"Join Hands" is the second studio album by English rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees, released on September 7, 1979, by Polydor Records. It was praised by the British press upon its release, including reviews in Melody Maker, Sounds, NME, and Record Mirror.
The album is inspired by the First World War and features a darker and more haunting sound compared to the band's debut album, The Scream. It was the last album recorded with the band's original lineup, as guitarist John McKay and drummer Kenny Morris left the group following a disagreement at the start of the British Join Hands tour, which coincided with the album's release.
The album reached No. 13 on the UK Albums Chart. "Playground Twist" was the only single released from the album. In 2015, Join Hands was reissued on vinyl with the original artwork presented to Polydor in 1979.
Join Hands was written over a period of six months. During this time, the band was influenced by various events, including news reports from Iran depicting scenes of repression and curfews, and the unstable political situation in England with rubbish piling up in the streets of London. Siouxsie Sioux described this period as one of flux and uncertainty, with underlying issues that needed to be addressed rather than ignored. The band drew inspiration from these events, and the theme of war emerged in their music, not as a pro-military message but as a reflection of the times. Miranda Sawyer noted that the album used the un-rock'n'roll topic of World War I as its inspiration.
The album's references to poppies symbolized loss, hopelessness, and the cost of war. The themes of the songs include child-like terror, attacks on social and spiritual conditioning, various forms of death and torture, and loneliness. Some songs also address family and nursing. Critic Ronnie Gurr remarked that the album's lyrics were open to various interpretations.
The album begins with the sound of tolling bells leading into "Poppy Day", a track inspired by John McCrae's poem "In Flanders Fields" from 1915. The song, which includes a long introduction with McKay's guitar and a militaristic backbeat, was influenced by the two minutes of silence observed for war dead. The album's inner sleeve mentions "2 minutes of silence" next to the lyrics of this song.
"Regal Zone" features McKay on saxophone and covers the subject of war, particularly the conflict in Iran. "Placebo Effect" deals with the use of placebos in medicine, while "Icon" reflects iconoclasm, focusing on the destruction of religious images and symbols of old authoritarian regimes. "Premature Burial", inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's short story, reflects claustrophobia and societal limitations. Mark Paytress interpreted the song's line "We're all sisters and brothers" as a mockery of the Summer of Love. The song's conclusion features what sounds like a choir backing for a retreating Red Army.
"Playground Twist" features swirling guitars and church bells, including a nursery rhyme section. Siouxsie described it as addressing the cruelty of children and the harshness of being left to fend for oneself. The song was the band's third single and entered the top 30 despite its unconventional sound. Severin recalled that the head of A&R at Polydor had predicted commercial failure for the single.
The lullaby "Mother / Oh Mein Papa" is an interpretation of the German song "O mein Papa" with lyrics by Siouxsie. Phil Sutcliffe described it as a raw and emotionally charged song. The track features a music box accompaniment and juxtaposes simultaneous expressions of love and hatred for the same mother.
The final track of the album is a studio recording of "The Lord's Prayer", which Siouxsie and the Banshees had performed at their debut live show in 1976. It was recorded in one take, with multiple versions recorded during the first week of sessions. Prior to the album recording, the band had recorded a John Peel session featuring some of the album's tracks. The album was recorded in AIR Studios and mixed by June.
Join Hands differed from The Scream in its darker, more experimental, and less abrasive sound. The recording process was strained, with McKay and Morris becoming uncommunicative. The music was recorded without Siouxsie, who added vocals later, and Morris did not participate in the mixing sessions. Jon Savage described the music as having the intensity of inner violence in a locked room. Kris Needs noted that the album's title was ironically reflective of the internal divisions within the band. Siouxsie later commented that the album conveyed the band's feelings of loneliness and isolation, and while uncompromising, it still sounds modern today.
