"Tattoo" is a song written and recorded by Siouxsie and the Banshees in 1983. Its proto-trip-hop arrangements and production predated the trip-hop genre that would appear in the mid-1990s.
"Tattoo" was composed and performed as a three-piece by singer Siouxsie Sioux, bassist Steven Severin and drummer Budgie. During this era, the band experimented other ways of recording and orchestration when they were in the studio to record extra-tracks for their singles. For "Tattoo", producer Mike Hedges made them use the mixing desk as an instrument.
Afer watching the movie Tattoo (1981), Siouxsie wrote out the lyrics and did the vocal. It was all done in one day.
The song was first released as the B-side of the "Dear Prudence" single in 1983. It was included on two compilation CDs: 2004's Downside Up and 2015's Spellbound : The Collection.
Siouxsie said in 1998 that it was her "all-time favourite Banshees track" and she played it that year with the Creatures. Severin shared a similar view in 2004: "Probably my favourite B side of all."
"Tattoo" is considered to be a proto trip hop track which helped Tricky to shape his style, with its "claustrophobic mood and insistent rhythm". The song with its production and arrangements, is often cited as inspirational in the development of the trip hop genre. "Tattoo" was covered by Tricky in 1996 as the opening number of his second album, Nearly God. Tricky not only covered it but also sampled the original orchestration. It was also covered by Jay Jay Johanson in 2022.
NME retrospectively reviewed it as "spellbinding" in 2009 when reviewing Downside Up.
In 2024, "Tattoo" was included on the vinyl compilation titled FIP Trip Hop - made by FIP and Radio France - about the trip hop genre, its roots and its history.