Like so many Cure fans over the past 40 years I have been intrigued by the literary references in their lyrics. It is possible to find pointers to their sources within the four decades of literature, but there is no single reliable source.
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This work is an attempt to identify and document these literary references for no better reason than that no one else appears to have done it comprehensively. I have only included the songs where the literary sources are at least reasonably clear.
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Seeing The Cure in Hyde Park recently reignited my adoration of Robert and the Cure’s music and as no-one else had published the study I was looking for, I decided to do the work myself. It has been a joyous experience.
I have not referred to any of the music. It is taken as read that it is all gorgeous, delicious, right as rain, angelic and simply elegant.
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Any Cure aficionados who wish to plumb the depths of Robert Smith’s genius would do well to read the original works. Reading the lines in Baudelaire that inspired 'If Only tonight We Could Sleep' will increase your admiration for Robert Smith's ability to weave the words into such beautiful lyrics.
You can order all of them from Amazon and AbeBooks (particularly if out of print) from a smartphone without the need to move from your darkened room.
Some are available as downloads, in which case the source is given.
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There are several sites that are based on individual subjective responses to specific songs. This is not one of them. I have instead returned to original sources which have been implied in the Cure literature or which I suspected from my own extensive reading. As far as possible I have identified the specific words that triggered the inspiration for the lyrics.
There are a couple of references which leapt out on first hearing the lyrics.An example is in the lyrics to ‘The Top’. This has been referred to as a mixture of references. However, Several words are obviously references to Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye and another of his works. Hardly a surprise when ‘Bananafishbones’ is a reference to another Salinger short story. I can’t prove that the reference to the tightrope walker in the fabulous ‘Piggy in the Mirror’ is a reference to Nietzsche's tightrope walker, present as the death of God is announced, but am prepared to argue the case as it was so obvious on first and all subsequent listening.
The Cure’s Robert Smith is the David Lynch of music. He leaves tantalising hints and references to a wide range of literary works through many of his lyrics. Interesting that Jeff Apter in ‘Never Enough’ by Jeff Apter, references Robert and Simon basing their image on Lynch’s ‘’Eraserhead’.
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Smith the wordsmith’s ability to weave often obscure literary references into the Cure’s songs is second to none. Even when the references are obvious, it is the spirit of the source that inspires the lyrics, but combined with the music, the end result is something unique.
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How many people have been introduced to ‘Charlotte Sometimes’ by the Cure? And is there anyone that has done so that has not read the book with the added excitement of discovery, the plaintive Cure music ringing inside their head (if not the memory of the misbegotten video)? In some cases the same book is referenced in more than one song (cf Charlotte Sometimes referenced in three songs).
This venture has been complicated by Robert Smith’s varied accounts of the meanings and sources of his inspiration. It is wonderful to look back at Robert’s inventions and wonder why it did not click that he was constantly changing his accounts of the origins and meanings of so many if his songs.
In the most amusing obfuscation, RS claimed that 'Pictures of You' was based on an Essay by Myra Poleo called 'The Dark Power of Ritual Pictures.'
The same quote is repeated on numerous websites. Really? Did no one notice that it is an anagram if his wife’s name Mary Poole? As so often is the case with his tall tales, he is having a laff. I presume it is a Cure fanatic who attempted to add some verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing statement (look that one up) by setting up a Myra Poleo Facebook page: https://m.facebook.com/pages/the-dark-power-of-ritual-pictures-myra-poleo/178884528837058
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I have included an email address for anyone that has genuine information about the undoubtedly extensive literary references that I have missed.
I will then happily obtain and examine the original sources and add them to this site.
(BTW I am not interested in what people think a song means or which is anyone’s favourite song - there are other sites for that)
I hope this gives Cure fans an extra source of admiration for a truly unique band and it’s brilliant songsmith.
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