| Join Me in Death | |
| Cover: | Join Me in Death.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | HIM |
| Album: | Razorblade Romance |
| Length: | 3:39 |
| Label: | BMG Finland, Terrier |
| Producer: | John Fryer |
| Prev Title: | Wicked Game |
| Prev Year: | 1998 |
| Next Title: | Right Here in My Arms |
| Next Year: | 2000 |
"Join Me in Death" is a single by Finnish gothic rock band HIM, taken from their second studio album, Razorblade Romance (2000). It was also released under the condensed title of "Join Me". The song is the eighth-best-selling single of all time in Finland.
HIM performed this song for the first time in Ilosaarirock, Finland, on 11 July 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."[1] 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.[2]
Four versions of the song's video exist: three "lazer versions", two of which include different scenes from the movie The Thirteenth Floor, 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.
Finnish and Australasian CD single[3]
European CD single[4]
German CD single[5]
| Chart (1999–2000) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[6] | 11 |
| Romania (Romanian Top 100)[7] | 15 |
| Chart (2000) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] | 40 | |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9] | 80 | |
| Germany (Official German Charts)[10] | 19 | |
| Romania (Romanian Top 100) | 99 | |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[11] | 79 |
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 2 November 1999 | CD | ||
| Finland | 22 November 1999 | [12] | ||
| Sweden | [13] |