Tattoo (Siouxsie and the Banshees song)
| "Tattoo" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Siouxsie and the Banshees | |
| from the album Downside Up (compilation) | |
| Released | 23 September 1983 |
| Recorded | 1983 |
| Genre | Post-punk, proto-trip hop[1] |
| Label | Polydor |
| Songwriter(s) | Siouxsie Sioux, Steven Severin, Budgie |
| Producer(s) | Mike Hedges, Siouxsie and the Banshees |
"Tattoo" is a song written and recorded by Siouxsie and the Banshees in 1983. Its proto-trip-hop arrangements and production predated the trip-hop genre that would appear in the mid-1990s.
Release
The song was first released as the B-side of the "Dear Prudence" single in 1983.[2] It was included on two compilation CDs: 2004's Downside Up and 2015's Spellbound : The Collection.
Music and recording
"Tattoo" was composed and performed as a three-piece by singer Siouxsie Sioux, bassist Steven Severin and drummer Budgie.[2] During this era, the band experimented other ways of recording and orchestration when they were in the studio to record extra-tracks for their singles.[2] For "Tattoo", producer Mike Hedges made them use the mixing desk as an instrument.[2]
Afer watching the movie Tattoo (1981), Siouxsie wrote out the lyrics and did the vocal. It was all done in one day.[2]
Aftermath
Siouxsie said in 1998 that it was her "all-time favourite Banshees track" ans dhe played it that year with the Creatures.[3] Severin shared a similar view in 2004: "Probably my favourite B side of all."[2]
Legacy
"Tattoo" is considered to be a proto trip hop track which helped Tricky to shape his style.[1] This track is often cited as inspirational in the development of the trip hop genre.[1] "Tattoo" was covered by Tricky in 1996 as the opening number of his second album, Nearly God.[4] Tricky not only covered it but he also sampled the original orchestration.[1] It was also covered by Jay Jay Johanson in 2022.[5]
NME retrospectively reviewed it as "spellbinding" in 2009 when reviewing Downside Up.[6]
In 2024, "Tattoo" was included on the vinyl compilation titled FIP Trip Hop - made by FIP and Radio France - about the trip hop genre, its roots and its history.[7]
Personnel
- Siouxsie Sioux - voice
- Steven Severin - harmonic and drone basses [2]
- Budgie : timbales, snares, piano and vocal percussion [2]
References
- ^ a b c d Valli and Pascal Bertin. "Portishead - Dummy in "Pop, Etc". radio France Inter. Radio show broadcast on 31 October 2010. Retrieved 16 May 2016. archived from the original on 17 July 2018
- ^ a b c d e f g h Paytress, Mark. "Siouxsie and the Banshees - Downside Up [liner notes- Boxset]". Universal – 982 182-3. 2004
- ^ Aston, Martin (September 1998). "20 Questions for Siouxsie Sioux". Mojo.
- ^ "cover me". moon-palace.de. Retrieved 1 November 2010.
- ^ Roulleau, Denis (March 2022). "Icon - Tribute to Siouxsie and the Banshees [review]". Rolling Stone (French edition) (140).
- ^ "30 Killer B-Side And Rarities Albums You Might've Missed". NME. 23 January 2009. Retrieved 15 September 2015
- ^ "FIP Trip Hop". Radiofrance.com. Retrieved 2024-09-22.