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
Mint Car
The Cure Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm so happy I could scream
And there's nowhere else in the world I'd rather be
Than here with you, it's perfect
It's all I ever wanted
Oh I almost can't believe that it's for real, so pinch me quick
I really don't think it gets any better than this
Birds sing we swing
Clouds drift by and everything is like a dream
It's everything I wished
Never guessed it got this good
Wondered if it ever would
Really didn't think it could
Do it again?
I know we should
Slinky as raccoons in the roof
The sun is up
I'm so fizzy I could burst
Yeah, you wet through and me headfirst
Into this is perfect
It's all I ever wanted
Ow it feels so big it almost hurts
Never guessed it got this good
Wondered if it ever would
Really didn't think it could
Do it some more?
I know we should
Say it will always be like this
The two of us together
It will always be like this
Forever and ever and ever (and ever and ever, forever, ever)
Never guessed it got this good
Wondered if it ever would
Really didn't think it could
Do it all the time?
I know that we should
The Cure's "Mint Car" exudes unfiltered joy and elation as it describes the experiencing of falling in love. The song is about enjoying the present moment with someone special and being grateful that it exists at all. The music is upbeat, and the lyrics are inquisitive, charming, and almost breathless with anticipation. The chorus is a plea to never let go of the beauty of the moment and to keep enjoying each other's company.
The song's first verse encapsulates the rush of adrenaline one feels when they're around someone they're falling in love with. The sun is up, and the singer is ecstatic to be with their special someone. They savor every moment and firmly believe that they're exactly where they're meant to be in the world. The singer is momentarily incredulous that this has come true.
The chorus is the song's heart, with the singer expressing that they never imagined love could be so happy, perfect, and fulfilling. They're consumed by the present that feels like it's come straight from their deepest desires, unable to believe their luck. They want to keep delighting in the sensations and the pleasure and the happiness, and they know that as long as they remain together, it will always be like this.
Line by Line Meaning
The sun is up
The start of a new day.
I'm so happy I could scream
I am extremely elated and am very close to expressing my happiness through screaming.
And there's nowhere else in the world I'd rather be
I am content with being in this current location with the person I am with.
Than here with you, it's perfect
Being with this person is the perfect scenario for me right now.
It's all I ever wanted
Being with this person is exactly what I’ve desired.
Oh I almost can't believe that it's for real, so pinch me quick
I find it difficult to accept that what’s happening is real, so kindly pinch me to prove its validity.
I really don't think it gets any better than this
I consider my current situation to be the best it can ever possibly be.
Vanilla smile and a gorgeous strawberry kiss
An innocent yet sweet smile followed by a beautiful, delightful kiss.
Birds sing we swing
The sound of birds singing and our swinging motion creates an atmosphere of joy.
Clouds drift by and everything is like a dream
As the clouds move slowly past us, it feels like we are in a dream-like state.
It's everything I wished
My current situation is everything I had hoped for.
Never guessed it got this good
I could not have imagined that this experience could be this wonderful.
Wondered if it ever would
I had been uncertain if this sort of magical experience would ever occur in my life.
Really didn't think it could
I did not believe that this type of situation could exist.
Do it again?
Would you like to experience this together once more?
I know we should
I am certain that we should.
Slinky as raccoons in the roof
We move together smoothly and gracefully like raccoons on a rooftop.
I'm so fizzy I could burst
I am so full of excitement that I could burst in a fizzy fashion.
Yeah, you wet through and me headfirst
I fell headfirst into this great experience with you, while you got me wet somehow.
Into this is perfect
This situation is absolutely ideal to me right now.
Ow it feels so big it almost hurts
The magnitude of this moment is almost overwhelming.
Say it will always be like this
Express the notion that this feeling will last forever.
The two of us together
Specifically, we will always be together.
It will always be like this
Our current state of happiness will never fade, and we will remain together forever.
Forever and ever and ever (and ever and ever, forever, ever)
For eternity.
Do it all the time?
Would you like to experience this on a continual basis?
I know that we should
I am confident that experiencing this feeling with you on a regular basis is a good idea.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Robert James Smith, Roger O'Donnell, Perry Bamonte, Jason Toop Cooper, Simon Johnathon Gallup
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@patrickstocks3986
The sun is up
I'm so happy I could scream!
And there's nowhere else in the world I'd rather be
Than here with you
It's perfect
It's all I ever wanted
I almost can't believe that it's for real
I really don't think it gets any better than this
Vanilla smile
And a gorgeous strawberry kiss!
Birds sing we swing
Clouds drift by and everything is like a dream
It's everything I wished
Never guessed it got this good
Wondered if it ever would
Really didn't think it could
Do it again?
I know we should!!!
The sun is up
I'm so fizzy I could burst!
You wet through and me headfirst
Into this is perfect
It's all I ever wanted
Ow!
It feels so big it almost hurts!
Never guessed it got this good
Wondered if it ever would
Really didn't think it could
Do it some more?
I know we should!!!
Say it will always be like this
The 2 of us together
It will always be like this
Forever and ever and ever
Never guessed it got this good
Wondered if it ever would
Really didn't think it could
Do it all the time?
I know that we should!!!
@claudiaangelicacamacho6675
The sun is up, I'm so happy I could scream
And there's nowhere else in the world I'd rather be
An' here with you it's perfect, it's all I ever wanted
Oh I almost can't believe that it's for real
So pinch me quick
I really don't think it gets any better than this
Vanilla smile and a gorgeous strawberry kiss
Birds sing, we swing, clouds drift by
And everything is like a dream
It's everything I wished
Never guessed it got this good
Wondered if it ever would
Really didn't think it could
Do it again, I know we should
The sun is up, I'm so fizzy I could burst
You went through me headfirst
Into this is perfect, it's all I ever wanted
Oh, it feels so big it almost hurts
Never guessed it got this good
Wondered if it ever would
Really didn't think it could
Do it some more, I know we should
Say it will always be like this
The two of us together
It will always be like this
Forever and ever and ever
Never guessed it got this good
Wondered if it ever would
Really didn't think it could
Do it all the time, I know that we should
@alanelettronico
I really can’t understand why “Wild Mood Swings” is considered a mediocre album. This song is like the second part of Friday I’m in love, same happy energy
@Okkvltify
You answered your question already. Happy energy is not what most fans want to hear from The Cure, the former kings of goth. You may think different, and so does Robert Smith. And that's fine. But most fans would not agree, so that's why this album is dismissed by many fans, including me.
@alanelettronico
@Okkvltify this should apply also to older songs like Lovecats, The Caterpillar etc. Robert has always mixed up sadness and cheerfulness, “Boys don’t cry” being the manifesto of this powerful mix. I am not here to judge what people like or dislike about the Cure, I just find a little odd to blame Cure’s funny side which is canon from the very beginning.
@Okkvltify
@Alan Elettronico that's a point for sure. However, as you say, there was a MIX of sadness and joy in their post Pornography era, but on WMS it was little to none sadness in the music. At least, it seems, in the eyes and ears of most fans. I don't think it is a bad album, but I have to admit I would like it more if it wasnt a Cure album. Probably it would have been more accepted if it had been released as a Robert Smith solo record.
@manonvernon8646
The songs just don't hit the same way, they lack the sort of pensive emotional complexity that made the Cure's signature sound. The 90's were grungy, gloomy, edgy - lots of bands inspired by The Cure like Smashing Pumpkins managed to re-brand what had made The Cure so popular - Pumpkin's "Mayonaise" is basically a 90's version of "Pictures of You". The Cure became irrelevant, and they should have embraced that harder rather than trying to hold onto mainstream appeal. It's not that Smith couldn't write tenderly anymore, the verse sections of "The 13th" could have come right out of Disintegration - the insane chorus is a mood whiplash and maybe seems just a bit out-of-touch in the way aging rock bands can be. I think if you ignore the context there's a lot of fun to be had.
@saskiaalberth2844
Too cheerful for Emos.
@vbasso1983
I dedicate this song to a person who's not on this planet anymore, and he loved the Cure. He will be forever in my heart.
@ClepsidraSideral
💀
@Okkvltify
My condolences for your heavy loss. But don't dedicate songs you haven't written or performed. That's very disrespectful and pretentious
@jackormonroyd
Okkvltify disrespectful? Cover bands often dedicate songs to people.