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
Faith
The Cure Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm losing hold
I can't just carry on this way
And every time
I turn away
Lose another blind game
The idea of perfection holds me
Suddenly I see you change
The same
But the mountain never moves
Rape me like a child
Christened in blood
Painted like an unknown saint
There's nothing left but hope
Your voice is dead
And old
And always empty
Trust in me through closing years
Perfect moments wait
If only we could stay
Please
Say the right words
Or cry like the stone white clown
And stand forever
Lost forever in a happy crowd
No one lifts their hands
No one lifts their eyes
Justified with empty words
The party just gets better and better
I went away alone
With nothing left
But faith
The lyrics to The Cure's song "Faith" convey a sense of desperation and isolation. The opening lines, "Catch me if I fall, I'm losing hold, I can't just carry on this way" speak to the fragility of the singer's mental and emotional state. The repeated phrase, "Lose another blind game" hints at a feeling of futility or hopelessness. The line "The idea of perfection holds me" suggests that the singer is obsessed with an impossible standard of excellence.
The tone of the song changes with the line, "Suddenly I see you change, everything at once, the same, but the mountain never moves." This can be read as a commentary on the futility of trying to change one's circumstances or surroundings, even if one's emotional state undergoes a radical shift. The line "Rape me like a child, christened in blood, painted like an unknown saint" is jarring and disturbing, as it suggests a violation of innocence and a loss of identity.
The final verse of the song is more hopeful, with the lines "Trust in me through closing years, perfect moments wait, if only we could stay." This reflects a yearning for connection and a desire to find meaning and happiness in life. The closing lines, "I went away alone, with nothing left but faith" suggest that despite the singer's struggles and uncertainty, they are still clinging to the hope that things will get better.
Line by Line Meaning
Catch me if I fall
I am in a fragile state and need someone to support me
I'm losing hold
I am losing my grip on life
I can't just carry on this way
I cannot continue living like this
And every time
Whenever
I turn away
When I try to escape
Lose another blind game
I suffer another defeat without knowing what I am up against
The idea of perfection holds me
I am obsessed with achieving perfection
Suddenly I see you change
Your behavior towards me has changed unexpectedly
Everything at once
All the changes are occurring simultaneously
The same
Despite all the changes, everything remains the same
But the mountain never moves
Some things are constant and unchanging despite everything else that is happening
Rape me like a child
I am vulnerable and helpless, so take advantage of me
Christened in blood
I am willing to suffer for my beliefs or ideals
Painted like an unknown saint
I am trying to live a virtuous life, but no one recognizes my efforts
There's nothing left but hope
I have lost everything else but my faith in a better future
Your voice is dead
You no longer have any influence or impact on me
And old
You are a relic of the past that I have moved on from
And always empty
Your promises and words have no real substance or sincerity
Trust in me through closing years
Believe in my loyalty and love until the end of my life
Perfect moments wait
There are moments of happiness and contentment waiting for us
If only we could stay
If only we could preserve those perfect moments
Please
I am making a plea to the person I am addressing
Say the right words
Speak to me in a way that will make things better or fix our relationship
Or cry like the stone white clown
Either express your emotions genuinely or put on a façade of happiness
And stand forever
Let's fight to preserve our relationship or bond
Lost forever in a happy crowd
Even if we are surrounded by happiness, we will still be lost if our bond is broken
No one lifts their hands
Nobody is reaching out to help
No one lifts their eyes
Nobody wants to face the problems or the reality of the situation
Justified with empty words
People are trying to make excuses without any real solutions
The party just gets better and better
People are ignoring the problems and enjoying themselves
I went away alone
I left everyone behind and isolated myself
With nothing left
I have lost everything I once had
But faith
But my belief in a brighter future keeps me going
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JILL CUNNIFF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind