Spellbound (Siouxsie and the Banshees song)
{{Use British English|date=January 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Spellbound
| cover = Siouxsie Spellbound.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Siouxsie and the Banshees
| album = Juju
| B-side = "Follow the Sun", "Slap Dash Snap"
| released = 22 May 1981
| recorded = 1981
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = {{hlist|Post-punk{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/turns-out-karl-lagerfeld-was-an-indie-kid-all-along-2450224|title=Turns out Karl Lagerfeld was an indie kid all along|last=Bassett|first=Jordan|date=20 February 2019|website=NME|access-date=19 April 2020}}|gothic rock{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/the-50-best-goth-songs-of-all-time-1234614460/siouxsie-and-the-banshees-2-1234615578/|title=The 50 Best Goth Songs of All Time|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=31 October 2022|access-date=5 November 2022}}|neo-psychedelia{{cite book|title=33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute - A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999|first=Mike|last=Segretto|date=2022|chapter= 1981|page= 399|publisher=Backbeat|isbn=9781493064601|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jtNtEAAAQBAJ}}}}
| length = 3:18
| label = Polydor
| writer = Susan Ballion, Peter Edward Clarke, John McGeoch and Steven Severin
| producer = {{flatlist|
- Nigel Gray
- Siouxsie and the Banshees
}}
| prev_title = Israel
| prev_year = 1980
| next_title = Arabian Knights
| next_year = 1981
| misc = {{External music video|type=single|header=Music video|1={{YouTube|TjvvK-Rj0WI|"Spellbound"}}}}
}}
"Spellbound" is a song by English rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. The group wrote it and co-produced it with Nigel Gray. It was released in 1981 by record label Polydor as the first single from the band's fourth studio album, Juju.
Prior to recording the song, the band toured the UK in February of 1981 to premiere new material composed with guitarist John McGeoch. When reviewing this era, Barney Hoskyns of NME described "Spellbound" as a "glorious electric storm," further adding, "Siouxsie and the Banshees are one of the great British bands of all time".{{cite work|first=Barney |last=Hoskyns|title=Siouxsie and the banshees Hammersmith |work=NME |date=28 February 1981}}
Release
"Spellbound" was released by Polydor on 22 May 1981. The single peaked at number 22 on the UK Singles Chart in 1981.{{cite web |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/Artist/17098/SIOUXSIE-AND-THE-BANSHEES |title=Siouxsie & the Banshees [uk charts] |publisher=officialcharts.com |access-date=29 April 2013}}[http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/17098/siouxsie-and-the-banshees/ "Siouxsie and the Banshees - UK Singles Chart"]. OfficialCharts. Retrieved 10 October 2015. It also reached 64 on the U.S. National Disco Action Top 80 chart.{{cite web |url=http://allmusic.com/artist/siouxsie-and-the-banshees-p125670/charts-awards/billboard-singles |title=Billboard singles - Siouxsie and the Banshees |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=2 July 2017 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111022011223/http://allmusic.com/artist/siouxsie-and-the-banshees-p125670/charts-awards/billboard-singles |archive-date=22 October 2011 }}
The 12" extended version of the song appeared on the 2006 remastered version of Juju.
Reception and legacy
In their contemporary review, Melody Maker praised the single, calling it "exhilarating".{{cite journal |last=Hewitt |first=Paulo |date=23 May 1981 |title="Spellbound" review |journal=Melody Maker}} The Guardian retrospectively hailed it as a "pop marvel".{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/nov/21/1000tohearbeforeyoudie5 |title=Artists Beginning with S
In 2006, Mojo honoured McGeoch by rating him in their list of "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" for his work on "Spellbound".{{cite journal |date=June 1996 |title=John McGeogh – Spellbound – (Siouxsie & the Banshees, Juju) – 1981 – Yamaha |journal=Mojo |issue=89 |url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/mojo.html#guitar |access-date=1 March 2015}} Johnny Marr of the Smiths stated on BBC Radio 2 in February 2008 that he rated guitarist John McGeoch highly for his work on "Spellbound": "It's so clever. He's got this really good picky thing going on which is very un-rock'n'roll, and this actual tune he's playing is really quite mysterious".Mitchell, Pete. {{YouTube|SJ0MnnF0edE|"Spellbound : The Story Of John McGeoch"}} BBC Radio 2's Pete Mitchell talks to Howard Devoto, Siouxsie Sioux and Johnny Marr among others, as he shines a light on the life of this unsung guitar hero. February 2008.
The song featured in the end credits of the finale of the 4th season of Stranger Things, "The Piggyback,"{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/stranger-things-4-stream-the-complete-official-soundtrack-3260368|title='Stranger Things 4': the complete official soundtrack|publisher=Nme|date=1 July 2022|access-date=2022-07-05|archive-date=5 July 2022|archive-url=https://archive.today/20220705032739/https://www.nme.com/news/music/stranger-things-4-stream-the-complete-official-soundtrack-3260368|url-status=bot: unknown}} and the end credits of the season 4 episode of True Blood, "Spellbound". English pop group Duran Duran covered the song on their 2023 album Danse Macabre.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/duran-duran-danse-macabre/|title=Duran Duran – Danse Macabre|magazine=Clash|last=Harrison|first=Emma|date=25 October 2023|access-date=28 October 2023}} Lady Gaga borrowed the song during a part of her 2025 single "Abracadabra".{{cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2025/03/07/entertainment/lady-gaga-makes-vintage-moves-on-new-album-mayhem-review/|title=Lady Gaga makes some vintage moves on new album ‘Mayhem’: review |publisher=New York Post |access-date=2025-03-08}}
Personnel
- Siouxsie Sioux – vocals
- Steven Severin – bass
- John McGeoch – guitar
- Budgie – drums and percussion
Track listing
; 7"
{{track listing
| headline = Side A
| title1 = Spellbound
| length1 = 3:19
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Side B
| title1 = Follow the Sun
| length1 = 2:49
}}
; 12"
{{track listing
| headline = Side A
| title1 = Spellbound (Extended)
| length1 = 4:40
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Side B
| title1 = Follow the Sun
| length1 = 2:49
| title2 = Slap Dash Snap
| length2 = 3:42
}}
Charts
| class="wikitable"
!align="left"|Chart (1981) !align="left"|Peak |
| align="left"|New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)"[https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Siouxsie+%26+The+Banshees&titel=Spellbound&cat=s Siouxsie & The Banshees – Spellbound]". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
|align="center"|47 |
| align="left"|UK Single Chart
|align="center"|22 |
| align="left"|US National Disco Action Top 80
|align="center"|64 |
References
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Siouxsie and the Banshees}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Siouxsie and the Banshees songs
Category:Polydor Records singles
Category:Song recordings produced by Nigel Gray
Category:Songs written by Siouxsie Sioux
Category:Songs written by Budgie (musician)