While I was at the record store the other day, I ran across a copy of Never Enough: The Story Of The Cure
- so of course the soundtrack to my reading has been The Cure. Without further delay, here are my picks for the best 15 songs, along with their 5 best non-album tracks.
- so of course the soundtrack to my reading has been The Cure. Without further delay, here are my picks for the best 15 songs, along with their 5 best non-album tracks.
Please feel free to leave your own list in the comments section below. Click on song / album titles to purchase - or scroll down to bottom for a Spotify playlist.
Check out our Album Ranking feature on The Cure - from 'Three Imaginary Boys' to '4:13 Dream'
Check out our Album Ranking feature on The Cure - from 'Three Imaginary Boys' to '4:13 Dream'
15. Disintegration
From the album Disintegration
(1989)14. A Strange Day
From the album Pornography
(1982)13. In Between Days
Released as single; appeared on the album The Head on the Door
(1985)
12. Fascination Street
Released as single; appeared on the album Disintegration
(1989)11. Boys Don't Cry
Released as non-album single
(1979); Re-remixed & re-released as single (1986)10. The Caterpillar
Released as single; appeared on the album The Top
(1984)
09. Catch
Released as single; appeared on the album Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
(1987)08. Charlotte Sometimes
Released as non-album single
(1981); and on the compilation Standing on a Beach (1986)07. A Letter to Elise
Released as single; appeared on the album Wish
(1992)
06. Push
From the album The Head on the Door
(1985)05. Apart
From the album Wish
(1992)04. The Funeral Party
From the album Faith
(1981)
03. Lovesong
Released as single; appeared on the album Disintegration
(1989)02. Pictures of You
Released as single (1990); appeared on the album Disintegration
(1989)01. Just Like Heaven
Released as single; appeared on the album Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
(1987)
The 5 Best Non-Album Tracks
available on Join The Dots (1978-2001)
05. The Big Hand
Released as b-side to A Letter To Elise single (1992)
04. Breathe
Released as b-side to Catch single (1987)
03. The Exploding Boy
Released as b-side to In Between Days single (1985)
02. 2 Late
Released as b-side to Lovesong single (1989)
01. Burn
Released on The Crow soundtrack (1994)
I would've liked to have seen "Close to Me" on this list somewhere. If you go back and listen to that bad boy, you will discover how the instruments slowly blend into this cornucopia of delight. A mishmash menagerie of symphonic euphoria, akin to administering a needle full of liquid beauty into your ear. I also missed "Killing an Arab". Anytime you put a legendary piece of literature to music, gold is struck.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to see "The Caterpillar" on the list though. The piano used as footsteps? Genius. Good call, Bret. Keep rollin' up yer sleeves and breakin' on down. I dig it.
Dave, I hear you. I started with a list of 35 songs and then slowly cut it down. From 'Three Imaginary Boys' up through 'Wish'.... so many great songs to choose from - and some good ones in the more recent years too. You gotta post your top 15 here. Come on!
ReplyDeleteAs always, subject to change: 15 top The Cure songs, in chronologic order:
ReplyDeleteThe Caterpillar on The Top (1984 A.D.)
In Between Days on Head On The Door (1985 A.D.)
Push on Head On The Door (1985 A.D.)
A Night Like This from Head On The Door (1985 A.D.)
Catch on Kiss Me x3 (1987 A.D.)
Just Like Heaven on Kiss Me x3 (1987 A.D.)
Love Song on Disintegration (1989 A.D.)
Plainsong on Disintegration (1989 A.D.)
Pictures of You on Disintegration (1989 A.D.)
Closedown on Disintegration (1989 A.D.)
High on Wish (1992 A.D.)
A Letter To Elise on Wish (1992 A.D.)
The Loudest Sound on Bloodflowers (2000 A.D.)
Last Day of Summer on Bloodflowers (2000 A.D.)
There Is No If on Bloodflowers (2000 A.D.)
I Melt With You on Pornography(? Circa 1982)
Lew: I Melt With You?
