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
The 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 13th" by The Cure is a song about the exhilarating feeling that comes with being in a crowded room filled with good energy, where everyone is having a good time. The lyrics detail the experience of being at a concert, with a charismatic performer singing an upbeat, catchy tune that has the audience buzzing like killer bees. The singer describes a woman on stage who is so captivating that he can't help but be drawn in by her charms, despite feeling like he might be making a mistake. He struggles with the idea of whether he is seducing her or being seduced himself, but ultimately succumbs to the moment and lets himself enjoy the rush.
The song's repeating refrain of "Do it to me" adds to the erotic tension of the lyrics, as the singer is describing his attraction to the woman on stage. However, the chorus can also be interpreted as a call to the audience to let go and enjoy themselves, to let the music and the moment take them over. The upbeat, danceable rhythm of the song only adds to this feeling of euphoria, as the audience becomes lost in the music and the energy of the crowd.
Line by Line Meaning
"Everyone feels good in the room" she swings
The girl on stage exudes a charismatic energy that elicits a positive feeling in everyone present.
"Two chord cool in the head" she sings
The girl's simplistic, yet catchy tune adds to her charismatic persona on stage.
"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 girl's performance is electric and seemingly too good to be true, causing the singer to question its authenticity.
From time to time her eyes get wide And she's always got them stuck on me
The girl frequently makes eye contact with the artist, making him feel as if he is the center of her attention.
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 artist is attracted to the girl's physical appearance and is having a hard time containing his emotions.
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 girl leaves the stage and approaches the singer, causing him to feel both nervous and excited at the same time.
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!
The singer eagerly wants to continue interacting with the girl on an intimate level.
"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 girl offers the artist an enticing proposition and he is tempted, but ultimately cannot resist the desire he feels for 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 girl promises to show the artist things he's never experienced before, but he's unsure whether he's taking control of the situation or if she's manipulating him.
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 artist acknowledges that he may regret his actions tomorrow, but right now he's caught up in the excitement and pleasure of the moment.
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!
The singer continues to indulge in the pleasure he's experiencing with the girl on stage.
It feels good!
The artist concludes the song by emphasizing how good he feels while interacting with the girl on stage.
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