Join Me in Death

"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 Eighth-best-selling single of all time in Finland.[1]

"Join Me in Death"
Single by HIM
from the album Razorblade Romance
Released2 November 1999
GenreGothic rock
LabelBMG
Songwriter(s)Ville Valo
Producer(s)John Fryer
HIM singles chronology
"Wicked Game"
(1998)		 "Join Me in Death"
(1999)		 "Right Here in My Arms"
(2000)
Alternative cover

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 been 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."[2] 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.[3]

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.

Track listings

International release
  1. "Join Me" – 3:39
  2. "Join Me" (13th Floor Mix) – 3:39
  3. "It's All Tears" (Unplugged) – 3:48
  4. "Rebel Yell" (live) – 5:12

Swedish release
  1. "Join Me in Death" – 3:39
  2. "Rebel Yell" (live) – 5:12

German release
  1. "Join Me" – 3:39
  2. "It's All Tears" (Unplugged) – 3:48
  3. "Rebel Yell" (live) – 5:12
  4. "Dark Sekret Love" Limited Edition bonus track – 5:17

Charts

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[20] Gold 25,000*
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[21] Platinum 30,628[21]
Germany (BVMI)[22] Gold 250,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References
  2. "Cold Fusion" by Martin Carlsson. Metal Hammer, April 2003.
  3. "HIM - interview" Archived 26 May 2006 at the Wayback Machine by Erin Broadley. Modern Fix, issue 37.
  4. "Austriancharts.at – HIM – Join Me" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  5. "Ultratop.be – HIM – Join Me" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  6. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17 no. 9. 26 February 2000. p. 19. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  7. "HIM: Join Me" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  8. "Offiziellecharts.de – HIM – Join Me". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  9. "Italiancharts.com – HIM – Join Me". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  10. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 23, 2000" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  11. "Dutchcharts.nl – HIM – Join Me" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  12. "Topul anului 2000" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 22 January 2005. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  13. "Spanishcharts.com – HIM – Join Me" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  14. "Swedishcharts.com – HIM – Join Me". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  15. "Swisscharts.com – HIM – Join Me". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  16. "Jahreshitparade Singles 2000". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  17. "Year in Focus – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 2000" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17 no. 52. 23 December 2000. p. 9. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  18. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts 2000" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  19. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2000". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  20. "Austrian single certifications – HIM (His Infernal Majesty) – Join Me" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  21. "HIM" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  22. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (HIM; 'Join Me')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 4 October 2020.

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