The Cure's full lineup history is as follows: Robert Smith (vocals, guitar 1976-present), Lol Tolhurst (drums, keyboards 1976-1989), Michael Dempsey (bass 1976-1979), Porl Thompson (guitar, keyboards 1976-1978, 1983-1992, 2005 -2010), Simon Gallup (bass, keyboards 1979-1982, 1985-present), Matthieu Hartley (keyboards 1979 -1980), Andy Anderson (drums 1983-1984), Phil Thornalley (bass 1983-1984), Boris Williams (drums 1984-1994), Roger O'Donnell (keyboards 1987 -1990, 1995-2005, 2011-present), Perry Bamonte (guitar, keyboards 1990-2005), Jason Cooper drums 1995-present) and Reeves Gabrels (guitar 2012-present)
Just as the group's lineup has changed, the band's sound has evolved throughout the years, starting off as a post-punk band similar to Wire and Gang of Four before morphing into a gothic rock band in the early 80's, to a synthpop group in the mid-80's and a power-pop-alternative band in the early 90's. The Cure has always been an alternative and very independent band which was evident from the early days. Shunning the anarchistic tendencies of many punk bands after their formation in 1976 , The Cure's first release was Killing an Arab, based on material from French writer Albert Camus' "L'Etranger" (translated into English as The Stranger or The Outsider). This track courted controversy because of its theme (misinterpreted as racist, it was in fact, about the futility of killing any ethnicity), but it started to secure a small following, which grew following the release of debut album Three Imaginary Boys and non-LP single Boys Don't Cry in 1979, the latter of which would become one of The Cure's most famous songs. At that time, The Cure embarked on tour as the support for Siouxsie & the Banshees' Join Hands Tour. After the sudden departure of guitarist John McKay, Robert was recruited as guitarist for the Banshees as the band 'felt he was the only person capable of taking on the task.' As a result, Robert completed the tour playing two sets a night with The Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Following this, The Cure moved from their punk leanings into the portentous post-punk territory, releasing three albums of doom-laden rock in three years, Seventeen Seconds, Faith and Pornography, the latter of which charted inside the UK top 10, though the band were repeatedly dogged by the "Second-class Joy Division" tag. Following their third set of line-up changes, the group released Japanese Whispers, a compilation of three singles and their b-sides. Through their desire to escape the Joy Division description, the singles were a poppier effort, featuring danceable tracks like Let's Go To Bed alongside pop songs like Love Cats. Following the commercial disappointment of follow-up album The Top in 1984, The Cure returned to form with 1985's The Head On The Door. Featuring the singles In Between Days and Close To Me, The Head on the Door was distant from the band's punk roots, having more in common with successful alternative bands like The Smiths and Echo & The Bunnymen than their gloomier roots.
Two years later, the eighth studio album Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me was a more stadium-sized effort, though featuring audacious pop songs like Why Can't I Be You, it was seemingly caught between two styles. However, it was the band's ninth effort (following the departure of last surviving founder member other than Robert Smith, Lol Tolhurst), Disintegration, that would be their greatest success, both critically and commercially. Disintegration spawned hit singles like Lullaby (no.5 in the UK), Love Song (an impressive no. 2 in the USA), Pictures of You, and Fascination Street. The album itself was a culmination of The Cure's directions through the eighties, featuring the poppier side combined with the more tender aspects, as well as the gloomier facets.
Following this, a remix compilation named Mixed Up was released in 1990, featuring one new track, Never Enough, and two years later tenth studio album Wish surfaced, which was a hit mainly from the momentum gained by Disintegration, though it also featured their most famous pop song, Friday I'm In Love (no.6 in the UK and no.18 in the US). During the years following this, the band became distracted and discouraged by the lawsuit launched by former member Lol Tolhurst, who felt he had been deprived of royalties. As a result, the 1996 album Wild Mood Swings felt unfocused, and was a critical and commercial failure, though the single Mint Car was a moderate hit.
In 1997, The Cure released the compilation Galore, featuring new song Wrong Number. Three years later, at the release of original album Bloodflowers, Robert Smith announced it would be the last album for the band, the album itself being a return to the gloomier rock of Pornography and Faith. Resultantly, another hits compilation was released in 2001. However, in 2004, the band surprised all by returning with a self-titled album, their twelfth studio album, which was a surprise hit, reaching the US Top 10, its lead single - The End of the World - becoming a modest hit on Modern Rock radio, and receiving a relatively warm reception from the press.
In May 2005, Smith fired Roger O'Donnell and Perry Bamonte from the band, along with Bamonte's brother Daryl, who had been The Cure's tour manager for many years. The remaining members of the band (Robert Smith, longtime bassist Simon Gallup and Jason Cooper) made a few appearances as a trio before it was announced that founding member Porl Thompson would be returning to The Cure.
In early 2007 the band toured Asia and Oceania, but a planned North American tour in Autumn 2007 was delayed until Spring 2008 so the band could continue recording their next album.
The band released their thirteenth album 4:13 Dream on 27 October 2008. Four singles and a remix EP called "Hypnagogic States" were releases on the 13th of each month preceding the album's release.
In 2009, Robert Smith won the Godlike Genius award at the NME Awards. On April 19, 2009, the band performed at the Coachella Festival in California.
During 2010, Robert Smith contributed songs to the soundtrack of the Tim Burton film "Alice in Wonderland" and provided guest vocals on the songs "Not in Love" by Crystal Castles and "Come to Me" by 65daysofstatic.
Between 31 May 2011 and 1 June 2011, the band performed three concerts at the Sydney Opera House performing the entirety of one of their first three albums on each night. Porl Thompson did not perform with the band at any of the concerts, but Roger O'Donnell performed with the band for the "Seventeen Seconds" and "Faith" concerts, and co-founding member Lol Tulhurst performed with the band for the first time since 1988 for the "Faith" concert. As of 2011, O'Donnell has returned to the lineup officially. In 2012, the band added former Tin Machine guitarist Reeves Gabrels to the lineup.
In 2013 The Cure started The Great Circle Tour, headlining festivals in Japan, South Korea and North America. In 2014 Robert Smith announced the upcoming release of a new album, to be called 4:14 Scream, featuring 14 songs recorded during the 4:13 Dream sessions and also an accompanying double album 4:26 Dream containing all the tracks from those sessions.
The Cure official website: www.thecure.com
The Cure official Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thecure
The Cure on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/thecure?ref=ts
The Cure - Disintegration Microsite: http://www.thecuredisintegration.com/bin/thecure
13th
The Cure Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"Two chord cool in the head" she sings
"A-Buzz A-Buzz A-Buzzing like them killer bees"
Tell me this is not for real
Please tell me this is not for real
From time to time her eyes get wide
And she's always got them stuck on me
And I have to turn away to keep from bursting
Yeah I feel that good!
She slips from the stage
A foot no more
But it seems to take an hour for her to reach the floor
And the two chord cool still grooves
As she slides towards me smooth as a snake
I can't swallow I just start to shake
And I just know this is a big mistake
Yeah but it feels good!
Do it to me!
Do it to me!
Do it to me!
Do it to me!
Do it to me!
Do it to me!
Do it to me!
"If you want I can take you on another kind of ride"
"Believe me I would but"
Deep inside the 'But' is 'Please'
I am yearning for another taste
And my shaking is 'Yes'
"You will be all the things in the world you've never been
See all the things in the world you've never seen
Dream all the things in the world you've never dreamed"
But I think I get a bit confused
Am I seducing or being seduced?
Oh I know that tomorrow I'll feel bad
But I really couldn't care about that
She's grinning singing spinning me round and round
Smiling as I start to fall
Her face gets big her face gets small
It's like tonight I'm really not me at all
And it feels good!
Do it to me!
Do it to me!
Do it to me!
Do it to me!
Do it to me!
Do it to me!
Do it to me!
It feels good!
The lyrics of The Cure's song "13" portray a narrative of a man, presumably at a concert or event, observing a woman who sings a simple tune that repeats throughout the song. The woman's presence and energy permeate the room, making everyone feel good. The man describes her as "hot honey-colored and hungry," and he tries to resist her allure but ultimately fails. The woman offers him a seductive proposition, and he contemplates the blurred lines between being seduced and seducing. Though he knows he will regret it later, he dives into the moment where he feels like he is not himself, and it feels good. The song ends with a repetition of the phrase, "Do it to me."
The song, on the surface, seems to describe a steamy encounter between two people. However, upon closer analysis, the lyrics can also represent the idea of succumbing to temptation, regardless of the consequences. The lines "Everyone feels good in the room" and "It feels good" can be viewed as a commentary on society's tendency to engage in activities that feel good in the moment, even if they may have negative consequences. The repeated phrase of "Do it to me" can also symbolize a surrendering to a desire for instant gratification.
Line by Line Meaning
Everyone feels good in the room she swings
The atmosphere is electric and everyone is enjoying the performance; the singer is in her element.
Two chord cool in the head she sings
The song is simple but catchy; the singer is confident and charismatic.
A-Buzz A-Buzz A-Buzzing like them killer bees / Tell me this is not for real / Please tell me this is not for real
The excitement and energy in the room are palpable; the singer can hardly believe it's really happening.
From time to time her eyes get wide / And she's always got them stuck on me / I'm surprised at how hot honey-colored and hungry she looks / And I have to turn away to keep from bursting / Yeah I feel that good!
The singer and a woman are making intense eye contact; he is drawn to her beauty and passion but is also overwhelmed by it.
She slips from the stage / A foot no more / But it seems to take an hour for her to reach the floor / And the two chord cool still grooves / As she slides towards me smooth as a snake / I can't swallow I just start to shake / And I just know this is a big mistake / Yeah but it feels good!
The woman steps down from the stage and approaches the singer; he is struck by her grace and sensuality but also knows he shouldn't give in to temptation.
Do it to me! / Do it to me! / Do it to me!
The singer is overwhelmed by desire and wants the woman to be with him.
"If you want I can take you on another kind of ride" / "Believe me I would but" / Deep inside the 'But' is 'Please' / I am yearning for another taste / And my shaking is 'Yes'
The woman offers an enticing invitation but the singer tries to resist even though he really wants to give in to her.
"You will be all the things in the world you've never been / See all the things in the world you've never seen / Dream all the things in the world you've never dreamed" / But I think I get a bit confused / Am I seducing or being seduced?
The woman promises the singer a world of excitement and adventure, but he starts to question whether he is in control of the situation or being manipulated by her.
Oh I know that tomorrow I'll feel bad / But I really couldn't care about that / She's grinning singing spinning me round and round / Smiling as I start to fall / Her face gets big her face gets small / It's like tonight I'm really not me at all / And it feels good!
The singer knows he will regret his actions later, but in the moment, he is completely swept up in the woman's charm and beauty and is willing to take the risk.
Do it to me! / Do it to me! / Do it to me!
The singer is powerless to his desire and wants the woman to fulfill it.
It feels good!
The singer is lost in desire and passion, and even though he knows it's a mistake, he can't help but enjoy the moment.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JASON TOOP COOPER, PERRY BAMONTE, ROBERT JAMES SMITH, ROGER O'DONNELL, SIMON GALLUP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind