Released 2 November 1999 Label BMG Producer(s) John Fryer | Format CD single Writer(s) Ville Valo | |
Genre Gothic rock, alternative metal, symphonic rock | ||
"Join Me in Death" is a single by the Finnish band HIM, taken from their second studio album Razorblade Romance. It was also released as "Join Me", since they were not allowed to include "Death" in the title for the US version. It was featured in the end credits of the European version of the sci-fi movie The Thirteenth Floor (The US version featured The Cardigans' "Erase/Rewind" instead). It is the fifteenth-best-selling single of all time in Finland.
Contents
Overview
HIM performed this song for the first time in Ilosaarirock, Finland on 12 September 1998, which featured an extra verse not included in the studio versions.
The song has met with controversy regarding its subject matter. "A couple of people blamed me for a suicide someone committed over here saying that 'Join Me' is an invitation to kill yourself," HIM frontman Ville Valo told the European magazine Metal Hammer in 2003. "What I was trying to do was sort of rip-off 'Don't Fear the Reaper' by Blue Öyster Cult, making a rock track of Romeo And Juliet." Lyrics such as "Would you die tonight for love?" have contributed to the misconception that the song is about suicide, which Valo denies, claiming the lyrics refer to giving things up for the sake of love. "It's not about suicide, that song. It's about giving it all away," Valo told the magazine Modern Fix.
Four versions of the song's video exist: three "lazer versions", two of which include different scenes from the Thirteenth Floor movie, and the fourth being an "ice version", with a vague Romeo and Juliet theme also attributed to the song.
"Join Me In Death" was included in the film The Thirteenth Floor (though not on its soundtrack) and on the Resident Evil: Apocalypse soundtrack in 2004. The band Gregorian covered "Join Me" with Sarah Brightman on their album Masters of Chant: Chapter III and on Brightman's Limited Edition The Harem Tour album. Another Gregorian version exists with vocals performed by Amelia Brightman.
International release
- "Join Me" – 3:39
- "Join Me" (13th Floor Mix) – 3:39
- "It's All Tears" (Unplugged) – 3:48
- "Rebel Yell" (live) – 5:12
Swedish release
- "Join Me in Death" – 3:39
- "Rebel Yell" (live) – 5:12
German release
- "Join Me" – 3:39
- "It's All Tears" (Unplugged) – 3:48
- "Rebel Yell" (live) – 5:12
- "Dark Sekret Love" Limited Edition bonus track – 5:17