A fragile thing - The Cure

The Cure finally returned with a new album last month, and it is better than its predecessors - at least, that's what I think. The first single was the track 'Alone', which wasn't released physically, which was a disappointment. Fortunately the second single did get a physical release. It's the slightly whimsier track 'A fragile thing'.

This single was pressed on white vinyl and contains two versions of the song: the regular album version and a remix by Robert Smith. There's even an inner sleeve on this one! 

My collection: 7" single no. 7525
Found: Platenzaak.nl, received 6 December 2024
Tracks: 'A fragile thing (RS24 mix)' / 'A fragile thing (RS24 remix)'

Primary - The Cure

The Cure have finally released a new album, and it made me curious about their output all over again. Then I started to realise that I don't have all of their singles - and I'm not even familiar with all of them. I heard 'Primary' and decided that I wanted to have that single.

It was actually the only single taken from their album Faith, released in 1981. It was their seventh single, but only the second to chart in the UK after 'A forest'. It only reached number 43. The song is unusual in that both Simon Gallup and Robert Smith play bass, with the effects pedals on Smith's giving the leads a unique sound. There are no guitars (other than bass) or keyboards played in the song. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7480
Found: Discogs.com, received 28 November 2024
Tracks: 'Primary' / 'Descent'

Hot hot hot !!! - Cure

'Hot hot hot!!!' was the fourth single released from the album 'Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me'. In early 1988, it spent three weeks in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 45 on 20 February of that year. In the United States, the song reached number 65 on the Billboard Hot 100. It reached its highest chart position in Spain, peaking at number 8. 

For this single release, both tracks were remixed by François Kevorkian. The B-side, 'Hey you!!!' was also a song from the album, but the original CD release of 'Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me' omitted this track as to facilitate a single CD. In 2006 the track did appear on CD1 of a deluxe 2CD edition of the album. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7154
Found: Record fair, Rijswijk, 3 March 2024
Tracks: 'Hot hot hot !!!' / 'Hey you !!!'

Close to me (remix) - The Cure

The Cure were at their most popular by the end of the Eighties, but what happened after their album 'Disintegration' almost seemed like a deliberate self-destruct mechanism: they released an iffy live album ('Entreat'), then a remix album, and no new music until 1992 - and even that album was quite a departure from the doom and gloom they'd demonstrated until then.

From the remix album came this single, 'Close to me (remix)', in 1990. Let's just say that this remix came from Paul Oakenfold's less inspired periods. On the other hand, the remix of 'Just like heaven' on the B-side is a deconstructed piece of bliss, created by Bryan 'Chuck' New. Who?...

My collection: 7" single no. 5381
Found: unknown
Cost: unknown
Tracks: 'Close to me (Closest mix)' / 'Just like heaven (Dizzy mix)'

Lovesong - The Cure

This is a song title for nitpickers. It varies between 'Lovesong' and 'Love song' on many official Cure releases. The artwork for the album Disintegration uses both: 'Love song' on the tracklisting and 'Lovesong' on the lyrics sheet. When released as a single in 1989, the cover artwork displayed the title as 'Lovesong', while the printing on the disc itself read 'Love song' all three times. Subsequent releases of the albums 'Paris' and 'Galore' both use 'Lovesong' exclusively, whilst 2001's 'Greatest hits' compilation uses 'Lovesong' on the tracklisting and 'Love song' within the liner notes. 2004's 'Join the dots' also uses 'Lovesong' within the booklet presentation.

Whatever the title, this melancholy single reached number 18 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1003
Found: HMV, London, October 16, 1989
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Lovesong' / '2 late'

Lullaby - The Cure

The Cure released 'Lullaby' as the first single from their 1989 album 'Disintegration'. The lyric of the song explores the territory of nightmares.

The single reached number 5 in the UK singles chart, becoming their only top 5 hit in the UK to this day. In the Dutch Top 40, 'Lullaby' reached number 9.

My collection: 7" single no. 790
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, April 13, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Lullaby' / 'Babble'

Why can't I be you? - The Cure

'Why can't I be you?' was the first single release from the Cure's 1987 album 'Kiss me kiss me kiss me'. It was the first Cure single to also be released on the then new cd-single format.

The single reached number 21 in the UK singles chart and number 13 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2495
Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 30, 1995
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Why can't I be you?' / 'A Japanese dream'

Close to me - The Cure

'Close to me' was released in 1985 as a single from the Cure's album 'The head on the door'. On its original release, the single peaked at number 24 in the UK singles chart. In the Netherlands, the single reached number 21. It was accompanied by an interesting music video, featuring all members of the band locket up in a wardrobe, which falls off of a cliff into an ocean by the end of the song.

