a language like English, french, german etc....

  • Mindphaser

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 8:35 pm PT

    This is awesome!! All Depeche Mode rules!!!!!!! Except Exciter, that sucks.

  • hirushubi2

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 12:03 pm PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

  • Depeche1975

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 11:48 am PT

    Depeche Mode are brilliant, they have benn for more than 25 years now.
    Last album "playing the angel" is phantastic.
    Don't you remember Personal Jesus, Enjoy the silence, I just can't get enough wo wow wow I'll buy the game only for them !!!!!!!
    It's just crazy !

  • DrKill09

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 11:30 am PT

    Losers!

  • paradyme777

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 11:09 am PT

    Their drummer rocks..

  • aafuss

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 11:09 am PT

    Depeche Mode is one of my favorite bands-and having their music in The Sims 2 is very cool indeed.

  • Dave

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 10:23 am PT

    Depeche Mode plays here int he SF Bay area on April 27. Can't wait! Rock on!

  • chickonspeed

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 10:05 am PT

    Some of these replies are making me vomit.
    Anyway, Depeche Mode is amazing. New wave is hilariously amazing.
    And uhm, I want to slap some of you kids for not knowing who they are (or claiming they suck...or will torture you). But in the nicest way, possible.

  • jaefrmbk2k

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 9:08 am PT

    if i don't know depeche mode iss cuz they're prolly too wack. ahaa. actually, they do have a song that is crazy (meaning mad gud) but i don't know the name of it or anything. i think it came out like in '96 or '97. i might have to go thru everything they've ever done to find it-dang that'd prolly be torture tho...

  • astarnamedrin

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 8:43 am PT

    Nice. Got to love Depeche Mode.

  • ufopuller

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 7:56 am PT

    Hope all is going well
    Thanks for getting back to me
    Expect a survey about the week of March 20

  • l_o_k_i_n

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 7:32 am PT

    My avatar!
    DM rules!

  • never-named

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 7:19 am PT

    would be great if pearl jam did it, Eddie Vedder always sonds like he's trippin, imagine him speaking Simlish!

  • Kageha

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 4:56 am PT

    Why is this news? They used real bands for some of the music in University. They weren't as well-known as Depeche Mode but still.

  • Devallyk

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 3:56 am PT

    Depeche Mode rock - this is gonna be funny.

  • pwlodarczyk

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 3:51 am PT

    Have you already heard this "simlished" song? You can see a machinima music video created by Maxis here: http://thesims2.ea.com/news/detail.php?id=701 .

  • Satanmar

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 1:24 am PT

    that was ace, let's hope Maxis can get some other great bands to put simlish style music to the game. I'm young and I know Depeche Mode!

  • KiLLer_ba

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 12:55 am PT

    Depeche Mode with a Simlish song, AWESOME!!!!!

  • fierro316

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 12:32 am PT

    Get Violator, one of the best albums in music history IMHO. Enjoy the silence.

  • Orasion_Seiz

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 12:03 am PT

    ^really? i might just look into one of their albums in the future.

  • RhythmMan

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 11:28 pm PT

    If you don't know Depeche Mode you're probably too young. It's an extremely talented and artistic band that made it big in the 80's. They're renowned for their unique dark-pop style.

  • Thermonuke23

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 11:11 pm PT

    YEAH, depeche mode kicks ass

  • agus23

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 10:00 pm PT

    Although these guys are like demi-gods to me I not buying the game lol .
    Do yourself a favor and get their last album...it's brilliant.

  • andrewtyen

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 9:43 pm PT

    depeche mode is awesome

  • Tranceplant

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 9:33 pm PT

    Hehe! Awesome! Depeche Mode is a great band! They have made great music since a long time... one of the greatest bands today. It's just great music. Do I look like a fan?

  • nemes1s3000

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 7:26 pm PT

    They're purrty good, kinda like a remix for oldies.

  • Orasion_Seiz

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 7:23 pm PT

    im not familiar with their music but either way it sounds interesting.

  • NeoJedi

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 6:43 pm PT

    I adore The Sims and I really like Depeche Mode's music, so it's a great mix for me right there.

  • stellar_depth

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 6:34 pm PT

    i really like depeche mode. it will be strange to hear them in simlish. hah

  • THF2

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 6:32 pm PT

    they are only popular with that one song right? This is a band no one probably knows about but would recognize their only single.

  • thefjk

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 6:31 pm PT

    Who are these Guys????

  • ruttness

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 6:17 pm PT

    wow...i feel like climbing up my back now. NOT.

  • Master__Shake

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 5:44 pm PT

    Wow..that's awesome.

  • coolcool23

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 5:37 pm PT

    Kajagoogoo? Why translate it? It seems like you have perfect simlish already...

  • SaintSadistic

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 5:34 pm PT

    I see...

  • NintendoDSShugo

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 5:26 pm PT

    wow...simlish dictionaries..

  • Grease_Bits

    Posted Mar 2, 2006 5:25 pm PT

    Oh Sweet!! Depeche Mode Rules! New Wave!

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