Cities in Dust
| "Cities in Dust" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Siouxsie and the Banshees | ||||
| from the album Tinderbox | ||||
| B-side | "An Execution", "Quarterdrawing of the Dog" | |||
| Released | 18 October 1985 | |||
| Format | 7" single, 12" single | |||
| Recorded | 1985 | |||
| Genre | Dance-rock, alternative rock | |||
| Length | 4:06 | |||
| Label |
Polydor (UK) | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Susan Ballion, Peter Edward Clarke and Steven Severin | |||
| Producer(s) | Siouxsie and the Banshees | |||
| Siouxsie and the Banshees singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Cities in Dust" is a song written and produced by British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was released in 1985 as the first single from their seventh studio album, Tinderbox. The "Cities in Dust" 12" was the first Banshees' single release in the United States, on Geffen Records.
History and reception
The song describes the city of Pompeii, destroyed in a volcanic eruption in 79 AD. Imagery describing the volcano and its magma chamber, the condition of the victims of the eruption, and the subsequent discovery and excavation of the city comprises the bulk of the lyrics.
"Cities in Dust" was a more post-punk affair than singles released by the Banshees in the previous several years. It also had more of a pop music melody than past releases from the band, although its lyrics were still dark, mentioning a shrine to Lares Familiares. Its upbeat 4/4 rhythm also made it a hit in dance clubs. "Cities in Dust" peaked at number 21 in the UK singles chart.[1] Although not Siouxsie and the Banshees' first song to hit the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart, it was their first significant hit, climbing to number 17.
Singer Brett Anderson of Suede cited "Cities in Dust" as one of his favourite songs.[2]
Cover versions, legacy and popular culture
A cover by Brazilian band Pato Fu was included on their album Daqui Pro Futuro (2007).
"Cities in Dust" was covered live by theStart during numerous concerts in 2007 and 2008.[3]
A cover by electronic artist Junkie XL with Lauren Rocket was released as a single in 2008, and included on the Booming Back at You album; later in 2008, that cover appeared on the soundtrack for the racing video game Burnout Paradise and on the compilation album OMFGG – Original Music Featured on Gossip Girl No. 1, released by the CW after the first season of Gossip Girl.
A cover of the song by the Everlove was used in the trailers for the 2012 video game Transformers: Fall of Cybertron; that cover was also featured in a 2014 trailer for the fourth season of the HBO series Game of Thrones.[4]
The original Banshees version was included in the 2017 spy movie Atomic Blonde and its soundtrack.[5]
Charts
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 21 |
| US Hot Dance Club Play | 17 |
| Irish Singles Chart[6] | 22 |
| Dutch Singles Chart[7] | 37 |
References
- ↑ Johns, Brian. Entranced : the Siouxsie and the Banshees story. Omnibus Press, 1989. Page 94. ISBN 9780711917736
- ↑ "Culture (by Brett Anderson)". BrettAnderson.co.uk. 20 July 2011. Archived from the original on 11 September 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
- ↑ https://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/siouxsie-and-the-banshees-63d6b22f.html?song=Cities+in+Dust
- ↑ Avery, Dan. HBO Releases Second "Game Of Thrones" Season 4 Trailer, "Vengeance". Newnownext.com. 18 February 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2014
- ↑ "Atomic Blonde Movie Soundtrack". soundtrack-movie.com. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
- ↑ "Search the Charts Archived 3 June 2009 at WebCite". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved on 18 September 2012. NB: user needs to enter "siouxsie and the banshees" in "Search by Artist" and click "search".
- ↑ "Siouxsie and the Banshees". Dutch Albums Chart. Retrieved 30 October 2010.