THE CURE - ONE HUNDRED YEARS

Estrena: 4 de maig de 1982

Àlbum: Pornography

"It doesn’t matter if we all die.” Aquesta declaració inquietant obre "One Hundred Years", una pista clau de l'àlbum "Pornography" de The Cure. La banda estava immersa en la turbulència durant la seva gravació, amb disputes internes, ús de drogues i la imminent amenaça de la separació. Robert Smith va lluitar contra intensos dimonis personals, revelant més tard que escriure l'àlbum li va impedir contemplar el suïcidi. La cançó condensa la tristesa i la desesperació d'aquell període, reflectint la tumultuosa tempesta emocional i l'angoixa existencial de la banda a través de lletres viscerais i paisatges sonors atmosfèrics.

"One Hundred Years" s'enfonsa profundament en l'exploració introspectiva i emotiva de l'angoixa existencial i la desesperació de Robert Smith. La cançó serveix com a metàfora dels sentiments de monotonia i insatisfacció a la vida. La seva interpretació reflecteix una tensió i desesperació pronunciades, transmetent vívidament les frustracions i la sensació d'estar atrapat.

La repetició de frases com "Waiting for the death blow," "Just like the old days," "One after the other," i "A hundred years" (Esperant el cop de mort), (Com els vells temps), (Un darrere de l'altre) i (Cent anys) intensifiquen els temes de desesperança i futilitat. Aquestes frases subratllen el pas implacable del temps i la naturalesa cíclica del patiment i la desesperació. Particularment poètica és l’imatge de "The ribbon tightens round my throat" (La cinta s'apreta al voltant del meu coll), que captura la lluita de Smith amb els pensaments suïcides i el pes sufocant de les seves emocions.

"One Hundred Years" destaca com una profunda exploració de la desesperació dins de l'àlbum de The Cure "Pornography". La representació sense concessions de la desesperació i l'angoixa existencial va establir un precedent per a les obres posteriors de The Cure, especialment en àlbums com "Disintegration". Conegut pels seus temes introspectius i atmosfèrics, "Disintegration" va continuar explorant paisatges emocionals complexos, ampliant encara més els temes explorats inicialment a "Pornography". Malgrat la seva naturalesa fosca i aterradora, "Pornography" va ser addictiu i es va convertir en el primer àlbum en arribar al Top 10 de The Cure. Després del seu llançament, Smith va prendre unes vacances reconfortants a un càmping, mentre que els crítics, malgrat la seva satisfacció, van dansar metafòricament sobre la tomba de la banda, reconeixent l'impacte intens i la profunditat temàtica de l'àlbum.

THE CURE - ONE HUNDRED YEARS

Released: May 4, 1982

Album: Pornography

"It doesn’t matter if we all die.” This haunting declaration opens "One Hundred Years," a pivotal track from The Cure's album "Pornography." The band was engulfed in turmoil during its recording, with internal strife, drug use, and the looming threat of breakup. Robert Smith battled intense personal demons, revealing later that writing the album prevented him from contemplating suicide. The song condense the bleakness and desperation of that period, reflecting the band's emotional turmoil and existential dread through its visceral lyrics and atmospheric soundscapes.

"One Hundred Years" delves deep into Robert Smith's introspective and emotive exploration of existential angst and despair. The song serves as a metaphor for feelings of monotony and unfulfillment in life. His vocal performance reflects a pronounced strain and desperation, vividly conveying the frustrations and sense of being trapped.

The repetition of phrases like "Waiting for the death blow," "Just like the old days," "One after the other," and "A hundred years" intensifies the themes of hopelessness and futility. These lines underscore the relentless passage of time and the cyclical nature of suffering and despair. Particularly poignant is the imagery of "The ribbon tightens round my throat," which poetically captures Smith's grappling with suicidal thoughts and the suffocating weight of his emotions.

"One Hundred Years" stands out as a profound exploration of despair within The Cure's album "Pornography." The song's unflinching portrayal of despair and existential angst set a precedent for The Cure's subsequent work, particularly in albums like "Disintegration." Known for its introspective and atmospheric themes, "Disintegration" continued to delve into complex emotional landscapes, further expanding upon the themes initially explored in "Pornography." Despite its dark and terrifying nature, "Pornography" was wickedly addictive and became The Cure's first Top 10 record. After its release, Smith took a restorative camping holiday, while critics, despite their satisfaction, metaphorically danced on the band's grave, acknowledging the album's intense impact and thematic depth.

 

THE CURE - KILLING AN ARAB

Released: December 22, 1978

Album: Standing on a beach

"Killing an Arab" is The Cure's first single, recorded during the sessions for their debut album "Three Imaginary Boys" in 1979. Although it was not included on the original UK release of the album, it did appear on the band's first US compilation album titled "Boys Don't Cry." The song's lyrics are inspired by Albert Camus' existential novel "The Stranger," also known as "The Outsider." The narrative of the song reflects the protagonist of the novel, who shoots an Arab man on a beach and then reflects on the act and its consequences.

Despite its literary inspiration and intention to explore existential themes, "Killing an Arab" sparked controversy due to its title. Many misunderstood the song as being racially motivated or promoting violence against Arabs, which led to backlash and misinterpretation. It's important to note that The Cure and Robert Smith have clarified numerous times that the song is not racist but rather a reflection on existential themes inspired by literature. 

Initially recorded when they were signed to the German label Hansa, the song was met with disapproval from the label, which led to The Cure seeking their release and retaining the rights to their songs, including "Killing an Arab." Subsequently, the band distributed demo tapes containing their music, including the track to various labels. Chris Parry, then at Polydor but starting his own label, Fiction Records, expressed interest. The Cure signed with Fiction Records, and under Parry's guidance, they re-recorded "Killing an Arab" and other tracks like "10:15 Saturday Night."

This collaboration with Fiction Records was pivotal for The Cure's artistic development. Parry initially produced their early singles and debut album "Three Imaginary Boys." He soon allowed Robert Smith to take on more production responsibilities and creative control, which enabled the band to explore and innovate within the alternative rock genre.

During a show at Kingston Polytechnic in 1979, the student union initially objected to The Cure performing "Killing an Arab." Robert Smith managed to resolve the issue by explaining the literary origins of the song to the students, and it was eventually included in the set. At times, disaffected youth associated with groups like the National Front, often skinheads, attended Cure shows expecting something different,  but they found that The Cure's music was more aligned with introspective and sensitive punk rock rather than the themes they expected. Despite verbal abuse, there were no major incidents of violence associated with the song. 

The title of The Cure's singles collection "Standing on a Beach" (also known as "Staring at the Sea") is a reference to the passage in Albert Camus' book from which the song originated. Released in 1986, this compilation introduced American audiences to The Cure's earlier work and inadvertently revived the controversy surrounding "Killing an Arab."

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee raised concerns that the song could be misinterpreted and used to promote anti-Arab sentiment, particularly by certain DJs. They campaigned to pressure the record label to remove the track from the collection. Robert Smith refused to remove the song. Instead, he agreed to write a conciliatory message that was displayed on the album cover. 

In response to contemporary sensitivities and ongoing concerns about potential misinterpretations, The Cure made a notable adjustment to the song. During their performances at European festivals in 2005, amidst the context of the Persian Gulf War and following the September 11 attacks, the band altered the lyrics from "Killing an Arab" to "Kissing an Arab."

THE CURE - THE LOVECATS

Estrena: 21 d'octubre de 1983

Llistes: Regne Unit: #7

"The Lovecats" és un senzill llançat de manera independent a l'octubre de 1983. Va ser el primer Top 10 de la banda al Regne Unit, arribant al número 7 a les llistes. La cançó també va assolir èxit a Austràlia, on va assolir el número 6 a principis de 1984. Més tard, "The Lovecats" va ser inclosa a l'àlbum de recopilació "Japanese Whispers", llançat el desembre de 1983.

"The Lovecats" combina elements d'amor uxori i una exploració estranya del jazz skiffle. La base musical destaca pel contrabaix prominent de Phil Thornalley, complementat pel joc de piano de Robert Smith i el seu inesperat talent per tocar acords de guitarra a l’estil de Django Reinhardt. Lol Tolhurst hi afegeix un toc inusual amb el seu vibràfon.

Robert Smith inicialment va escriure "The Lovecats" com una paròdia, i més tard se’n va distanciar. En una entrevista amb la revista Rock & Folk, Smith va expressar els seus sentiments: "'The Lovecats' està lluny de ser la meva cançó preferida: composada borratxo, vídeo filmat borratxo, promoció feta borratxo. Va ser una broma."

"The Lovecats" originalment tenia el títol com tres paraules separades, com es pot veure a la portada del senzill i a l'etiqueta del maxi-single de vinil. Hi ha hagut variacions en la forma de presentar el títol. La compilació de senzills "Standing on a Beach/Staring at the Sea" va llistar la cançó com "The Love Cats" a la caràtula i al CD, però com "The Lovecats" al llibret. Quan es va llançar l'àlbum de grans èxits el 2001, el títol es va estandarditzar com "The Lovecats".

El vídeo inclou escenes de nombrosos gats i un moment memorable on una gran pantalla cau sobre el cap del contrabaixista Phil Thornalley. El vídeo també mostra plans d'una mansió que la banda simulava estar interessada a comprar, però van retornar les claus l'endemà al matí. Inicialment, la banda tenia la intenció d'utilitzar gats reals per al vídeo, però van tenir dificultats i van optar per gats taxidèrmics. El vídeo presenta una mescla preliminar de la cançó enregistrada a París, diferent de la versió finalment llançada en vinil, que va ser enregistrada a Londres.

THE CURE - THE LOVECATS

Released: October 21, 1983

Charted:  UK: #7    

"The Love Cats" is a single released independently in October 1983. It marked the band's first Top 10 hit in the UK, reaching number 7 on the charts. The song also achieved success in Australia, where it peaked at number 6 in early 1984. Later, "The Love Cats" was included on the compilation album "Japanese Whispers," released in December 1983.

"The Love Cats" combines elements of uxorious love and a quirky Cure exploration into skiffle-ish jazz. The musical backbone features Phil Thornalley's prominent double bass, complemented by Robert Smith's slinky piano playing and his unexpected talent for bouncing Django Reinhardt-style guitar chords. Lol Tolhurst adds an unusual touch with his vibraphone playing.

Robert Smith initially wrote "The Love Cats" as a parody, and later distanced himself from the song. In an interview with Rock & Folk magazine, Smith expressed his feelings: "'The Love Cats' is far from being my favorite song: composed drunk, video filmed drunk, promotion made drunk. It was a joke." 

"The Love Cats" was originally titled as three separate words, as seen on the single cover and twelve-inch label. There have been variations in how the title is presented. The singles compilation Standing on a Beach/Staring at the Sea listed the song as "The Love Cats" on the tray card and CD, but as "The Lovecats" in the booklet. When the Greatest Hits album was released in 2001, the title was standardized as "The Lovecats". 

The music video includes scenes of numerous cats and a memorable moment where a large lampshade falls on bassist Phil Thornalley's head. The video also showcases shots of a mansion that the band jokingly pretended to be interested in purchasing, returning the keys the next morning. Initially planning to use real cats, the band encountered difficulties and instead opted for taxidermied cats. The video features an early rough mix of the song recorded in Paris, distinct from the version eventually released on vinyl, which was recorded in London.

