Christine (Siouxsie and the Banshees song)



"Christine" is a song by English rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees, written by Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin. It was released in 1980 by Polydor as the second single from the then-unreleased third album, Kaleidoscope.

Content
"Christine" marked a change in musical direction for the band, with new guitarist John McGeoch. The song begins with a distinctive riff played on an acoustic guitar. The post-chorus instrumentation includes electronic organ. The close of the song utilizes a strong flanging effect.

The song's lyrics concern mental illness; it describes Christine, a woman with "22 faces" ("...Personality changes behind her red smile / Every new problem brings a stranger inside / Helplessly forcing one more new disguise..."). The song was inspired by the story of Chris Costner Sizemore, whose battle with dissociative identity disorder was dramatized in the film The Three Faces of Eve. Two of Christine's identities, the Strawberry Girl and the Banana Split Lady, are mentioned in the lyrics of the song. The two most extreme characters of this woman were named "Eve White" and "Eve Black"; those combined names became the title of the single's B-side.

Release
"Christine" was released as a single by record label Polydor on 30 May 1980. It peaked at number 22 in the UK Singles Chart.

Cover versions
The song was covered by Red Hot Chili Peppers at their V2001 Festival performance, and by Simple Minds on the deluxe edition of their Graffiti Soul album in 2009.