SUPERSTITION - TRIVIA

 
 
  Musicians:

Superstition:

  • Stephen Hague had expressed an interest in working with The Banshees, and subsequently approached the Banshees to produce the album.  Source:  Bside 02/95.
  • The album was originally going to be called 'The Thirteenth Hour'.  (Severin)  Source:  Deadline 08/91.

Kiss Them For Me:

  • Inspiration/Influence/Band Comment:  
    Jayne Mansfield was the inspiration behind the song 'Kiss Them For Me'.  "This song was sparked off by Jayne Mansfield's story.  She typified the dream that Hollywood holds for young women - a fairytale thing."  (Siouxsie)  Source: Record Hunter 12/92.
  • Performed on Top Of The Pops 30/05/91
  • The title itself taken from the Jayne Mansfield film of the same name.  
  • It is in fact Jayne's voice that can be heard on the 12" 'Snapper Mix' of Kiss Them For Me.  However these immortal lines are taken from the Jayne Mansfield film Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?
  • The house belonging to Jayne Mansfield, known as the Pink Palace is believed to be haunted.  After Jayne's death Mama Cass choked to death there.  Ringo Starr bought the house but pink kept seeping through the walls. Lastly Englebert Humperdinck bought the house, but not before having it exorcised.  Sadly it has since been demolished.  Source:  Melody Maker 11/05/91.
  • Topped the 'Billboard Modern Rock Chart' for 5 weeks.
  • The working title was 'Let's Get Smashed', a reference to the Jayne Mansfield's fatal car accident.  (Siouxsie)  Source:  Melody Maker 17/10/92.
  • The artwork for the record sleeve was inspired by a picture of Jayne Mansfield on the cover of Picturegoer.

Fear (Of The Unknown): 

  • The inspiration for the sleeve was Hitchcock Film Posters.
  • In the extended version of the video Siouxsie is seen kissing Severin's then girlfriend 'Cricket'.  This was considered too racy for MTV and an edited version was shown.  The inspiration for the embrace between Siouxsie & Cricket was the photograph Nusch Eluard Et Sonia Mosse by Man Ray.

Cry:

  • Live debut 01/09/90 Festival de L'Unita,  Milan.  Source: The File, Phase Five, Issue Four.

Drifter:

  • Inspiration/Influence/Band Comment:  
    How the wolves and Native Indians of America were both cast out by the arrival of the white man.  "Drifter has a special mood that we wanted to create like the ambience of Ennio Morricone's 'The Big Sleep'."
  • Live debut 01/09/90 Festival de L'Unita,  Milan.  Source: The File, Phase Five, Issue Four

Shadowtime:

  • A Side of the 12" vinyl has 'Shadowland My Favourite! "SAB The Shrivelled Organ"' scratched into the run out groove
  • Intended as a tribute to Roxy Music's  'For Your Pleasure' album.  (Severin)  Source:  Melody Maker 17/10/92.

Silly Thing:

  • Covered by Deep Red - Reflections In The Looking Glass.

Got To Get Up:

  • Live debut 01/09/90 Festival de L'Unita,  Milan.  Source: The File, Phase Five, Issue Four

Softly:

  • Inspiration/Influence/Band Comment:
    SEVERIN:  I had a dream that I met Elvis and all he said to me was "Softly".  I also had this tape which I got in America.  It was shrinkwrapped to a paperback called 'Is Elvis Alive?' and was supposed to be him ringing from a payphone explaining how he'd survived and what he'd been doing.  There was nobody on the other end of the line.  At the beginning and end of 'Softly' you can just about make out a short wave radio with bits of this tape in it.  It's not important for people to know that, but it gives that atmosphere of something a bit more clairvoyant going on.  The lyrics are nothing to do with ElvisSource:  Deadline 08/91.
    SIOUXSIE:  "Softly" was written in the rehearsal studio with just Martin (McCarrick) and Steve (Severin) playing something and me sort of part ad-libbing off of an idea that I had, and then us working it out together after we'd taped it and decided it was something worth doing.  Source:  Island ear 20/01/92.
  • The shortwave radio interference at the beginning and the end of the song is from a tape that allegedly contains a one way conversation of Presley ringing from a payphone explaining how he survived and what he has been doing.  The tape came free with a paperback called 'Is Elvis Alive?'  (Severin)  Source:  Deadline 08/91.

Sea Of Light:

  • Inspiration/Influence/Band Comment: 
    Deals with the subject of 'near death' experiences.  Source:  Downside Up liner notes.

Face To Face:

  • Fans of photographer Man Ray, his influence can be seen in the video, in particular his photograph 'Glass Tears' which inspired Siouxsie's face jewelry.
  • Tim Burton requested that Siouxsie & The Banshees become involved in the film  Batman Returns.
  • Tim Burton was originally penciled in to direct the video.  Editing duties with Batman Returns made this impossible.  A number of characters that Burton had created for 'Face To Face' video eventually made their way into his film The Nightmare Before Christmas.
  • There were  two promo videos made, the regular one available on the Twice Upon A Time video, and the one promoting the film which is now available on the limited edition double DVD disc of Batman Returns.
  • Problems arose with Warner Bros who were responsible for the release of 'Face To Face' as a single, which no doubt effected its success "Warner's are such scum bags!, I would like to go on record as saying that. I hope someone there dies really soon, or they fall down a big hole on the golf course and never come back! That sounds bad, but I enjoy bitching about a good baddie"(Siouxsie)  Source:  Melody Maker 17/10/92.

I Could Be Again:

  • Inspiration/Influence/Band Comment:
    The lyric 'Just us, the cameras and those wonderful people out there in the dark' is a actually a line quoted by Gloria Swanson at the end of the film
    Sunset Boulevard.

Hothead:

  • Inspiration/Influence/Band Comment:  
    A news paper report on Manchester's growing guns and drug problem.    Source:  Downside Up liner notes.
  • The working title for this song was 'Khajuraho'.  Source:  Downside Up liner notes.

Caroline Says:

With This Hand:

  • Siouxsie & Budgie's wedding took place on 25/05/91 at St John's Church, Notting Hill, London.  Siouxsie wore an Indian print gown in yellow, cerise and gold and wore flowers in her hair.

Lollapalooza:

  • Perry Farrell invited Siouxsie & The Banshees to play the first ever Lollapalooza.  The Banshees were the first band Perry Farrell approached and the only English band playing.  (Severin)  Source:  Deadline 08/91.

Libel:

  • In January 1991 Siouxsie successfully won a libel suit against the Daily Mirror which had alleged that she had received a 'nose job'.

The Indigo Girls:

  • On 06/12/92 Siouxsie made a guest appearance with the Indigo Girls singing 'Strange Fruit' and 'Something Wicked (This Way Comes)'.

France:

  • In April 1992 Siouxsie and Budgie moved to France.  Source:  Rock World 01/10/92.