Written by Michael Dempsey, Robert Smith, and Lol Tolhurst, the lyrics tell the story of a man who has given up trying to regain the love of a girl that he has lost, and tries to disguise his true emotional state by "i try to laugh about it, hiding the tears in [his] eyes, 'cause boys don't cry".
Boys Don't Cry
The Cure Lyrics
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If I thought that it would change your mind
But I know that this time
I have said too much
Been too unkind
I tried to laugh about it
Cover it all up with lies
Hiding the tears in my eyes
'Cause boys don't cry
Boys don't cry
I would break down at your feet
And beg forgiveness, plead with you
But I know that it's too late
And now there's nothing I can do
So I try to laugh about it
Cover it all up with lies
I try to laugh about it
Hiding the tears in my eyes
'Cause boys don't cry
Boys don't cry
I would tell you that I loved you
If I thought that you would stay
But I know that it's no use
And you've already gone away
Misjudged your limits
Pushed you too far
Took you for granted
Thought that you needed me more, more, more
Now I would do most anything
To get you back by my side
But I just keep on laughing
Hiding the tears in my eyes
'Cause boys don't cry
Boys don't cry
Boys don't cry
The lyrics to The Cure's song "Boys Don't Cry" are about a failed relationship in which the singer has treated their partner poorly and pushed them away. The singer expresses regret for their actions and wishes they could take them back and start anew. However, they know it's too late and the person has already left. The singer tries to put on a brave face and pretend like everything is okay, using humor to hide their sadness and tears. The phrase "boys don't cry" is repeated throughout the song, playing into societal norms and expectations of masculinity that discourage men from showing vulnerability or expressing their emotions.
The lyrics paint a picture of a person who is struggling with their emotions and regrets their past actions in a failed relationship. They wish they could go back and undo what they've done but know it's too late. The repetition of "boys don't cry" highlights the toxic masculinity that often leads men to suppress their emotions rather than openly expressing them. The song is a poignant commentary on emotional vulnerability and societal expectations of gender.
Line by Line Meaning
I would say I'm sorry
I'm willing to apologize
If I thought that it would change your mind
If apologizing could bring you back, I'd do it
But I know that this time
I've messed up too badly now
I have said too much
I've revealed too many worst parts of myself
Been too unkind
I've been a selfish, unkind person
I tried to laugh about it
I pretended like it wasn't a big deal
Cover it all up with lies
I tried to conceal the facts with lies
Hiding the tears in my eyes
I tried to hide my pain
'Cause boys don't cry
Boys aren't supposed to show their emotions
I would break down at your feet
I'd humiliate myself to ask for your forgiveness
And beg forgiveness, plead with you
I would try all means to ask for forgiveness from you
But I know that it's too late
It's too late to ask for your forgiveness now
And now there's nothing I can do
I've lost you and there's nothing I can do about it now
I would tell you that I loved you
I'd confess my love for you
If I thought that you would stay
If I believed that you still have feelings for me
But I know that it's no use
It's useless to say it now because you're gone
And you've already gone away
You've left me
Misjudged your limits
I underestimated how much you could take
Pushed you too far
I went too far with my actions
Took you for granted
I didn't appreciate you enough when I had the chance
Thought that you needed me more, more, more
I believed you were dependent on me
Now I would do most anything
I'm willing to go to any lengths to get you back
To get you back by my side
I want to be with you again
But I just keep on laughing
I'm still putting up a facade
Hiding the tears in my eyes
I'm still hiding my pain and emotions
'Cause boys don't cry
Boys aren't supposed to show their emotions
Boys don't cry
The societal pressure on males to hide their emotions and pain
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Laurence Andrew Tolhurst, Michael Stephen Dempsey, Robert James Smith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@LOL.c.r.i.n.g.e
- my beautiful mum was suffering from heavy depressions back in the eighties, and took her own life in 1989 at the age of 26, when I was only one year old.
- today I was going through her old record collection and found a little paper inside The Cure’s Disintegration album sleeve.
- It was an old handwritten note by her with some drawings.
- Beautiful painted red and purple flowers, many little hearts with my name written a hundred times and the words: ‘there was nothing in the world that I ever wanted more than to feel you deep in my heart’.
- I immediately searched on Google and found out it are words to this song.
- I listened to it all morning. I got so close to my mother today because of this song.
- These words describe how she felt, how ill she was.
- How she struggled with being alive. But it also finally tells me how much I was wanted, and how much she wanted to stay with me and see me growing up.
- I am sure she listened to this song a thousand times.
- She is my hero and she is free now.
- This afternoon I visited her grave and brought her red and purple flowers.
- I also gave her back her Disintegration album wrapped up in plastic, close to her where it belongs.
@MademoisellleK
THE LYRICS
I would say I'm sorry
If I thought that it would change your mind
But I know that this time
I have said too much
Been too unkind
I tried to laugh about it
Cover it all up with lies
I tried to laugh about it
Hiding the tears in my eyes
'Cause boys don't cry
Boys don't cry
I would break down at your feet
And beg forgiveness, plead with you
But I know that it's too late
And now there's nothing I can do
So I try to laugh about it
Cover it all up with lies
I try to laugh about it
Hiding the tears in my eyes
'Cause boys don't cry
Boys don't cry
I would tell you that I loved you
If I thought that you would stay
But I know that it's no use
And you've already gone away
Misjudged your limits
Pushed you too far
Took you for granted
Thought that you needed me more, more, more
Now I would do most anything
To get you back by my side
But I just keep on laughing
Hiding the tears in my eyes
'Cause boys don't cry
Boys don't cry
Boys don't cry
@emmapernarella8451
I would say I'm sorry
If I thought that it would change your mind
But I know that this time
I have said too much
Been too unkind
I tried to laugh about it
Cover it all up with lies
I tried to laugh about it
Hiding the tears in my eyes
'Cause boys don't cry
I would break down at your feet
And beg forgiveness, plead with you
But I know that it's too late
And now there's nothing I can do
So I try to laugh about it
Cover it all up with lies
I try to laugh about it
Hiding the tears in my eyes
'Cause boys don't cry
I would tell you that I loved you
If I thought that you would stay
But I know that it's no use
That you've already gone away
Misjudged your limits
Pushed you too far
I took you for granted
I thought that you needed me more
I would do 'most anything
To get you back by my side
But I just keep on laughing
Hiding the tears in my eyes
'Cause boys don't cry
'Cause boys don't cry
@louiseprice7755
As a teenager in the 80's I was obsessed with the Cure, I dyed my hair black and played their cassette in my Walkman until the tape broke lol. Still love them now even though I'm nearly 50
@drake1896
As a teenager in the late 2010s I l loved the cure, did not dye my hair black however 😂
@louiseprice7755
@@drake1896 at the time I got really mad as the black dye washed out after a week lol also I was trying to juggle being a goth and a cheerleader, couldn't really be both so cheerleading won 😂😂😂
@drake1896
@@louiseprice7755 haha why can't cheerleaders just be goth
@louiseprice7755
@@drake1896 the coach wouldn't allow it lol
@elfy960
as a teenager in these years, I dyed my hair black a week ago, I'm obsessed with the cure and I listen to this song almost everyday
@lunaritschl-duan8882
For a kids band, they're, like, rlly good
@luiscorkovic2171
You‘r right
@ivovivovovso7688
Aint they
@ronweasley6170
kids band? 🤨