All Join Hands (1984)
All Join Hands is Slade's first single from their twelfth studio album Rogues Gallery. Released by RCA on 9 November 1984, it reached No. 15 in the UK and remained in the charts for ten weeks. The song was written by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea, and produced by John Punter.
Background
After the band's 1984 breakthrough in America, the band decided to stop touring but continue to record new material. That year the band began recording Rogues Gallery, with "All Join Hands" being recorded at Angel Studios with producer John Punter. The song, selected as the album's lead single, was released in November 1984 to coincide with the Christmas market.
The song reached No. 15 in the UK and achieved much airplay in the UK and across Europe. In the first week of December, the song ranked at No. 10 on a UK Radio Airplay Report, which listed the top twenty most played records on BBC stations, Capital Radio, Radio London and major independents. Despite the song's success, it would be Slade's last UK Top 40 hit for seven years. In Europe, the first week of December saw the song listed as a "hot radio add" on EMR's Eurotipsheet.
"All Join Hands" is a similarly-styled anthem to the band's 1983 hit "My Oh My". In a 1984 interview with Record Mirror, Lea said: "It's another anthem. I come up with these on my way down to the chip shop. It just popped into my head while I was walking down the street. I don't have to sit down at a piano or lock myself in a cottage somewhere. I've got all the tunes in my head but Nod's my bounce, my partner. We could write over the phone by now."
Release
"All Join Hands" was released on 7" and 12" vinyl by RCA Records in the UK, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, El Salvador and Australia. The B-side, "Here's To...", would later appear on the band's 1985 studio/compilation album Crackers.
On the 12" single, an extended version of "All Join Hands" was featured as the A-side. A limited edition 12" vinyl was also released in the UK, featuring two additional tracks; "My Oh My" and "Merry Xmas Everybody (Live & Kickin')". The latter track had previously appeared as the B-side to the band's 1982 single "(And Now the Waltz) C'est La Vie".
Promotion
In the UK, the band performed the song on the TV shows Top of the Pops, Razamatazz and Saturday Superstore. On one of the Top of the Pops performances, Holder sported two paper cut-out hands on sticks halfway into the performance, while both Lea and Dave Hill had paper cut-out hands stuck to their guitars. In Germany, the band performed the song on the ZDF show Thommys Pop Show.
Music video
A music video was filmed to promote the single, which was directed by Phillip Davey and shot at Ewert Studios in London. The video featured John Otway of Otway & Wild Willy Barrett Really Free fame as the pianist. The video opens with a piano concerto played to a small seated audience in a posh hall. Holder soon enters the room, much to the horror of the audience, while Lea pushes Otway off the piano and begins to play. Holder begins singing the opening verse of "All Join Hands" and soon Hill appears to play the guitar solo on top of the piano. The stage lights up and Don Powell appears on the drums. As the show has now transformed into a Slade gig, the audience are seen to be won over as they sway from side to side to the song. Eventually, they rush the stage after pulling off their evening wear, revealing Slade T-shirts.
The video received widespread play across European programmes. In December 1984, Music & Media listed the video as one being "well aired" across the continent. It received heavy play on the Sky Channel's Sky-Fi Music Show.
Critical reception
Contemporary reviews
Retrospective reviews
Chart performance
European Airplay Top 50: #43
European Top 100 Singles: #55
Irish Singles Chart: #9
Swedish Singles Chart: #19
UK Singles Chart: #15
UK Music Week Heavy Metal Top Singles: #3
Formats
7" single
Personnel
Slade
Additional personnel
Background
After the band's 1984 breakthrough in America, the band decided to stop touring but continue to record new material. That year the band began recording Rogues Gallery, with "All Join Hands" being recorded at Angel Studios with producer John Punter. The song, selected as the album's lead single, was released in November 1984 to coincide with the Christmas market.
The song reached No. 15 in the UK and achieved much airplay in the UK and across Europe. In the first week of December, the song ranked at No. 10 on a UK Radio Airplay Report, which listed the top twenty most played records on BBC stations, Capital Radio, Radio London and major independents. Despite the song's success, it would be Slade's last UK Top 40 hit for seven years. In Europe, the first week of December saw the song listed as a "hot radio add" on EMR's Eurotipsheet.
"All Join Hands" is a similarly-styled anthem to the band's 1983 hit "My Oh My". In a 1984 interview with Record Mirror, Lea said: "It's another anthem. I come up with these on my way down to the chip shop. It just popped into my head while I was walking down the street. I don't have to sit down at a piano or lock myself in a cottage somewhere. I've got all the tunes in my head but Nod's my bounce, my partner. We could write over the phone by now."
Release
"All Join Hands" was released on 7" and 12" vinyl by RCA Records in the UK, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, El Salvador and Australia. The B-side, "Here's To...", would later appear on the band's 1985 studio/compilation album Crackers.
On the 12" single, an extended version of "All Join Hands" was featured as the A-side. A limited edition 12" vinyl was also released in the UK, featuring two additional tracks; "My Oh My" and "Merry Xmas Everybody (Live & Kickin')". The latter track had previously appeared as the B-side to the band's 1982 single "(And Now the Waltz) C'est La Vie".
Promotion
In the UK, the band performed the song on the TV shows Top of the Pops, Razamatazz and Saturday Superstore. On one of the Top of the Pops performances, Holder sported two paper cut-out hands on sticks halfway into the performance, while both Lea and Dave Hill had paper cut-out hands stuck to their guitars. In Germany, the band performed the song on the ZDF show Thommys Pop Show.
Music video
A music video was filmed to promote the single, which was directed by Phillip Davey and shot at Ewert Studios in London. The video featured John Otway of Otway & Wild Willy Barrett Really Free fame as the pianist. The video opens with a piano concerto played to a small seated audience in a posh hall. Holder soon enters the room, much to the horror of the audience, while Lea pushes Otway off the piano and begins to play. Holder begins singing the opening verse of "All Join Hands" and soon Hill appears to play the guitar solo on top of the piano. The stage lights up and Don Powell appears on the drums. As the show has now transformed into a Slade gig, the audience are seen to be won over as they sway from side to side to the song. Eventually, they rush the stage after pulling off their evening wear, revealing Slade T-shirts.
The video received widespread play across European programmes. In December 1984, Music & Media listed the video as one being "well aired" across the continent. It received heavy play on the Sky Channel's Sky-Fi Music Show.
Critical reception
Contemporary reviews
- Adrian Jones of Number One said: "In a month or so it'll be Christmas. So here come Slade with yet another mawkishy sentimental singalong complete with piano and guitar solo. The only problem is that they might be a teensy weeny bit too early. Never mind they can always release "Merry Xmas Everybody" again. Bah, humbug."
- Pedro of Record Mirror wrote: "You can imagine Noddy Holder writing this while leaning up against the bar, thinking of where he's going to get his next pint of Special Brew from, and of all those forthcoming Xmas and New Years parties when the beer will be flowing. "I know," he thinks, "I'll write a cheery-beery Xmas singalongaSlade epic, you know the type, all the lads at the bar swaying terrace style, hands joined and pint mugs raised. Not so much the "Merry Xmas Everybody" knees-up but more the rousing chorus anthem type. That should keep me in beer money till the New Year." Recently, all the bookies drastically lowered the odds on lightning strike twice."
- Penny Reel of New Musical Express described the song as a "heavy metal ballad lout chant".
- Richard Bryson of the Suffolk & Essex Free Press wrote: "Slade know all about making Christmas records... songs for people to dance, shout and throw up to. This one is tailor-made for the singalong after last orders have been called. All join hands, croaks Noddy, making sure no one can leave without being bored stupid by another of their turgid ballads."
- Frank Edmonds of the Bury Free Press commented: "Scarf-waving, beer-swilling party pub singalong, with a big sound and dramatic build-up. Like 'My Oh My' but even more commercial. Shamelessly aimed at the Christmas/New Year market, with an eye to further sales for the next five festive seasons. Words cannot describe how much product this could shift. I loathe it fiercely. Hit potential: 9 out of 10. My opinion: 1 out of 10."
- Jerry Smith of Music Week listed the single as a "chart cert".
- In January 1985, the Spanish radio show Radio Espana listed the song as its "Record of the Week".
Retrospective reviews
- In a retrospective review of Crackers, Dave Thompson of AllMusic said: "...and there's no denying that "Mama Weer All Crazee Now," "My Oh My," "Run Runaway," "Cum On Feel the Noize," and "All Join Hands" will get the fists pumping the air."
- In the liner notes of the 2007 Salvo remaster of Rogues Gallery, writer Chris Ingham wrote: "A communal New Year sing-a-long which cannily blended the power ballad style of "My Oh My" while hinting at the Scottish flavour of "Run Runaway", the single wasn't quite the festive smash that was hoped for."
Chart performance
European Airplay Top 50: #43
European Top 100 Singles: #55
Irish Singles Chart: #9
Swedish Singles Chart: #19
UK Singles Chart: #15
UK Music Week Heavy Metal Top Singles: #3
Formats
7" single
- "All Join Hands" - 4:15
- "Here's To..." - 3:12
- "All Join Hands (Extended version)" - 6:15
- "Here's To..." - 3:12
- "All Join Hands (Extended version)" - 6:15
- "My Oh My" - 4:12
- "Here's To..." - 3:12
- "Merry Xmas Everybody (Live & Kickin')" - 3:28
Personnel
Slade
- Noddy Holder - lead vocals
- Dave Hill - lead guitar, backing vocals
- Jim Lea - piano, bass, synthesiser, backing vocals, producer of "Here's To...", arranger
- Don Powell - drums
Additional personnel
- John Punter - producer of "All Join Hands" and "My Oh My"
- Slade - producers of "Merry Xmas Everybody (Live & Kickin')"
- East St. - design and art
- Shoot That Tiger! - logo
- Tony McConnell - photography