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
Sirensong
The Cure Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That turned my head
I didn't look to stare
Like I was hypnotized
But I was fixed
On how she pointed slowly down
And low I sank
And still without a sound
And I was tricked
It could've been her silver skin
That drew me on
I didn't mean to spin
Like I was mesmerized
But I was rapt
Without a name or memory
I waited there
Too scared to even breathe?
She sang, she sang, she sang
[Chorus]
She sang
"Tell me you love me
And beg me to stay"
She sang
"Tell me you love me
Before it's too late"
She sang
"Give me your life
Or I must fly away
And you will never hear this song again"
It could've been her crystal eyes
That made me stop
I didn't want to sigh
Like I was stupefied
But I was thrown
And at that point of no return
My whole life hanging
On a single word
To be hers evermore
Or mine alone
She sang, she sang, she sang
[Chorus]
The lyrics of The Cure's "Sirensong" describe a mesmerizing and hypnotic encounter with a woman that leaves the singer entranced and unsure of whether to give in to her demands. The song begins with the suggestion that it might have been the woman's golden hair or silver skin that initially attracted the singer, but then goes on to describe how she sings a bewitching song that he cannot resist. The lyrics use language that emphasizes the singer's lack of agency and control, as he is "tricked" into sinking low and becoming "fixed" and "rapt" by the woman's presence. The woman's demands intensify throughout the song, as she implores the singer to "tell me you love me" and "give me your life," warning that if he doesn't comply, she will "fly away" and he will "never hear this song again."
The song's haunting melody is a perfect match for its lyrics, creating a sense of unease and uncertainty that builds throughout the track. The repeated refrain of "she sang, she sang, she sang" reinforces the idea of the woman's bewitching power, while the chorus adds to the sense of urgency as she demands the singer's love and devotion. Overall, "Sirensong" is a powerful exploration of the seductive and sometimes dangerous nature of desire.
Line by Line Meaning
It could've been her golden hair
The singer is describing the various physical features that could have drawn him to the woman, starting with her golden hair.
That turned my head
The golden hair caught the singer's attention and made him take notice of the woman.
I didn't look to stare
The singer didn't intend to stare at the woman, but he couldn't help being drawn to her.
Like I was hypnotized
The artist was so drawn to the woman that he felt like he was under a spell or hypnotized.
But I was fixed
The artist was so focused on the woman that he couldn't look away from her.
On how she pointed slowly down
The woman did something that caught the singer's attention, namely pointing down in a slow manner.
And low I sank
The singer was so entranced by the woman that he felt like he was sinking or falling under her spell.
And still without a sound
The artist was so captivated that he didn't even make a sound or speak to the woman.
The world was far away
The artist was so focused on the woman that the rest of the world seemed to fade away or become distant.
And I was tricked
The artist feels like he was tricked or deceived by the woman's enchanting presence.
It could've been her silver skin
The singer continues to describe the various physical features that could have drawn him to the woman, this time focusing on her skin.
That drew me on
The silver skin drew the artist towards the woman, as if he couldn't resist her allure.
I didn't mean to spin
The singer didn't intend to become so entranced by the woman, but he couldn't help it.
Like I was mesmerized
The singer was so under the woman's spell that he felt like he was mesmerized or hypnotized.
But I was rapt
The singer was so captivated by the woman that he was completely focused on her and nothing else.
Without a name or memory
The artist was so entranced by the woman that he forgot everything else, including his own identity and memories.
I waited there
The artist was so absorbed by the woman that he waited patiently for her next move or word, without thinking about anything else.
Too scared to even breathe?
The singer was so overwhelmed by the woman's enchanting presence that he was afraid to make a sound or even breathe too loudly.
She sang, she sang, she sang
The woman sang and her singing was a key part of her charm and attraction to the singer.
"Tell me you love me
The woman's song includes a plea for the artist to profess his love for her.
And beg me to stay"
The woman wants the artist to beg her to stay with him, as if she has the power to leave at any moment.
"Tell me you love me
The woman's song repeats the same plea as before, urging the artist to declare his love for her.
Before it's too late"
The woman wants the singer to express his feelings before it's too late and she has to leave him forever.
"Give me your life
The woman's song includes a demand for the artist to give her his life, as if she wants complete control over him.
Or I must fly away
The woman threatens to leave if the singer doesn't give her what she wants, suggesting that she is using her singing to manipulate him.
And you will never hear this song again"
The woman's threat is that if the singer doesn't comply with her demands, he will lose her forever and never hear her singing again.
It could've been her crystal eyes
The singer describes yet another physical feature that could have drawn him to the woman, this time focusing on her eyes.
That made me stop
The woman's crystal eyes stopped the artist in his tracks and made him stare at her.
I didn't want to sigh
The artist didn't intend to sigh or express his attraction to the woman, but he couldn't help it.
Like I was stupefied
The singer was so stunned by the woman's beauty that he felt like he was in a state of mental stupor.
But I was thrown
The singer was so taken by the woman that he was emotionally thrown off balance.
And at that point of no return
The artist was at a point of no return, where he couldn't resist the woman's allure and had to give in to his desire for her.
My whole life hanging
The artist's entire life was at stake, as if the woman had the power to control his destiny and future happiness.
On a single word
The artist's entire fate hung on a single word, as if the woman had the power to control his life and future simply by speaking.
To be hers evermore
The singer is torn between his desire to be with the woman forever and the fear that this will mean giving up his own identity and autonomy.
Or mine alone
On the other hand, the artist also desires to be the sole owner of his life and destiny, without being controlled or manipulated by the woman.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: ROBERT JAMES SMITH, JASON TOOP COOPER, SIMON GALLUP, PORL THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind