ans he es ▁from ▁their ▁sevent h ▁studio ▁album , ▁T inder box ▁( 1 9 8 6 ). ▁It ▁was ▁released ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁October ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁as ▁the ▁album ' s ▁lead ▁single . ▁The ▁" C ities ▁in ▁D ust " ▁ 1 2 - inch ▁vin yl ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁B ans he es ' ▁single ▁release ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁on ▁Ge ffen ▁Records . ▁ ▁Background ▁and ▁composition ▁" C ities ▁in ▁D ust " ▁is ▁a ▁dance - rock ▁and ▁dance - pop ▁song . ▁The ▁song ▁describes ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Pom pe ii , ▁destroyed ▁in ▁a ▁vol can ic ▁er u ption ▁in ▁ 7 9 ▁AD . ▁Im ag ery ▁describing ▁the ▁vol cano ▁and ▁its ▁mag ma ▁chamber , ▁the ▁condition ▁of ▁the ▁vict ims ▁of ▁the ▁er u ption , ▁and ▁the ▁subsequent ▁discovery ▁and ▁exc av ation ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁compr ises ▁the ▁bulk ▁of ▁the ▁lyr ics . ▁The ▁lyr ics ▁mention ▁a ▁shr ine ▁to ▁L ares ▁Famil iar es . ▁ ▁Re ception ▁" C ities ▁in ▁D ust " ▁pe aked ▁at ▁No . ▁ 2 1 ▁on ▁the ▁UK ▁Singles ▁Chart . ▁Although ▁not ▁Si ou xs ie ▁and ▁the ▁B ans he es ' ▁first ▁song ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁US ▁Hot ▁Dance / Dis co ▁chart , ▁it ▁was ▁their ▁first ▁significant ▁success , ▁clim bing ▁to ▁No . ▁ 1 7 . ▁ ▁Sp in ▁ha iled ▁the