Additionally an electro techno project is called "The Glove".
It all started at the YMCA....
Robert Smith of The Cure first encountered Steven Severin of Siouxsie and the Banshees when they both pitched up at the bar of the YMCA in London's Tottenham Court Road during a Throbbing Gristle gig on August 3, 1979. "I was wearing sunglasses and a very distinctive green check suit" remembers Robert. "I thought I looked pretty hip and happening. Severin came over to me and whispered in my ear "Charlie Caroli I presume?" That made me laugh! We got to talking, and by the end of the night had agreed The Cure should play with the Banshees on their forthcoming UK tour" During the course of this tour, which included Robert's stint as emergency Banshee's guitarist, the pair discovered mutual interests in music, literature, cinema and more, and so began an enduring friendship that led in the spring of 1983 to work on their new infamous joint project The Glove. "We had first talked seriously about doing something together in late 1980 when Robert was working on Faith," Remembers Steven. At that time Robert was completely in The Cure and I was of course in The Banshees, so a collaboration couldn't really have worked, we had to wait....when it finally happened it seemed to the outside world like 'the other half' of The Banshees side project, even though we'd planned it all long before The Creatures stuff!" Named after the evil animated glove in the Beatles film Yellow Submarine, Robert and Steve's psychedelic project was originally conceived as a few weird singles to be aimed at the Japanese market with hopes of bigger things to follow. Having booked Britannia Row Studios in London, in part because of its historic connections with Pink Floyd. Steven and Robert suddenly had their rainbow-hued feathers ruffled by Chris Parry, head of The Cure's label Fiction Records, who reminded the pair that Fictions contract with Robert specifically precluded him from singing on anything except Cure records. Parry's concern was that Robert had been taking too much time out from The Cure. He had already toured twice as the Banshees guitarist and reasoned Parry, if he enjoyed doing The Glove, he might abandon The Cure altogether. Parry's fears were far from unfounded because Robert had been somewhat dissatisfied with The Cure ever since the acrimonious departure of bassist Simon Gallup nine months earlier. Robert and Chris Parry now locked horns. "It was a real struggle" explains Robert, "as I was insisting on my right to sing on something other than The Cure. The irony of it of course, was that I didn't have a clue as to what I was actually going to record as we didn't have any songs!" At the eleventh hour a deal was thrashed out green-lighting Robert to sing on two tracks of The Glove project, which had now assumed the dimensions of a full-blown album. "So now we needed a vocalist for the rest of the album" points out Robert, "and after a few very truppy auditions we decided on Jeanette Landray, girlfriend of The Banshees drummer Budgie." A member of ZOO. The top of the pops dance troupe Landray had never sung before. Severin remembers the sessions as, "pretty insane" There was an ongoing 'happening' in Britannia Row...Marc Almond of Soft Cell would be there, The Associats, John McGeoch,...it was like a mainline train station. We recorded from 6pm to 6am, then Robert would go back to my flat and watch video nasties!" but even after the video nasties, Bad Timing, Videorome, The Evil Dead, etc formed part of the Glove's master plan. The idea was that by drowning themselves in acid and junk culture the pair would produce the kind of mental disorientation essential to the creation of genuinely psychedelic music. Another technique involved the use of exotic instruments. "We thought that if we stuck to the instruments we had always played we would end up sounding like a cross The Cure and The Banshees." explains Steven. "instead we experimented and came up with new ways of working. Landray meanwhile was realizing that as The Glove was very much Robert And Steven's project, her contributions were going to be limited. "I had a strange role involved, but not with any say in the way things turned out..almost like a session musician really." Readily acknowledging that Jeanette had been thrust into an awkward position Robert admits that he found it disconcerting to hear somone else singing songs he had demo'd with himself in mind. "I remember Jeanette being a bit unsure as to how to sing certain songs...but she was very determined and very patient which she had to be as I'm pretty sure that my advice was at best cryptic!"
Members of "The Glove" ~~~
Robert Smith - guitar, vocals on original recording of "Mr. Alphabet Says", "Perfect Murder", and Disc 2 of Deluxe Edition
Steve Severin - bass
Martin McCarrick - keyboards, real strings (later joined Siouxsie and the Banshees)
Jeanette Landray - vocals on majority of tracks on original album
Andy Anderson - real drums (later joined The Cure)
Ginny Heyes - real strings
Anne Stephenson - real strings
Porl Thompson- Special Guest in The Glove's Videos (From The Cure)
Mr. Alphabet Says
The Glove Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The book of rules
If you play this game
You won't stay the same
You could win your golden teeth
Be a spinning top
Use a riding crop
Mr. Alphabet says
"Smile like a weasel as I cover you
Cover you in treacle"
We all know impatience is a sin
So do as you're told to do
It's so rewarding to
And you could win the Tin Man's heart
Be a chiming clock
Lie on the chopping block
Mr. Alphabet says
"Give me all your money just to cover you
Cover you in honey"
Don't be afraid
There's no marmalade
Don't be afraid
I wouldn't even dream of it!
The Glove's song Mr. Alphabet Says tells a story about a mysterious figure named Mr. Alphabet who holds a book of rules in his hands. The song begins by stating that if you choose to play Mr. Alphabet's game, you won't stay the same. The lyrics suggest that by playing the game, you could change yourself into something different - such as winning golden teeth or becoming a spinning top. Mr. Alphabet instructs the listener to smile like a weasel as he covers them in treacle, a thick syrup made from sugar.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the importance of following directions in order to reap the rewards of the game. Mr. Alphabet suggests that impatience is a sin and urges the listener to do as they're told in order to win the Tin Man's heart, become a chiming clock, or even lie on the chopping block. In the second verse, Mr. Alphabet demands that the listener give him all their money so he can cover them in honey instead of treacle.
Overall, Mr. Alphabet Says is a cautionary tale about the dangers of blindly following rules without questioning their purpose or the intentions of those enforcing them. The song encourages listeners to make their own choices and not be afraid to stray from the prescribed path.
Line by Line Meaning
Here comes the book
The rules are about to be revealed, pay attention.
The book of rules
The instructions for the game to be played.
If you play this game
The game is optional, but those who participate will be affected.
You won't stay the same
Change is guaranteed if you decide to play.
You could win your golden teeth
There are rewards to be won for those who conform and succeed.
Be a spinning top
Demonstrating your worth and skill gets you ahead.
Use a riding crop
Aggressiveness is celebrated in the game.
Mr. Alphabet says
The game's creator and controller is speaking.
"Smile like a weasel as I cover you
Perform, show happiness, even if it's uncomfortable, as you're being controlled and guided.
Cover you in treacle"
The control and guidance will be constant and sticky.
We all know impatience is a sin
The creator of the game has strict expectations which must be observed.
So do as you're told to do
Following the game's prescribed path is paramount.
It's so rewarding to
Conforming and winning makes the struggle and control worthwhile.
And you could win the Tin Man's heart
A chance at the ultimate prize exists for those who surpass expected standards.
Be a chiming clock
Attention to detail and fitting in are required to succeed.
Lie on the chopping block
Vulnerability and trust in the control are necessary to maintain success in the game.
Mr. Alphabet says
The creator and enforcer of the game speaks again.
"Give me all your money just to cover you
Complete submission to the game's control is necessary, with great penalty for failing to comply.
Cover you in honey"
The allure of the game's control is sweet on the surface, but has the potential for sticky and detrimental consequences.
Don't be afraid
Uncertainty and fear are expected, but should not hold you back from playing.
There's no marmalade
There are no hidden or unexpected surprises in the game.
I wouldn't even dream of it!
The creator and enforcer of the game would never intentionally harm or mislead those who play.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ROBERT JAMES SMITH, STEVEN SEVERIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind