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
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The Cure Lyrics
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I really think I should've gone to bed tonight but
Just one drink
And there're some people to meet you
I think that you'll like them
I have to say we do
And I promise in less than an hour we will honestly go
Now why don't I just get you another
Yeah just say hello
So I'm clutching it tight
Another glass in my hand
And my mouth and the smiles
Moving up as I stand up
Too close and too wide
And the smiles are too bright
And I breathe in too deep
And my head's getting light
But the air is getting heavier and it's closer
And I'm starting to sway
And the hands on all my shoulders don't have names
And they won't go away
So here I go
Here I go again
Falling into strangers
And it's only just eleven
And I'm staring like a child
Until someone slips me heaven
And I take it on my knees
Just like a thousand times before
And I get transfixed
That fixed
And I'm just looking at the floor
Just looking at the floor
Yeah I look at the floor
And I'm starting to laugh
Like an animal in pain
And I've got blood on my hands
And I've got hands in my brain
And the first short retch
Leaves me gasping for more
And I stagger over screaming
On my way to the floor
And I'm back on my back
With the lights and the lies in my eyes
And the colour and the music's too loud
And my head's all the wrong size
So here I go
Here I go again
Yeah I laugh and I jump
And I sing and I laugh
And I dance and I laugh
And I laugh and I laugh
And I can't seem to think
Where this is
Who I am
Why I'm keeping this going
Keep pouring it out
Keep pouring it down
And the way the rain comes down hard
That's the way I feel inside
I can't take it anymore
This it I've become
This is it like I get
When my life's going numb
I just keep moving my mouth
I just keep moving my feet
I say I'm loving you to death
Like I'm losing my breath
And all the smiles that I wear
And all the games that I play
And all the drinks that I mix
And I drink until I'm sick
And all the faces that I make
And all the shapes that I throw
And all the people I meet
And all the words that I know
Makes me sick to the heart
Oh I feel so tired
And the way the rain comes down hard
That's how I feel inside
The song "Open" by The Cure describes the struggle of addiction through vivid, chaotic imagery. The singer is at a party despite feeling like they probably should have stayed home, but they're tempted by the promise of just one drink and some people to meet. As the night goes on, the singer gets increasingly intoxicated and loses control. They describe clutching their drink tightly, breathing deeply, and feeling like the air is getting heavier. They are surrounded by people they don't know, their hands on the singer's shoulders, and the singer is starting to sway. They describe falling into strangers, laughing in pain, and feeling like they can't take it anymore. The song culminates with the singer expressing their tiredness and sickness in the face of addiction, feeling trapped by the cycle of partying and feeling empty inside.
The imagery in "Open" is potent and disturbing, painting a picture of someone who has lost control of their life. The party atmosphere is depicted as suffocating, with the air growing heavier and the hands on the singer's shoulders feeling like an unwanted weight. The singer's laughter is described as "a child," "like an animal in pain," and "throwing shapes." All of these descriptions suggest a lack of control and emphasize the chaos and unpredictability of the situation. The line, "I say I'm loving you to death like I'm losing my breath" encapsulates the addictive cycle of self-destruction that the singer is caught in. The song is a vivid, haunting depiction of the struggles of addiction.
Line by Line Meaning
I really don't know what I'm doing here
I feel uncertain and out of place in this situation.
I really think I should've gone to bed tonight but
I believe that I should have rested tonight instead of being here.
Just one drink
I plan to have a single alcoholic beverage.
And there're some people to meet you
There are some individuals who want to see you.
I think that you'll like them
I have a feeling that you will appreciate their company.
I have to say we do
I have to admit that we like spending time together.
And I promise in less than an hour we will honestly go
I assure you that we will leave here in less than an hour.
Now why don't I just get you another
Would you like me to get you another drink?
While you just say hello
While you greet the people around us.
So I'm clutching it tight
I'm holding onto the glass firmly.
Another glass in my hand
I picked up another glass of alcohol.
And my mouth and the smiles
I'm talking and grinning.
Moving up as I stand up
I stand up and lean forward.
Too close and too wide
I'm standing too close and my smile is too big.
And the smiles are too bright
Everybody's smile is unnaturally cheerful.
And I breathe in too deep
I inhale too much air.
And my head's getting light
I'm feeling lightheaded.
But the air is getting heavier and it's closer
The atmosphere is more solemn and close.
And I'm starting to sway
I'm starting to waver.
And the hands on all my shoulders don't have names
I can't identify the people with their hands on my shoulders.
And they won't go away
They won't leave me alone.
So here I go
I'm about to embark on something.
Falling into strangers
I'm losing myself among unfamiliar people.
And it's only just eleven
It's only 11 o'clock in the evening.
And I'm staring like a child
I'm gazing like a child.
Until someone slips me heaven
Until someone gives me another drink.
And I take it on my knees
I drink it on my knees.
Just like a thousand times before
I've done this countless times.
And I get transfixed
I become immobilized.
That fixed
That way
And I'm just looking at the floor
I'm staring at the floor.
And I'm starting to laugh
I'm starting to chuckle.
Like an animal in pain
I'm laughing like an animal in pain.
And I've got blood on my hands
I have blood on my hands.
And I've got hands in my brain
I have hands in my mind.
And the first short retch
I'm having a sudden, brief vomiting.
Leaves me gasping for more
It makes me crave for more drinks.
And I stagger over screaming
I'm shouting as I move unsteadily.
On my way to the floor
As I am about to fall to the ground.
And I'm back on my back
I'm lying on my back.
With the lights and the lies in my eyes
The lights and the false impressions are in my vision.
And the colour and the music's too loud
The color and the music are too vibrant and loud.
And my head's all the wrong size
My head feels larger than usual.
Yeah I laugh and I jump
I keep laughing and jumping.
And I sing and I laugh
I also sing while laughing.
And I dance and I laugh
And dance too.
And I laugh and I laugh
I keep on laughing.
And I can't seem to think
I'm unable to have a clear thought.
Where this is
I'm uncertain about what's happening.
Who I am
I'm starting to forget my identity.
Why I'm keeping this going
I'm unsure why I'm continuing this behavior.
Keep pouring it out
Keep drinking more.
Keep pouring it down
Keep taking more alcohol.
And the way the rain comes down hard
The way the rain is pouring tells how I feel.
That's the way I feel inside
I feel overwhelmed inside.
I can't take it anymore
I can't handle this anymore.
This it I've become
This is who I've turned into.
This is it like I get
This is how I normally react.
When my life's going numb
When my life feels like losing conscious.
I just keep moving my mouth
I just keep talking and talking.
I just keep moving my feet
I just keep moving my feet randomly.
I say I'm loving you to death
I repeatedly say that I love you to the point of passing away.
Like I'm losing my breath
As if I'm running out of breath.
And all the smiles that I wear
All my smiles that I show.
And all the games that I play
And all the games that I participate in.
And all the drinks that I mix
And all the drinks that I prepare.
And I drink until I'm sick
And I will not stop drinking until I feel ill.
And all the faces that I make
And all the faces that I make.
And all the shapes that I throw
And all the dance moves I do.
And all the people I meet
And all the individuals I encounter.
And all the words that I know
And all the words that I'm familiar with.
Makes me sick to the heart
All these things make me feel disgusted.
Oh I feel so tired
I'm feeling fatigued.
And the way the rain comes down hard
The way the rain is coming down tells how I feel.
That's how I feel inside
That's how I feel internally.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Robert James Smith, Porl Thompson, Boris Williams, Perry Bamonte, Simon Johnathon Gallup
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind