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
caterpillar
The Cure Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Here you are
Cata cata cata
Caterpillar girl
Flowing in
And filling up my hopeless heart
Oh never never go
Dust my lemon lies
The day I stop
Is the day you change
And fly away from me
You flicker
And you're beautiful
You glow inside my head
You hold me hypnotized
I'm mesmerized
Your flames
The flames that kiss me dead
The lyrics to The Cure's song "Caterpillar" start with the word "flicka" which is an onomatopoeic word meant to imitate the sound of something flickering. The "cata" that follows it is another onomatopoeic word for the sound of something moving quickly. Thus, the first two lines are describing the entrance of the "caterpillar girl" into the singer's life. Her presence is filling up his "hopeless heart." The singer doesn't want her to leave, urging her to "never never go."
The second stanza finds the girl described as "flicker[ing]" and "beautiful." Her presence in the singer's life is so strong that he's "mesmerized" and "held hypnotized." However, there is a fear that at some point, the girl will change and fly away. This fear is expressed in the third stanza. The girl's "flames" are what the singer is drawn to, but they are also ultimately what could "kiss [him] dead."
Overall, the lyrics of "Caterpillar" are a metaphor for a relationship that is intense and overwhelming. The girl is depicted as both beautiful and dangerous, and the singer is both drawn to her and wary of her at the same time.
Line by Line Meaning
Flicka flicka flicka
The singer is mesmerized by the presence of someone they are addressing, who is represented as 'flickering' in their mind.
Here you are
The individual represented in the singer's mind is currently present in their life.
Cata cata cata
The singer is caught in a cycle of obsession and has become fixated on the person they are addressing.
Caterpillar girl
The object of the artist's infatuation is seen as childish and immature, as represented by a caterpillar.
Flowing in
The person represented in the artist's mind is entering or moving towards the artist's life.
And filling up my hopeless heart
The singer feels that the person they are addressing is filling their heart, which they consider to be hopeless or empty without the other person.
Oh never never go
The singer fears losing the person they are addressing and begs them not to leave or disappear from their life.
Dust my lemon lies
The artist wants to cover up or hide their deceitful actions or statements (represented as 'lemon lies') with a gentle and sweet facade (represented as 'powder pink and sweet').
With powder pink and sweet
The artist wishes to present a calm and affectionate exterior, despite any deception or inner turmoil happening within them.
The day I stop
The artist recognizes that they are reliant on the person they are addressing for their own emotional well-being.
Is the day you change
The singer believes that the person they are addressing will cease to love them and change in some way if the singer becomes less devoted or dependent on them.
And fly away from me
The artist fears that if they become less dependent on the person they are addressing, that person will abandon them or leave their life.
You flicker
The person the singer is addressing has an unsteady presence in the singer's mind, symbolized by 'flickering'.
And you're beautiful
The singer views the person they are addressing as attractive and appealing.
You glow inside my head
The thoughts and memories of the person the singer is addressing evoke intense emotions and sensations within the singer.
You hold me hypnotized
The artist is entranced and captivated by the person they are addressing; possible indicating an unhealthy level of attachment or obsession.
I'm mesmerized
The artist is enchanted and spellbound by the person they are addressing.
Your flames
The person the singer is addressing has a metaphorical fire or passion within them.
The flames that kiss me dead
The singer sees the passion and intensity of the person they are addressing as having the potential to harm them or consume them entirely.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LAURENCE ANDREW TOLHURST, ROBERT JAMES SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@juditbernardini867
Lyrics:
Flicka flicka flicka
Here you are
Cata cata cata
Caterpillar girl
Flowing in
And filling up my hopeless heart
Oh never never go
Dust my lemon lies
With powder pink and sweet
The day I stop
Is the day you change
And fly away from me
You flicker
And you're beautiful
You glow inside my head
You hold me hynotized
I'm mesmerized
Your flames
The flames that kiss me dead
@Hopster1
The most amazing thing about The Cure is that there musical range is SO HUGE and yet you instantly know it's them. From this to Fascination Street to A Forest to Hot, Hot, Hot to Lullaby. They can pretty much do anything.
@yazzymin5558
Seriously, how beautiful is Robert here!
@Paucobain96
His makeup is perfect haha
@anacarrizo5212
Yasmin Shelton He ussually looks beautiful hahaha
@stevenstratton4785
I prefer the TOTP rose strewn seated performance.....
@ThePourf
Yasmin Shelton you look a bit like mary poole, I think.
@JackyVSO
+Yasmin Shelton Very beautiful but a little bit out of sync :-)
@Nika-verdieva
One of the most underrated songs in the world. I heard it for the first time when I was 16, I used to walk around my district , smoke and listen to it thousands of times. Now I’ve grown up and every time I hear this beautiful song I go back to these pure beautiful times. It evokes so many emotions at the same time: sadness, happiness , melancholy and many other… there aren’t words in the world to describe my feelings while listening to it. Thank u, The Cure, for the greatest memories
@benjaminhawthorne1969
True art.
@zimnydran6156
Tim Burton must saw Robert when created Edward Scissorshand