All Join Hands

"All Join Hands"
Single by Slade
from the album Rogues Gallery
B-side "Here's To..."
Released 9 November 1984[1]
Format 7" single, 12" single
Genre Rock
Length 4:15 (single version)
5:30 (album version)
6:15 (extended version)
Label RCA Records
Songwriter(s) Noddy Holder, Jim Lea
Producer(s) John Punter (A-Side)
Jim Lea (B-Side)
Slade singles chronology
"Slam the Hammer Down"
(1984)		 "All Join Hands"
(1984)		 "7 Year Bitch"
(1985)

"Slam the Hammer Down"
(1984)		 "All Join Hands"
(1984)		 "7 Year Bitch"
(1985)
Audio sample
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"All Join Hands" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1984 as the lead single from the band's twelfth studio album Rogues Gallery. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by John Punter. It reached No. 15 in the UK, remaining in the chart for ten weeks.[2]

Background

After the band's 1984 breakthrough in America, the band decided to stop touring but continue to record new material.[3] That year the band began recording Rogues Gallery, with "All Join Hands" being recorded at Angel Studios with producer John Punter. The song, selected as the album's lead single, was released in November 1984 to coincide with the Christmas market. It reached No. 15 in the UK and would be Slade's last Top 40 hit for seven years.[2]

"All Join Hands" is a similarly-styled anthem to the band's 1983 hit "My Oh My". In a 1984 interview with Record Mirror, Lea said: "It's another anthem. I come up with these on my way down to the chip shop. It just popped into my head while I was walking down the street. I don't have to sit down at a piano or lock myself in a cottage somewhere. I've got all the tunes in my head but Nod's my bounce, my partner. We could write over the phone by now."

Release

"All Join Hands" was released on 7" and 12" vinyl by RCA Records in the UK, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Australia.[4][5] The B-Side, "Here's To...", would later appear on the band's 1985 studio/compilation album Crackers: The Christmas Party Album.

On the 12" single, an extended version of "All Join Hands" was featured as the A-Side. A limited edition 12" vinyl was also released in the UK, featuring two additional tracks; "My Oh My" and "Merry Xmas Everybody (Live & Kickin')".[6] The latter track had previously appeared as the B-Side to the band's 1982 single "(And Now the Waltz) C'est La Vie".[7]

Promotion

In the UK, the band performed the song on the TV shows Top of the Pops, Razamatazz and Saturday Superstore. On one of the Top of the Pops performances, Holder sported two paper cut-out hands on sticks half way into the performance, while both Lea and guitarist Dave Hill had paper cut-out hands stuck to their guitars. In Germany, the band performed the song on the ZDF show Thommys Pop Show.[8]

Music Video

Noddy Holder in the "All Join Hands" music video

A music video was filmed to promote the single, which was directed by Phillip Davey and shot at Ewert Studios in London. The video featured John Otway of Otway & Wild Willy Barrett Really Free fame as the pianist. The video opens with a piano concerto played to a small seated audience in a posh hall. Holder soon enters the room, much to the horror of the audience, while Lea pushes Otway off the piano and begins to play. Holder begins singing the opening verse of "All Join Hands" and soon Hill appears to play the guitar solo on top of the piano. The stage lights up and drummer Don Powell appears on the drums. As the show has now transformed into a Slade gig, the audience are seen to be won over as they sway from side to side to the song. Eventually, they rush the stage after pulling off their evening wear, revealing Slade T-shirts.[9]

Formats

7" Single
  1. "All Join Hands" - 4:15
  2. "Here's To..." - 3:12
12" Single
  1. "All Join Hands (Extended version)" - 6:15
  2. "Here's To..." - 3:12
12" Single (UK limited edition release)
  1. "All Join Hands (Extended version)" - 6:15
  2. "My Oh My" - 4:12
  3. "Here's To..." - 3:12
  4. "Merry Xmas Everybody (Live & Kickin')" - 3:28

Critical reception

In a retrospective review of Crackers: The Christmas Party Album, Dave Thompson of AllMusic said: "...and there's no denying that "Mama Weer All Crazee Now," "My Oh My," "Run Runaway," "Cum on Feel the Noize," and "All Join Hands" will get the fists pumping the air."[10] In the liner notes of the 2007 Salvo remaster of Rogues Gallery, writer Chris Ingham wrote: "A communal New Year sing-a-long which cannily blended the power ballad style of "My Oh My" while hinting at the Scottish flavour of "Run Runaway", the single wasn't quite the festive smash that was hoped for."[3]

Chart performance

Chart (1984) Peak
position
Irish Singles Chart[11] 9
Swedish Singles Chart[12] 19
UK Singles Chart[13] 15

Personnel

Slade
Additional personnel

References

  1. ↑ "Slade - All Join Hands / Here's To‌ - RCA - UK - RCA 455". 45cat. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  2. 1 2 http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/30945/slade/
  3. 1 2 Rogues Gallery - 2007 Salvo remaster booklet liner notes
  4. ↑ "ALL Discography @ www.collectadisc.co.uk". Collectadisc.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  5. ↑ "Slade - All Join Hands at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  6. ↑ "12" Singles - Slade - All Join Hands / My Oh My - RCA - UK - RCAT 455". 45worlds.com. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  7. ↑ "Slade - (And Now - The Waltz) C'Est La Vie / Merry Xmas Everybody (Live And Kickin') - RCA - UK - RCA 291". 45cat. Retrieved 2017-07-23.
  8. ↑ "SLADE @ www.slayed.co.uk". Crazeeworld.plus.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
  9. ↑ "1986 - Slade Fan Club www.sladefanclub.com". Sladefanclub.com. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  10. ↑ AllMusic Review by Dave Thompson (2006-07-25). "Slade's Crazee Christmas - Slade | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  11. ↑ Jaclyn Ward. "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
  12. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Slade - All Join Hands". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
  13. ↑ "Slade - All Join Hands". Chart Stats. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
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