Synopsis

A series of surreal, dreamlike tableaux unfolds around Depeche Mode's performance. Figures appear in vividly colored, carefully staged settings: dancers move beside vintage cars, twins perform in near-unison, and eccentric characters occupy a strange, suspended world. The band is seen only briefly, making the video feel less like a conventional performance clip and more like a gallery of disconnected images. The imagery gradually forms an impression of emotional disorientation, reflecting the song's theme of losing oneself through intimacy and surrender.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was filmed over three days in July 1998, using Lockheed in Santa Clarita, California, for the outdoor material and Silvercup Studios in Long Island, New York, for the studio scenes.

• Its dreamlike visual approach was a deliberate response to the song's ethereal quality. Martin Gore described the concept as having that quality rather than following a straightforward narrative.

• The production used an unusually eclectic supporting cast, including two sets of twins, drag performers, a Hollywood brat, and characters identified as "Trailer Park Trash."

• The video version uses a unique edit of the song. It retains the instrumental introduction, fades during the final chorus, and leaves out the instrumental outro.

• "Only When I Lose Myself" was the sole new song recorded for the 1998 compilation "The Singles 86>98." The video was later included on "The Videos 86>98," "The Best of Depeche Mode Volume 1," and the 2016 "Video Singles Collection."