Siouxsie gets sarcastic with Top 20 hit "Happy House"

Siouxsie and the Banshees : Happy House

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On March 9, 1980 Siouxsie and the Banshees entered the UK charts at #36 with "Happy House", a song that debuted the new Banshees lineup and sound. During the Join Hands tour both guitarist John McKay and drummer Kenny Morris ditched the band. They were replaced by Magazine's John McGeoch on guitar Slits drummer Budgie whose interest in tribal polyrhythms are already evident here.

Siouxsie has said the song is sarcastic:

In a way, like television, all the media, it is like adverts, the perfect family whereas it is more common that husbands beat their wives. There are mental families really but the projection is everyone smiling, blond hair, sunshine, eating butter without being fat and everyone perfect.

The song would peak at UK#17 and top critic Jon Pareles' list of best single of the year:

Siouxsie + the Banshees: “Happy House” (Polydor import);  
Glenn Branca: “Lesson No. 1” (99); 
NRBQ: “Me and the Boys” (Red Rooster);  
The Dance: “Dance for Your Dinner” (ON import EP); 
 Bush Tetras: “Too Many Creeps” (99);  
Joy Division: “Love Will Tear Us Apart” (Factory import);  
Rod Stewart: “Passion” (Warner Bros.); 
Paul Simon: “Late in the Evening” (Warner Bros.); 
The Method Actors: “This Is It” (Armageddon import EP); 
Colin Newman: “B”/”Classic Remains”/”Alone on Piano” (Beggars Banquet).