ReplyDeleteJust testing =)
ReplyDelete17 Seconds:
ReplyDeleteThree
At Night
Pornography:
Cold
Head On The Door:
Sinking
Push
A Night Like This
Kiss Me:
The Kiss
A Thousand Hours
If Only Tonight We Could Sleep
Disintegration:
Plainsong
Homesick
Disintegration
Wish:
From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea
Bloodflowers:
Watching Me Fall
The Loudest Sound
In no particular order. Just straight from the heart. <3
ReplyDelete1. The Perfect Girl
2. 10:15 Saturday Night
3. A Thousand Hours
4. A Letter To Elise
5. One More Time
6. Killing An Arab
7. How Beautiful You Are
8. The Same Deep Water As You
9. The End Of The World
10. Charlotte Sometimes
11. Inbetween Days
12. Close To Me
13. Mint Car
14. Catch
15. Jumping Someone Else's Train
Survey-to-date: Amongst all participants collectively the top four songs were (all tied):
ReplyDelete1) A Letter To Elise from 1992's Wish
2) Catch from 1987's Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
3) In Between Days from 1985's The Head On The Door
4) Push from 1985's The Hear On The Door
The TOP FIVE albums were, in order:
1) Disintegration 1989 (tie with below)
2) Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me 1987 (tie with above)
3) The Head On The Door 1985
4) Wish 1992
5) Bloodflowers 2000
I'm cheating as I cannot whittle it down to 5 b-sides/rarities... also, in no particular order, as long as we all agree "Plainsong" is the best in the history of the universe:
ReplyDelete1. Birdmad Girl
2. Just Like Heaven (Single mix)
3. Catch
4. Cold
5. High
6. The Drowning Man
7. In Your House
8. The Kiss
9. Like Cockatoos
10. M
11. One Hundred Years
12. Piggy In the Mirror (especially as performed In Orange, man so good)
13. Plainsong
14. Play for Today
15. Six Different Ways
1. All Mine (complete 11 minute version) 5.21.82
2. Forever (version) from Curiosity
3. Ariel (Peel session version, not the one released on the Top Rarities disc)
4. A Japanese Dream (NEC Birmingham 1987 version is my fave)
5. Disintegration (Entreat version - ORIGINAL MIX is so powerful!!!)
6. The Exploding Boy (both the B-side and the demo - "Now wash your hands!")
7. Faith (Charlotte Sometimes B-side - Live At The Sydney Capitol Theatre 8/81)
8. A Few Hours After This (both the B-side and the AMAZING demo with different words, guitar)
9. I'm Cold (both the b-side and the rocking Hansa demo)
Jason... Rad list! Thanks for stopping by, Bret :)
ReplyDeleteThanks!! I can't stop loving this band, so I always welcome a "list" exercise... it's always fluid. For me, The Cure will always be a sort of comfort food for my brain - reminds me of those intense and silly teenage years, where everything looked like this and music was SO IMPORTANT:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/roboterkampf/2850771775/in/set-72157606979298258/
Seeing them in '89 was the closest thing I have ever felt to a religious experience. August 22nd, 1989 - front row, left... it was breath taking.
:) I see that Shelleyan Orphan record cover on the wall in your pic... Century Flower... love that album, and have it on vinyl. Recently came across another copy when I was out record shopping with my Dad a few weeks ago. He bought it for his collection.
ReplyDelete1989.... man, those were the days. :)
My top 15 and Why:
ReplyDelete1 – Just Like Heaven – quintessential Cure
2 – Birdmad Girl – quirky fun
3 – End – dark, please stop loving me.
4 – Alt.end – big, bright, beautiful world out there.
5 – Hot, Hot, Hot – so sexy
6 – Cut Here – thinking of old friends
7 – To Wish Impossible Things – past loves
8 – Halo – my favorite
9 – Untitled – paradoxically also my favorite
10 - In Between Days – dance-along, repeat.
11 – Close to Me – listen-along to all the parts.
12 – A Night Like This – sing-along in the car.
13 – Pictures of You – sing alone, husband’s ringtone
14 - Cloudberry - lovely
15 - Gone! – when all I wanna do is nuthin!
Great picks, Lisa. Thanks for adding the descriptions. :)
ReplyDeleteAh, the Cure my favorite band ever.
ReplyDeleteImpossible to pick a favorite song, so I'll give you 5 in no particular order:
Push
Fascination Street
Plainsong
Just one Kiss (without a doubt the best B side)
All I Want (amazing song that they never play live dammit!)
Great picks ChrisB... If I had to redo this list I would've expanded it to 25, because 15 is just too few for a catalog as big as The Cure's. All five of those songs are amazing that you've chosen.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for your comments.
Bret
No order in particular:
ReplyDeleteCharlotte Sometimes
Disintegration
Lullaby
Same deep water as you
Figurehead
100 years
A strange day
Drowning man
Primary
Want
Bird mad girl
A forest
From the edge of the deep green sea
A night like this
Lament
But there are so many many more we could list here: All cats are grey, Just like Heaven, Close to me, Just One kiss, Upstairs room, Holy Hour, Other voices, Piggy in the mirror, Boys don't cry, Homesick, This is a lie, etc etc etc
Nicolas Vandewaele
Nicolas! Thanks for posting. I love that song 'Lament'... so rad. great picks here, i love every song you've listed. Cheers! Bret
ReplyDelete