Their first single "Hong Kong Garden" reached the top ten in the UK in the summer of 1978. Their debut full-length The Scream (1978) is today considered as a classic. NME wrote in its review, "The band sounds like, some unique hybrid of the Velvet Underground mated with much of the ingenuity of Tago Mago-era Can, if any parallel can be drawn... certainly, the traditional three-piece sound has never been used in a more unorthodox fashion with such stunning results." Indeed, "Switch" placed Siouxsie and the Banshees as pioneers of the post-punk movement.
Their sophomore Join Hands (1979), perhaps their darkest record, followed up. Guitarist McKay and drummer Morris had left the band shortly after its release. This change allowed Siouxsie the Banshees to play different music. They recruited drummer Budgie and the gifted John McGeoch, formerly of Magazine, who would play guitars on the three following records. McGeoch's work with Siouxsie the Banshees would later be praised by the likes of Radiohead and the Smiths.
Their third record Kaleidoscope (1980) released. Including tracks "Happy House" and "Christine", showed a brand new musical departure with liquid guitars and atmospheric synthesizers. This eclectic record was a success and it reached the top five in the national UK charts. One year later, fourth full-length Juju (1981), with the vibrant "Spellbound", was yet another success for the band.
The last session McGeoch recorded with Siouxsie and the Banshees was for the "Slowdive" single off the classic A Kiss in the Dreamhouse (1982). The British press greeted this fifth release enthusiastically. NME wrote on its review, "I promise. This music will take your breath away." McGeoch, worn out by the recording process of these songs, was hospitalized on his return from a promotional trip to Madrid, Spain. At the same era, Siouxsie and drummer Budgie formed the Creatures to record music more based on percussion.
In late 1982, McGeoch was replaced by famed Robert Smith, from the Cure. Smith became a full-time member between the years 1982 and 1984. He contributed to the classic live album, and later would be DVD, Nocturne (1983) and to the sixth studio album Hyaena (1984) as co-composer.
Guitarist John Valentine Carruthers, from band Clock DVA, replaced Smith in May, 1984. He played on the successful seventh full-length Tinderbox (1986), which included the first hit single of the band in the US, "Cities in Dust". The following covers album Through the Looking Glass (1987) with "This Wheel's on Fire", allowed the band to broaden up their sound.
Following a lengthy break, the rest of the band recruited another, new guitarist Jon Klein, from Specimen and the multi-instrumentalist Martin McCarrick to record ninth studio Peepshow (1988). The hit single "Peek-a-Boo" was considered as avant-garde for its abrasive sounds.
After the most impressive tour of their career, Siouxsie and the Banshees stopped for a while and then the Creatures reappeared with critically acclaimed sophomore Boomerang (1989). One of the most languorous songs from this record, "Killing Time", was covered live by Jeff Buckley a few years later.
In May 13th, 1991 Siouxsie the Banshees returned with the single "Kiss Them for Me", mixing the Beatles strings over a dance rhythm. This track peaked in the US singles charts at number 23, allowing them to reach a new audience. Melody Maker praised the last two studio albums by the band, Superstition (1991) and The Rapture (1995). The latter, partially produced by John Cale, included the swansong "Forever".
Morrissey later recorded a duet with Siouxsie titled "Interlude". This one, off-single was published under the banner of the two artists' names. After 20 years together, Siouxsie and the Banshees split in April, 1996. Siouxsie and Budgie thet announced that they would carry on recording as the Creatures. They released their third studio Anima Animus (1999) to critical acclaim.
The box set Downside Up (2004) was released, compiling 51 unreleased B-sides and the highly praised out-of-print The Thorn EP. Most of these numbers like, "Something Wicked (This Way Comes)" and "Red over White", are considered by fans as 'classics.' After carrying on recording as the Creatures, Siouxsie released her debut solo Mantaray (2007). The record was hailed by both Pitchfork and Mojo.
Influence on Other Artists
Siouxsie and the Banshees have influenced musicians worldwide across many genres.
The band had a strong impact on Trip Hop acts such as:
* Tricky covered "Tattoo" to open his second solo album Nearly God. Here's his version: Tattoo. The original version of "Tattoo" was recorded in 1983 and is available on the Banshees Downside Up box set.
* Massive Attack covered and sampled the music of Metal Postcard on their song "Superpredators (Metal Postcard)" for the movie soundtrack The Jackal.
Siouxsie and the Banshees also inspired the following artists :
* LCD Soundsystem covered "Slowdive" for the cd-single "Disco Infiltrator". Here's the original Slowdive and the LCD Soundsystem version Slowdive (XFM session)
* Jeff Buckley covered live a Siouxsie / The Creatures song called 'Killing Time' originally composed in 1989 on the album Boomerang. Here's the original Killing Time.
* Morrissey stated this in 'GQ' in 1994 : "None of them are as good as Siouxsie and the Banshees at full pelt. That's not dusty nostalgia, that's fact."
* The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr from The Smiths stated on the BBC radio 2 in february'2008 that he rated very high McGeoch for his work on Spellbound.
* Garbage singer Shirley Manson wrote in the foreword of the official Siouxsie and the Banshees biography in 2003 by Mojo magazine journalist Mark Paytress : "I learned how to sing listening to The Scream and Kaleidoscope."
* Radiohead bassist Colin Greenwood claims that while recording their song "There There", producer Nigel Godrich tried to get guitarist Jonny Greenwood to sound like the Banshees' John McGeoch.
* PJ Harvey selected in her top ten favourite albums of year 1999 : Anima Animus by The Creatures. aka Siouxsie.
*Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro also makes a parallel between his band and the Banshees in Siouxsie's official biography: "There are so many similar threads : melody, use of sound, attitude, sex-appeal. I always saw Jane's Addiction as the masculine Siouxsie and the Banshees."
*The Beta Band sampled the bridge of Painted Bird on their track Liquid Bird from the Heroes to Zeros album.
*Red Hot Chili Peppers covered Christine live at the V2001 festival. In 2002, their guitarist John Frusciante stated in an article featured on Total Guitar Magazine about Banshees guitarist John McGeoch : "He’s just a great guitar player, full stop. I wanted to listen to these people who weren’t just about technique but more about textures. People like John McGeoch. People who used good chords." also declaring that John McGeoch was an influence for the sound on the Red Hot Chili Peppers album By The Way.
*The Mars Volta covered Pulled to Bits (Live At The Royal Albert Hall) for the 'Wax Simulacra' single.
*Arcade Fire singer Win Butler suggested to the band Devotchka to cover the 1988 Siouxsie song : The Last Beat Of My Heart. One can listen to the Devothcka version on their Curse Your Little Heart ep.
* The Cure leader Robert Smith declared in 2003 in Mark Paytress's Siouxsie biography : "Siouxsie and The Banshees and Wire were the two bands I really admired. They meant something." He also pinpointed what the Join Hands tour brought him musically. "On stage that first night with the Banshees, I was Blown away by how powerful I felt playing that kind of music. It was so different to what we were doing with The Cure. Before that, I'd wanted us to be like The Buzzcocks or Elvis Costello, the punk Beatles. Being a Banshee really changed my attitude to what I was doing." He also talked about the band to Steve Sutherland in 1985 to describe "The Head On the Door" : "It reminds me of the Kaleidoscope album, the idea of having lots of different sounding things, different colors."
*U2 selected Christine for a compilation made for Mojo and The Edge presented an award to Siouxsie at a Mojo ceremony in 2005.
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Split in 2002
Voodoo Dolly
Siouxsie and the Banshees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And she's gonna make you lazy
Like the little drum in your ear
Transfixes you to your fear
And now she's transfixed in your fear
And you know she's gonna stay there
Because her nails are deep in your hair
Are you listening to your fear?
The beat is coming nearer
Like the little drum in your ear
Transfixes you to your fear
She's such an ugly little dolly
And she's making you look very silly
And when you listen in to her ear
You get paralysed with her fear
Oh down, down, down in your fear
Down, down in your fear
Now this little voodoo dolly
Has made you very lazy
And you're anemic from her sucking
And when your dead she'll find another
Better break that little dolly
And sling her in the corner
Now she's a sorry little dolly
Such a sorry little dolly
Are you listening to your fear
The beat is coming nearer
Like that little drum in your ear
Transfixes you to your fear
Listen, listen
Listen, listen
Listen, listen
...
The lyrics of Siouxsie and the Banshees's song "Voodoo Dolly" describe a sense of entrancement and fear that a person can experience when they are unable to resist the power of someone else. The "little voodoo dolly" is the one who possesses this power, and as the lyrics suggest, she makes the person she is targeting feel unproductive and lazy, while also instilling fear and confusion within them. The drumming sound that is heard repeatedly in the song adds to the sense of trance that the dolly holds over the person, and the lyrics highlight how difficult it can be to break free of this hold.
The repetition of lyrics such as "down, down, down in your fear" and "listen, listen" also contribute to the idea of being trapped in a cycle of fear-inducing behavior. The lyric "are you listening to your fear?" is a call to action, urging the person to try and break free of the dolly's hold before it's too late. The song essentially serves as a warning to those who might overlook warning signs of manipulative behavior or become too entranced in someone else's power.
Line by Line Meaning
She's your little voodoo dolly
She has control over you like a child has control over a toy
And she's gonna make you lazy
She will make you unmotivated
Like the little drum in your ear
Her influence is like a constant beat in your head
Transfixes you to your fear
She keeps you focused on your own anxieties
And now she's transfixed in your fear
She is now trapped in your own insecurities
And you know she's gonna stay there
She will be there for as long as you keep her there
Because her nails are deep in your hair
She has a tight grip on you and refuses to let go
And she made you so unaware
She has made you oblivious to the outside world
Are you listening to your fear?
Are you aware of how much power she has?
The beat is coming nearer
Her control is getting stronger
She's such an ugly little dolly
Her control has transformed her into an ugly thing
And she's making you look very silly
Her influence has made you look foolish
And when you listen in to her ear
When you give her your full attention
You get paralysed with her fear
You become paralyzed with your own anxieties
Oh down, down, down in your fear
You're spiraling downwards into your own anxieties
Now this little voodoo dolly
This source of your anxiety
Has made you very lazy
Has made you completely unmotivated
And you're anemic from her sucking
She has completely drained you of your energy
And when your dead she'll find another
When you've given everything you have to her, she'll move on to someone else
Better break that little dolly
It's time to take control of your anxieties
And sling her in the corner
You need to remove her from your life completely
Now she's a sorry little dolly
She is no longer in control and is sorry for what she did
Are you listening to your fear?
Are you aware of how much power she has?
The beat is coming nearer
Her control is getting stronger
Like that little drum in your ear
Her influence remains strong
Transfixes you to your fear
She continues to keep you focused on your own anxieties
Listen, listen
Pay attention to the hold that she has on you
Listen, listen
Don't ignore the problem
Listen, listen
Take control of your own life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BUDGIE, SIOUX, JOHN ALEXANDER MCGEOCH, STEVEN SEVERIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind