Melt!
Encyclopedia
"Melt" / "Il Est Né Le Divin Enfant" is a double A-sided single by British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees released in 1982. It was released as the second and final single from the band's fifth album A Kiss in the Dreamhouse
; "Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant" does not appear on that album.
The track "Melt!" was representative of Siouxsie and the Banshees more elaborate and experimental musical direction at the time. The overtones of the song were accentuated by a lush string section. The sensual lyrics of "Melt!" compare an intense sexual interlude with a lover to dying. Its lyrics can also allude to a S&M
encounter ("...Handcuffed in lace and blood and sperm / Swimming in poison / Gasping in the fragrance / Sweat carves a screenplay / of discipline and devotion...").
"Il Est Né Le Divin Enfant" is an adaptation of a traditional French Christmas carol
. This track was exclusive to this single, and remained unreleased on album or CD for many years, until the appearance of 2004 Siouxsie and the Banshees box set Downside Up
.
Released in late 1982, "Melt!"/"Il Est Né Le Divin Enfant" peaked as a double A-side at number forty-nine in the UK Singles Chart
.
A Kiss in the Dreamhouse
A Kiss in the Dreamhouse is the fifth studio album by English post-punk band Siouxsie and the Banshees and was issued by Polydor Records in the UK in 1982. It was reissued, remastered, and expanded in 2009...
; "Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant" does not appear on that album.
The track "Melt!" was representative of Siouxsie and the Banshees more elaborate and experimental musical direction at the time. The overtones of the song were accentuated by a lush string section. The sensual lyrics of "Melt!" compare an intense sexual interlude with a lover to dying. Its lyrics can also allude to a S&M
Sadism and masochism
Sadomasochism broadly refers to the receiving of pleasure—often sexual—from acts involving the infliction or reception of pain or humiliation. The name originates from two authors on the subject, Marquis de Sade and Leopold von Sacher-Masoch...
encounter ("...Handcuffed in lace and blood and sperm / Swimming in poison / Gasping in the fragrance / Sweat carves a screenplay / of discipline and devotion...").
"Il Est Né Le Divin Enfant" is an adaptation of a traditional French Christmas carol
Christmas carol
A Christmas carol is a carol whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas or the winter season in general and which are traditionally sung in the period before Christmas.-History:...
. This track was exclusive to this single, and remained unreleased on album or CD for many years, until the appearance of 2004 Siouxsie and the Banshees box set Downside Up
Downside Up
Downside Up is a four-disc box set collecting B-sides and bonus material from the catalog of Siouxsie and the Banshees. Also included is The Thorn , originally released in 1984....
.
Released in late 1982, "Melt!"/"Il Est Né Le Divin Enfant" peaked as a double A-side at number forty-nine in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.