THE CURE - THE WALK 

Estrenada: juny de 1983

Llistes: Regne Unit: #12

"The Walk" és un senzill llançat al juny de 1983 com a single independent abans de ser inclòs a l'àlbum recopilatori "Japanese Whispers". Enregistrada durant un període en què el baixista Simon Gallup havia deixat temporalment la banda després de la seva gira amb l'àlbum "Pornography", la cançó només compta amb els dos membres fundadors de la banda, Robert Smith i Lol Tolhurst.

Durant el període en què el baixista Simon Gallup va deixar breument The Cure, la banda es va transformar en un duo de synthpop depurat. La seva pista "The Walk" va sorprendre els fans amb el seu so brillant i rítmic. La incursió de The Cure en la música de ball va ser de curta durada, amb veus amb xiulets, lletres divertides i el riff de música de circ de Lol Tolhurst, que havia passat de bateria a teclista. Inicialment percebuda com una desviació capriciosa del seu estil fosc habitual, "The Walk" inesperadament va establir les bases per als futurs èxits de la banda, establint la seva estètica característica de felicitat/tristesa.

Quan "The Walk" va ser llançada es va especular que la banda havia copiat el so del popular tema de New Order "Blue Monday". Malgrat aquestes afirmacions, no es va emprendre cap acció legal perquè "The Walk" havia estat escrita i enregistrada abans de "Blue Monday", tot i que es va llançar després. La similitud en el so es va atribuir a que ambdues bandes experimentaven amb instruments electrònics, seqüenciadors i caixes de ritmes durant aquell període, cosa que va portar a un resultat d'estils musicals convergents enlloc de plagi.

El 1983, Robert Smith va parlar de les pressions que The Cure va afrontar després que "The Walk" es convertís en la seva primera cançó en entrar al top 20 del Regne Unit. Smith va expressar frustració amb les expectatives de l'èxit comercial, afirmant: "Hi havia tanta pressió al voltant de 'The Walk' perquè va entrar a les llistes que tothom volia un altre single. Haviem de resistir a aquesta temptació, estic cansat d'estar lligat al mateix grup de persones, a la mateixa àrea musical." Va lamentar que la gent no entengués per què la banda va fer una pausa malgrat el seu èxit, assenyalant: "Tothom deia que el nostre proper àlbum seria el definitiu, però vam decidir posar punt i final sense aconseguir els nostres objectius inicials."

THE CURE - THE WALK

Released: June 1983

Charted:  UK: #12 

"The Walk" is a single by The Cure, released in June 1983 as a stand-alone single before being included on the compilation album “Japanese Whispers”. Recorded during a period when bassist Simon Gallup had temporarily left the band after their tour for the album “Pornography, the song features only the band's two founding members, Robert Smith and Lol Tolhurst.

During the period when bassist Simon Gallup briefly left The Cure, the band transformed into a streamlined synthpop duo. Their track "The Walk" surprised fans with its bright and pulsing sound. The Cure's venture into dance music was short-lived, featuring wolf-whistling vocals, playful lyrics, and drummer-turned-keyboardist Lol Tolhurst's chirping, circling circus-music riff. Initially perceived as a whimsical departure from their usual dark style, "The Walk" unexpectedly laid the foundation for the band's future smash singles, establishing their signature happy/sad aesthetic.

When "The Walk" was initially released, there was speculation that the band had copied the sound of New Order's popular track "Blue Monday." Despite these claims, no legal actions were pursued because "The Walk" had been written and recorded before "Blue Monday," even though it was released afterward. The similarity in sound was attributed to both bands experimenting with electronic instruments, sequencers, and drum machines during that period, resulting in convergent musical styles rather than plagiarism.

In 1983, Robert Smith discussed the pressures The Cure faced after "The Walk" became their first song to enter the UK top 20. Smith expressed frustration with the expectations for commercial success, saying, "There was so much pressure around 'The Walk' because it went in the charts and now everyone wants another single. We must resist this temptation, I'm tired of being bound to the same group of people, the same music area." He lamented that people didn't understand why the band took a break despite their success, noting, "Everyone was saying that our next album would be the definitive one, but we decided to call it quits without reaching our initial goals."