Recorded at Studio Guillaume Tell in Paris and Konk Studios in London, Behind The Wheel is the 20th single by Depeche Mode (and their 14th in the US). It was originally released on 28 December 1987.
7-inch – UK
Mute – BONG 15 (released 28 December 1987)
A1 Behind The Wheel (Remix) 4:00
B1 Route 66 4:08 ★
12-inch – UK
Mute – 12 BONG 15 (released 28 December 1987, generic inner sleeve)
A1 Behind The Wheel (Shep Pettibone Remix) 5:55
B1 Route 66 (Beatmasters Remix) 6:19 ★
12-inch – orange transparent vinyl edition – Germany
Mute – 12 BONG 15 – Intercord Ton – INT 126.875 (released 28 December 1987 as part of the ‘Colour Collection’, generic inner sleeve)
A1 Behind The Wheel (Shep Pettibone Remix) 5:55
B1 Route 66 (Beatmasters Remix) 6:19 ★
12-inch limited edition – UK
Mute – L12 BONG 15 (released in January 1988, generic inner sleeve)
A1 Behind The Wheel (Beatmasters Mix) 7:59
B1 Route 66 (Casualty Mix) 10:40 ★
12-inch – yellow transparent vinyl limited edition – Germany
Mute – L12 Bong 15 – Intercord Ton – INT 126.876 (released in January 1988, the final record from the ‘Colour Collection’, generic inner sleeve)
A1 Behind The Wheel (Beatmasters Mix) 7:58
B1 Route 66 (Casualty Mix) 10:38 ★
Get your rare German limited edition of Behind The Wheel on 12-inch yellow transparent vinyl format from eBay (subject to availability).
7-inch promo – UK
Mute – DJ BONG 15 (released in December 1987)
A1 Behind The Wheel (DJ Bong15 Remix) 3:57
B1 Route 66 4.08 ★
12-inch promo – UK
Mute – D BONG 15 (released in December 1987, generic sleeve)
A1 Behind The Wheel (Shep Pettibone Remix) 5:55
B1 Behind The Wheel (LP Mix) 5:17
B2 Route 66 4:08 ★
12-inch limited edition promo – UK
Mute – L12 BONG 15 (released in December 1987, generic sleeve)
A1 Behind The Wheel (Beatmasters Mix) 7:58
B1 Route 66 (Casualty Mix) 10:37 ★
CD – UK
Mute – CD BONG 15 (released 28 December 1987)
- Behind The Wheel (7-inch Remix) 4:01
- Route 66 4:08 ★
- Behind The Wheel (Shep Pettibone Mix) 5:55
- Behind The Wheel (LP Mix) 5:18
CD – Germany
Mute – CD BONG 15 – Intercord Ton – INT 811.854 (released in 1988)
- Behind The Wheel (7-inch Remix) 4:01
- Route 66 4:09 ★
- Behind The Wheel (Beatmasters Mix) 7:59
7-inch – US
Mute – Sire – 27991-7 (released 5 April 1988)
A1 Behind The Wheel (7-inch Remix) 3:58
B1 Route 66 / Behind The Wheel (Mega-Single Mix) 4:15
12-inch – US
Mute – Sire – 20858-0 (released 5 April 1988, generic inner sleeve)
A1 Behind The Wheel / Route 66 (Megamix) 7:50
A2 Behind The Wheel / Route 66 (Megadub) 6:14
B1 Behind The Wheel (Shep Pettibone Mix) 5:50
B2 Behind The Wheel (Beatmasters Remix) 8:00
7-inch promo – US
Mute – Sire – 27991-7 (released in 1988)
A1 Behind The Wheel (7-inch Remix) 3:58
B1 Route 66 / Behind The Wheel (Mega-Single Mix) 4:15
12-inch promo – US
Mute – Sire – PRO-A-2952 (released in 1988, generic inner sleeve)
A1 Behind The Wheel (Shep Pettibone Mix) 5:50
A2 Behind The Wheel (Shep Pettibone Dub) 6:00
B1 Behind The Wheel (Beatmasters Mix) 8:00
B2 Behind The Wheel (7-inch DJ Remix) 3:48
CD promo – US
Sire – PRO-CD-2953 (released in 1988)
- Behind The Wheel (7-inch Remix) 4:00
- Behind The Wheel / Route 66 (Mega-Single Mix) 4:27
- Route 66 / Behind The Wheel (Mega-Single Mix) 4:20
- Behind The Wheel / Route 66 (Megamix) 7:48
- Behind The Wheel (Beatmasters Remix) 7:58
- Behind The Wheel (Shep Pettibone Mix) 5:53
12-inch – Philippines
Mute – MUTEP-17204 (released in 1988, generic inner sleeve)
A1 Behind The Wheel (Shep Pettibone Remix) 5:55
B1 Route 66 (Beatmasters Remix) 6:19 ★
7-inch – US
Mute – Sire – 7-21886 (released 31 January 1989 and combined with the single Strangelove, the second US double A-side Depeche Mode release in a series of four called ‘Back to Back Hits’)
A1 Strangelove 3:44
AA1 Behind The Wheel (Remix) 3:58
CD – UK / US
Mute – CD BONG 15 / Mute – Sire – 40330-2 (released 13 April 1992 / 18 June)
- Behind The Wheel (Remix) 4:02 / 4:04
- Route 66 4:10 / 4:11 ★
- Behind The Wheel (Shep Pettibone Remix) 5:55 / 5:57
- Route 66 (Beatmasters Mix) 6:20 / 6:21 ★
- Behind The Wheel (Beatmasters Mix) 8:00 / 8:01
- Route 66 (Casualty Mix) 10:41 / 10:42 ★
- Behind The Wheel (LP Mix) 5:19 / 5:19
CD – Europe / US
Mute – CD BONG 15X / Mute – Reprise – R2 78892C (released 29 March 2004 / 30 March, as part of the box set 4 – Singles 19-24, and separately)
- Behind The Wheel (Remix) 4:03 / 3:58
- Route 66 4:11 / 4:09 ★
- Behind The Wheel (Shep Pettibone Remix) 5:57 / 5:57
- Route 66 (Beatmasters Mix) 6:22 / 6:19 ★
- Behind The Wheel (Beatmasters Mix) 8:01 / 8:01
- Route 66 (Casualty Mix) 10:41 / 10:39 ★
- Behind The Wheel (LP Mix) 5:20 / 5:17
Note: Behind The Wheel was also released on the cassette format.
Music video – Worldwide
Mute – no catalogue number (directed by Anton Corbijn, released in December 1987)
Depeche Mode – Behind The Wheel
- written by Martin Gore, except ★ by Robert William Troup Jr
- produced by David Bascombe and Depeche Mode
- highest chart position 21 (UK) 61 (US)
- the third single from the album Music For The Masses, also appears on the compilation The Singles 86>98 and the box set Music For The Masses | The 12″ Singles
- 1987 Depeche Mode was Andrew Fletcher, David Gahan, Martin Gore, and Alan Wilder