In 1990, the song was remixed and this remix was also released as a single. Amazingly, this version improved on the original chart peak position in the UK, shooting up to number 13, whereas in the Netherlands the remix did not chart. The music video was a sequel to the original one, featuring the members of a band locked in a wardrobe filling with water.

My collection: 7" single no. 2350
Found: Record Exchange, London, June 26, 1995
Cost: 60p
Tracks: 'Close to me' / 'A man inside my mouth'

Pictures of you - The Cure

'Pictures of you' was released in two versions, and this version was pressed on purple vinyl. The B-side was a live track on both singles, recorded live at Wembley in London in July 1989. Further live tracks from this gig appeared on the cd-single of the track.

The single peaked at number 24 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1201
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, March 30, 1990
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Pictures of you (remix)' / 'Prayers for rain (live)'

Pictures of you - The Cure

'Pictures of you' was a track on the Cure's 1989 album 'Disintegration'. Clocking in at 7'24 minutes, the track was remixed and edited for the single release in 1990, lasting just 4'48 minutes.

According to interviews, the inspiration of the song came when a fire broke loose in Robert Smith's home. After that day, Robert was going through the remains and came across his wallet which had pictures of his wife, Mary. The cover of the single is one of the pictures. The single was released in two versions. This one is pressed on green vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 1209
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, April 14, 1990
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Pictures of you (remix)' / 'Last dance (live)'

The lovecats - The Cure

'The lovecats' was released by the Cure in 1983. It was the band's first Top 10 hit in the UK, peaking at number 7. Originally a non-album single, it later appeared on the compilation album 'Japanese whispers'.

The single was accompanied by another Tim Pope directed music video featuring lots of cats, both living and stuffed ones.

My collection: 7" single no. 2867
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, 1997
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'The lovecats' / 'Speak my language'

In between days - The Cure

'In between days' (sometimes listed as 'Inbetween days' or 'In-between days') was released as the first single from the Cure's 1985 album 'The head on the door'. In the UK, it was the band's ninth chart single and their fourth consecutive Top 20 hit, peaking at number 15. In the US it was their first single to reach the Billboard Hot 100 when it peaked at number 99.

The music video that accompanied the single, directed by Tim Pope, was an interesting one: it featured a camera on a string, which was pushed forward and back by members of the band.

My collection: 7" single no. 1643

Found: May 3, 1992

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'In between days' / 'The exploding boy'

The caterpillar - The Cure

When The Cure released 'The caterpillar', the strange but wonderful music video was a regular on all music television stations in Europe. It was shot in the Great Conservatory in Syon Park, London. The single peaked at number 14 in the UK and number 51 in Australia.

Despite liking this song a lot, I never got round to buying the single. And when I was ready to, it all but disappeared from the face of the earth. In fact, when I finally bought this single, it was the last time I ever saw a copy. It's strange, because I am a regular visitor of record fairs and shops, but apparently, this single has become quite rare.

My collection: 7" single no. 2990

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, May 27, 1998

Cost: 2,5 pounds

Tracks: 'The caterpillar' / 'Happy the man'

A forest - The Cure

I discovered 'A forest' a few years after its original release in the Top 100 of all times, the annual chart compiled by listeners of Veronica radio in the Netherlands. It was the only single taken from the Cure's album 'Seventeen seconds', and also their first charting single in both the UK and the Netherlands. In both countries it reached number 31.

The lyrics tell a vague story about a man looking for a girl in a forest. He hears her calling for him, and as he chases her, he suddenly stops and realizes that he is lost and that the girl is not there. The song is fairly upbeat compared to the other material on the album, and Lol Tolhurst's machine-like steady beat together with Simon Gallup's minimalistic bassline gives this nervous chase more depth and keeps the song on the edge of a frantic groove until the end.

My collection: 7" single no. 2811

Found: Den Haag, January 26, 1997

Cost: nothing (present)

Tracks: 'A forest' / 'Another journey by train'

Catch - The Cure

The Cure's then-current single 'Catch' was not at the top of my list of singles I wanted to buy when I went to London in the summer of 1987. But when I saw this limited edition, I quickly changed my mind. I knew about clear vinyl discs, but with the sleeve also transparent, this truly was an eyecatcher!

'Catch' was the second single taken from the Cure's album 'Kiss me kiss me kiss me'. It reached number 27 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 549

Found: Tower Records, London, 1987

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Catch' / 'Breathe'

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