POLLography: The Cure poll results, ILM artist poll #23

The ballots have been counted and verified. It's been a tremendous amount of fun and hard work, which unfortunately coincided with very busy couple of weeks for me. I had big plans for Johnny Fever-style pictures to go with the results but it turns out I didn't have the time, patience or talent to make that happen. So feel free to pepper this thread with pics as appropriate.

But I am 100% confident that these results are 100% accurate and that's the main thing, really.

Let's start with the top 5 videos!

#5 - Inbetween Days, 136 points, 3 votes, 1 #1 vote

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scif2vfg1ug

for americans: http://vimeo.com/5210617

Sorry about that, didn't know that would happen.

no worries, but yeah there are some sad, sad gaps in the cure videography on US youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcUza_wWCfA

#4 - The Lovecats, 161 points, 4 votes

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x23dc3_the-cure-lovecats_music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5Cqp3pnE98

#3 - Never Enough, 175 points, 4 votes

I'm not sure I've ever seen that video!

How many times did they use the "band plays in cramped place, hilarity ensues" theme, anyway?

(I'm guessing that one of those videos is a good bet for #1)

"never enough" us link: http://vimeo.com/27804205

The first time I saw the video for "Inbetween Days" I was eating a plate of fries while sitting on my bed and when the green-faced RS appeared I suddenly felt very nauseous. I have a hard time watching that vid since then, though I do like when he gets kicked in the ass by the cartoon sock.

I must've watched the Staring At The Sea video a thousand times between the ages of 14 and 16. I can still remember some of the funny little home movies between the videos of them messing about in car parks quite clearly. If that was on BluRay I'd be out buying it right now.

#2 - Lullaby, 246 points, 5 votes, 4 #1 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5Cqp3pnE98

i have staring at the sea on VHS, but no VCR. i see it every time i open the bottom drawer, taunting me

That's obviously not right, let's try again:

#2 - Lullaby, 246 points, 5 votes, 4 #1 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijxk-fgcg7c

american "lullaby" link (on youtube!):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS6t56U9tBg

so far i'm 0/4 in videos, but i'll be shocked if i didn't vote for #1

This little throwaway thing is what usually comes to mind when I think of the Staring at the Sea VHS

omfg I haven't seen that for about 25 years

No surprises at #1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjvfIJstWeg

#1 - Close To Me, 421 points, 9 votes, 4 #1 votes

video link for americans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsBe2WqpLmk

hahhaha WOOOOOPS

closest i can come to a decent link featuring the non-remix video stateside: http://www.youclubvideo.com/video/84336/the-cure-close-to-me

Albums!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d0/The_Cure_-_Faith.jpg

#5 - Faith, 575 points, 13 votes, 3 #1 votes

wow, the jump from 5 votes for lullaby to 9 votes for close to me suggest lil consensus among that lil group of people who voted for videos

May as well post the full results:

#6 - The 13th, 124 points, 3 votes
#7 - Let's Go To Bed, 120 points, 3 votes
#8 - Why Can't I Be You?, 89 points, 2 votes
#9 - Pictures of You, 89 points, 2 votes
#10 - Friday I'm In Love, 84 points, 2 votes
#11 - Boys Don't Cry, 76 points, 2 votes
#12 - Killing An Arab, 50 points, 1 votes
#13 - A Night Like This, 46 points, 1 votes
#14 - The Walk, 43 points, 1 votes
#15 - Hot Hot Hot!!!, 40 points, 1 votes
#16 - High, 40 points, 1 votes
#17 - Charlotte Sometimes, 40 points, 1 votes
#18 - The Hanging Garden, 38 points, 1 votes
#19 - The Caterpillar, 38 points, 1 votes
#20 - Primary, 38 points, 1 votes
#21 - Just Like Heaven, 38 points, 1 votes
#22 - A Forest, 38 points, 1 votes

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/64/The_Cure_-_The_Head_on_the_Door.jpg

#4 - The Head On The Door, 580 points, 14 votes, 2 #1 votes

^^ my favorite, full of bangers. His boring exotica never had better settings or pace.

Never been a favourite of mine, but:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/07/The_Cure_-_Pornography.jpg

#3 - Pornography, 617 points, 14 votes, 3 #1 votes

Have I got this right, you've scored these ballots 50-46-43-40-38? Isn't that kind of elaborate and a lot of work?

Yeah that's right. It's not really that much work though, just one spreadsheet with a lot of lookup tables and pivot tables. The most work was correcting peoples spelling and formatting mistakes. What other way is there to do it? I used the same spreadsheet that (I think) everybody running these polls uses, just tweaked it a bit.

I guess not; I imagine most polls just go 5-4-3-2-1 though, so hats off for weighing them so precisely

Three great albums so far. Either my #1 or #2 isn't going to make it though.

My #1 didn't make it.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t7ANnlIHYk0/TWGRU22uC_I/AAAAAAAAD0c/AQ2saaX5pVM/s1600/The-Cure-Seventeen.jpg

#2 - Seventeen Seconds, 663 points, 15 votes, 2 #1 votes

Crikey, that's all three duds in the top five. You lot see a different band from what I see.

Very curious to see which of the three(?) contenders wins.

My #1 didn't either...

Disintergration is a lock.

A bit late now, but I remember when the "Never Enough" video came out. On Musique Plus (the québécois Much Music), they had made a big deal about airing it for the first time. I programmed the VCR to record it while I was in school. I couldn't wait to come home and watch it! And it didn't disapoint :-)

I think Three Imaginary Boys vs Boy's Don't Cry might've split some votes but with the points combined either one wouldn't have made the top 5.

xps Is it? Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me is obviously their best imo.

That was my #1, nothing else came close.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8Gyfj3yWgXw/T-Lrg8B-NcI/AAAAAAAAA10/VXrdsqquOUo/s1600/cure+disintegration.jpg

#1 - Disintegration, 818 points, 18 votes, 9 #1 votes

I agree, it was my #1. But the conscensus on every 80's list is ALWAYS Disintegration. (x-post)

As far as I recall, there's been a few Best Cure Album polls and they've always ended up pretty much like these results.

Here's one from 2007:

Disintegration 38
Pornography 17
Faith 12
Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me 12
Seventeen Seconds 8
Three Imaginary Boys / Boys Don't Cry 7
The Head on the Door 7
The Top 4
Japanese Whispers 1
Wish 1
The Cure 1
Wild Mood Swings 0
Bloodflowers 0

Didn't think "Seventeen Seconds" would finish that high, or that KMKMKM wouldn't be in the top five (it was my #1).

"A Forest" now looks like an early favourite to be #1 in the songs polls.

lol I voted 4 out of 5 videos and 3 out of 5 albums

Same here.

KMKMKM isn't even an option on the Acclaimed Music Top 25 Albums from 1987 poll. Tells you how underrated it is imo.

the canonizing of Disintegration was initially one of the biggest surprises in the last twenty years of rockcrit.

I get it now but not so's I'd reach for "Prayers of Rain" over "Baby Screams."

It IS excellent and was a huge commercial succes, so I'm not really surprised.

Wish >>> Disintegration

but whatevs *white flag*

My ballots for the results posted so far:
Videos:
1. Close to Me
2. Pictures of You
3. Never Enough
4. High
5. The Lovecats

Albums:
1. Seventeen Seconds
2. Faith
3. Bloodflowers
4. The Head on the Door
5. Wish

I did have a hearty chuckle at the one joker that put 'Charlotte Sometimes' in their top videos.

Leaving Disintegration out of my top albums was intentional because I figured it was going to be an instant lock at #1 (it still would only have been #5 on my list otherwise).

Three of these are duds? Not sure why anyone who sees no value in these records would be interested in anything else the Cure has to offer.

Faith > rest of discog.

It's possible to be a The Top-The Head on the Door-Kiss Me-Wish fan.

I'm of the opinion that while there are higher pop highs on the albums following the glum trio, those 3 are more consistent. Basically I get dismissing them and I get rating them above everything else. I do the latter.

Top 5 Albums:

1) Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
2) Seventeen Seconds
3) Disintegration
4) The Top
5) Pornography

Top 5 Videos:

1) Lullaby
2) Close To Me
3) Never Enough
4) Let's Go To Bed
5) Just Like Heaven

basically if you don't dig 17S/Faith/Pornography you don't even deserve to slit your wrists and fedex your life's blood to Robert's doorstep

my album/video votes:

ALBUMS:

Pornography
Disintegration
Faith
The Top
Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me

VIDEOS:

Lullaby
Close To Me
Never Enough
The Lovecats
The Hanging Garden

Same Top 3 videos!

The existence of "Sinking" allows me to dismiss the lugubrious stuff on the Doom Trilogy.

Ok, it's getting late here so I'm going to run through nos 50-41 in the next 45 minutes or so, then 40-21 tomorrow and 20-1 on Friday

The tracks!

#50 - A Man Inside My Mouth, 253 points, 9 votes

ALBUMS

KMKMKM
Disintegration
Pornography
Wish
The Cure

VIDEOS

Close to Me
Pictures of You
In Between Days
Friday I'm In Love
Primary

On a given day I might prefer "Pornography" or "Disintegration", but KMKMKM is the album that got me into The Cure. It's definitely their best in terms of showing all the different sides of the band.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFDORnYFnqU

"A Man Inside My Mouth" is what I'd put on a mixtape for a Cure tyro.

So cool to be getting this live for once. I'm always working when the results of these polls are coming out and miss all the discussion.

#=48 - Other Voices, 255 points, 13 votes

Faith, 1981

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFRL4GsILFU

#=48 - In Your House, 255 points, 14 votes

Seventeen Seconds, 1980

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JccTTo7NJxU

other voices sneaking in makes me think all of the staring... tracks made it

Oh for fuck's sake I got sick and confused and never mailed in my ballot even though it's been finished for a week. :(

yeah I spaced too, but I'm going to follow along now that all the hard work's been done :D

Oh I'm so mad at myself! Bah.

That sucks. But YAY at "In Your House" making it!

It goes dark
It goes darker still
Please stay!

xpost i was going to say that other voices is waaaaay too low! of course, i am a huge staring at the sea stan (started a poll on it once). i didn't vote because i pretty much only listen to everything up to head on the door (i don't dislike the stuff afterward, i just like taking my sweet time with the cure and going through their catalog over the course of several years instead of gorging on everything at once in typical 2012 eargasm methodology)

i heard that disintegration is good, what do you guys think?!?!!?

I ended up with 36 ballots which I'm happy with. Don't know how that compares with other polls but it was more than enough for a good set of results.

#47 - Open, 257 points, 11 votes

Wish, 1992

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blusgorx1JA

AMIMM has never been a favorite because of the keyboard sound, but I like the lyrics!

"Open" -- their best opener after "Shake Dog Shake" and "Inbetween Days"!

And "Plainsong" and "One hundred years" and "The Kiss"! ;-)

I had Open as my number four, it's my favourite Cure opener. I was surprised how many Wish tracks I ended up voting for.

One of my favourites, I think it made my top 10:

#46 - Grinding Halt, 258 points, 11 votes

Three Imaginary Boys, 1979

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxVxIFAQP5I

I voted for seven album openers ... but "Open" wasn't one of them!

Grinding Halt would have been in my top ten IF I'D SUBMITTED A FUCKING BALLOT! grrrrr.

I'm no expert but Lol looks like he's a pretty good drummer there, a bit Stephen Morris-y.

Here is an awesome video of them doing it near where I lived for years and years

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcaFJHo3ZT4

My actual ballot is on my work computer so I can't say for certain where I put it but I'm sure it was top 10.

How old would they be there?

you all know the "Two People" iteration of "In Your House", right

so bad ass

#45 - Six Different Ways, 259 points, 11 votes

The Head on the Door, 1985

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37RdqYjLnCs

This was high on mine as well. <3

It's possible to be a The Top-The Head on the Door-Kiss Me-Wish fan.

I understand this, but the joie-de-mourir from the early 80s period carries on throughout their career.

Simon's in the band so I'd say 20-21. (x-post)

#44 - If Only Tonight We Could Sleep, 272 points, 14 votes

Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me, 1987

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQRpjOQBUSI

I love this song. I think it was in my Top 5.

#43 - Three Imaginary Boys, 275 points, 13 votes

Three Imaginary Boys, 1979

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5iHouB9ODk

Lol looks like he's a pretty good drummer there

I think Lol was a perfectly fine drummer for the type of music the Cure was making. Live tapes from 79-82 are always a lot more exciting to listen to for me than the more polished live band of later years, and I don't recall hearing too many mistakes. That being said, the drum parts of several songs from Pornography are much too similar, and this perhaps reveals his limitations etc. Or it could be exactly what Robert wanted at the time - I dunno.

Didn't expect this to be so low!

The "In Your House" version DJP was talking about:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I97T5NjVeeY

Noe of the songs I voted for have shown up yet. Hmmm. . . .

#42 - Why Can't I Be You?, 277 points, 9 votes

Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me, 1987

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VroyAsUsHdY

almost as good as "Walking on Sunshine."

#41 - High, 286 points, 10 votes

Wish, 1992

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLaIOwnOSgs

My albums (didn't vote videos)

01 Disintegration
02 Japanese Whispers
03 Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me
04 The Head on the Door
05 Seventeen Seconds

Still none of my tracks have shown up, but I only submitted a ballot of 20 rather than 40.

Work in 6 hours, bed now, more tomorrow!

oh for fuck's sake -- how is "High" so LOW???

#50 - A Man Inside My Mouth, 253 points, 9 votes
#49 - Other Voices, 255 points, 13 votes
#48 - In Your House, 255 points, 14 votes
#47 - Open, 257 points, 11 votes
#46 - Grinding Halt, 258 points, 11 votes
#45 - Six Different Ways, 259 points, 11 votes
#44 - If Only Tonight We Could Sleep, 272 points, 14 votes
#43 - Three Imaginary Boys, 275 points, 13 votes
#42 - Why Can't I Be You?, 277 points, 9 votes
#41 - High, 286 points, 10 votes

(the tie at 48 doesn't actually appear to be a tie, as one had more votes than the other)

from my ballot:

14. Three Imaginary Boys
20. Open
22. A Man Inside My Mouth

Three of mine have made it so far, "In Your House", "If Only Tonight" and "Three Imaginary Boys".

I didn't vote in this poll because I haven't really listened to the Cure past Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me, but I'm happy to see the great "Grinding Halt" slip in here. "Why Can't I Be You" ridiculously too low of course.

I didn't vote in this poll because I haven't really listened to the Cure past Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me

You stopped one album too soon, imo.

(Although Wish has some delightful songs and b-sides)

My Top 5 Albums
1. Pornography
2. Faith
3. Seventeen Seconds
4. Wish
5. Disintegration

My Top 5 Videos
1. Close To Me
2. A Night Like This
3. The 13th
4. Hot Hot Hot
5. Friday I'm In Love

I didn't think to check dailymotion and vimeo for the Cure vids not on US youtube so it's possible something that ranked might have beat "Just Like Heaven" if I had. My #1-4 were safe, though.

would have beat "Friday I'm In Love" I mean. It's actually kind of hilarious the Cure's biggest '80s songs have the least dynamic videos.

though Robert gives an academy award performance in "Heaven" with all the coy eyework and flailing.

ok now i'm finally reading this thread:

my videos were:

Lullaby
Close To Me
Lovecats
Let's Go To Bed
The Caterpillar

and my albums are:

Disintegration
Pornography
The Head on the Door
Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me
Wish

i love, love, love Wish, it's also contains my all time favorite song from the Cure, has not posted yet but don't think it will either.

so i following DJP lead and going to post it the same way:

15 A Man Inside My Mouth
12 Open
6 Three Imaginary Boys

haha, well DJP and i have pick the same exact songs...that is scary!

In case you were dying to know how I ranked mine:

6) If Only Tonight We Could Sleep
11) In Your House
14) Three Imaginary Boys

I love the live version of "Why Can't I Be You" that was posted at #42. Robert being over the top silly in a way that really works. His voice is/was really a special instrument.

5 of mine have gone up, including my #2 & #7, the former's low placement so surprising it took me a while to realize it happened. Appropriate for a cure thread to make me just a touch sad on the first day. :(

I think I can let this spoiler out now because I'm probably the only one that voted for it: 'Uyea Sound' was my #8 pick.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anfVeYG60iA

(yes, it's basically the demo for 'Underneath the Stars', just fifteen years previous)

Jeez, it's good.

That live version of Why Can't I Be You is taken from the last ever episode of The Tube, they also did Catch. I watched it at the time. Not only did they sound amazing it was the best they ever looked as well, I think.

I for one really love the live versions of 'Why Can't I Be You?' where they stretched it out to an almost improvised jam and Bob added a bunch of verses.

I just wish the studio recording was that good.

It's interesting voting for 40 when there are only 50 places - more suspense. When the ratio's, say, 20:60 you get used to most of your ballot placing. Four of mine so far.

My list is simple so far:

34) In Your House

Although on a different day I easily could have voted for about half the songs so far.

Wow. seeing how good songs 41-50 are, makes the CURE not making the Hall Of Fame a complete joke.

My list so far:

25) A Man Inside My Mouth
19) Other Voices
16) In Your House
11) Grinding Halt
22) Six Different Ways
26) If Only Tonight We Could Sleep

i have 4 that placed so far, including the only song i voted for from KMKMKM.

i actually regret not voting for "grinding halt". can't quite remember what my reasoning was when i left it off.

I like "Grinding Halt" but ever since someone pointed out the similarity to "The Locomotion" I just can't get past that

haha thanks for ruining "Grinding Halt" for me

oh for fuck's sake -- how is "High" so LOW???

Can't speak for any of the other non-voters, but for me its tweeness is on just the other side of tolerable. Like when e.e. cummings got too cute.

So far, I voted for all these: Grinding Halt, Six Different Ways, If Only Tonight, Why Can't I Be You? None of them top 10, tho Six Different Ways was my #11.

Was "Wish" mentioned on the New Jersey thread? If not, then it should have been.

but for me its tweeness is on just the other side of tolerable

I used to feel this way about "Friday I'm In Love" (after really liking it initially), but eventually grew to like it even more. It wasn't until "The Only Time" that they managed to write another single that felt so breezy and effortless.

"The Only One", rather.

So far I voted

Grinding Halt
Six Different Ways
Three Imaginary Boys
Why Can't I Be You
and
High

whenever i think of "High" i think about the time i was at my grandmother's house when that song was a hit and there was a plotline on one of her favorite soap operas about the characters going to a Cure concert

^ countdown to wgw pvmic'ing that

I'm glad eight others also dig Man Inside My Mouth, that track is so squirrelly.

Although my life is (I hope) much less goth than it was when I was first into the Cure, I find it's the heavier stuff that's stuck with me. Instead of sounding too adolescent, records like Pornography and Faith engage me more than ever while the whimsical pop songs irritate me way more than they did. I have no interest in hearing Love Cats, Friday I'm In Love, Why Can't I Be You, etc ever again.

I just listened to High for the first time in ?? years and you summed up my feelings perfectly. Chirpy pop about "me and you" was NOT what I was not looking for in this band then or now. That said, I had my first public dancing experiences to some of those songs and all of my best friends have been the type to dance to "Just Like Heaven" at their wedding receptions, so they have a bit of sentimental value.

Never thought "High" was twee or cute when "Six Different Ways" and "Love Cats" exists.

It's got some of Smith's best love jive and maybe the quintessential Cure six-string bass sound.

I can't stand "Love Cats" these days. I don't understand how some people can go about how it's a classic but say that "Mint Car" is embarrassing. I think it's the sentimentality talking.

xpost

I just never liked it, I guess. I'm not saying it's not good, but it's not why I have turned to them then or now. I like gothy melodrama, I guess?

Can't imagine a CURE fan calling "Mint Car" embarrassing.

I love "Love Cats" and "Mint Car" and "Hanging Garden" and "One Hundred Years"

I was never a superfan, that's why I didn't vote! I respect everyone's right to like whatever they like. I just forgot how much I did not like that song. Carry on :)

I can't stand "Love Cats" these days. I don't understand how some people can go about how it's a classic but say that "Mint Car" is embarrassing. I think it's the sentimentality talking.

No, it's the rhythm section talking. You really can't fuck with the piano, bass and drums on that song, plus the arrangement is sublime.

"Mint Car", OTOH, is a big wet fart and one of the worst things they ever did.

Never thought "High" was twee or cute when "Six Different Ways" and "Love Cats" exists.

Huh, never thought of "Six Different Ways" as cute, tho I guess I can see lyrically. Musically it has one of my favorite grooves of theirs, that syncopated 6/8 is pretty killer.

Also DJP otm about the rhythm and arrangement on "Love Cats," that's exactly what I voted for in it.

"Mint Car" is stupid but harmless, I wouldn't change the station if it came on the radio. "Love Cats" is a stupid song with a boss arrangement, but once you move past the gimmick of the Cure doing jazz, there's nothing about it that is characteristic of their best work. Maybe that's an unfair criticism, since it was really just a one time only thing, but I'm sick of "Why Can't I Be You" for similar reasons.

The thing that got me hooked on all the 80's CURE was robert's voice. It was like another instrument. I mean the song writing was great, but then the delivery added so much more. Whether the song was morose or giddy, smith created so much with his inflections, etc...

And while I might prefer their Pornography/goth side, I definitely don't hate their poppy stuff (I voted for plenty of it).

xpost

TS: "We move like cagey tigers/Oh we couldn't get closer than this" vs "The sun is up/I'm so happy I could scream"
TS: Long patter-style phrases with few pauses for breath vs simple stop-start 2-bar phrases with gigantic 2-bar pauses for breath in between
TS: "Our infatuation as described by an extended Aristocats metaphor" vs "Hey, I'm awake and horny, isn't this boss?"
TS: Crisp-sounding engineering vs "you know what would make this song pop is if we put the 'ass-muffle' filter on it"

I wasn't saying that Mint Car >>> Love Cats. But I think that some people give '80's pop Cure a pass while saying that their 90's pop stuff (which could be just as twee and ridiculous) is unlistenable.

TS: "We move like cagey tigers/Oh we couldn't get closer than this" vs "The sun is up/I'm so happy I could scream"
TS: "Our infatuation as described by an extended Aristocats metaphor" vs "Hey, I'm awake and horny, isn't this boss?"

One is arguably more novel, one is arguably more universal

TS: Long patter-style phrases with few pauses for breath vs simple stop-start 2-bar phrases with gigantic 2-bar pauses for breath in between

TS: Crisp-sounding engineering vs "you know what would make this song pop is if we put the 'ass-muffle' filter on it"

take out the phrase "ass-muffle" and this is tech talk that suggests the difference without actually making one objectively superior. I like both and totally see the argument for why lovecats is more "impressive" but at the same time I can see enjoying "Mint Car" more.

It's really just whether you have more beef with robert writing an easy "oh i'm just a happy guy having sex" song or with robert putting a lot of effort into a frothy finger-snapper about lovecats.

I went to see them play all of Three Imaginary Boys, Seventeen Seconds and Faith in London and in the last encore they played Love Cats. Fuck that basically.

ts: bobbadopdopdopdopdobbaDOPdopdopdopdopdopdopdobba vs. shkakummashkkakummashkkakumm.....OW!

doop de doo doo doo-doo DOO doop doo-doo doo-doo doo-doo doo

xpost!

No, it's the rhythm section talking. You really can't fuck with the piano, bass and drums on that song, plus the arrangement is sublime.

"Mint Car", OTOH, is a big wet fart and one of the worst things they ever did.

I think that some people give '80's pop Cure a pass while saying that their 90's pop stuff (which could be just as twee and ridiculous) is unlistenable.

It has nothing to do with one being more twee and ridiculous. I think we all know and love that side of Robert. It's in the execution.
"The Lovecats" is pop genius musically and lyrically. "Mint Car"'s chorus is one of the most boring they ever did.

Also it seems the production of their post-Wish output is just really messy and hard to listen to. I just re-listened to "The Only One" since it was mentioned as breezy and effortless on this thread and I agree the songwriting is there, but they insist on making it sound so muddy and unpleasant.

The production on "Mint Car" isn't very good -- or the take is terrible. Or something. I liked it when I saw them do it on TV (SNL?).

I don't know if the absence of David Allen is the cause, but WMS has a shitty sound. "Gone!" sounds like it was recorded in a Kleenex box.

Ready for part 2?

#40 - The Walk, 295 points, 15 votes

Japanese Whispers, 1983

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Mq49gAtlgk

And here's the album results in full:

#1 - Disintegration, 818 points, 18 votes, 9 #1 votes
#2 - Seventeen Seconds, 663 points, 15 votes, 2 #1 votes
#3 - Pornography, 617 points, 14 votes, 3 #1 votes
#4 - The Head On The Door, 580 points, 14 votes, 2 #1 votes
#5 - Faith, 575 points, 13 votes, 3 #1 votes
#6 - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me, 487 points, 11 votes, 3 #1 votes
#7 - Three Imaginary Boys, 292 points, 7 votes
#8 - Wish, 282 points, 7 votes
#9 - The Top, 166 points, 4 votes
#10 - Japanese Whispers, 127 points, 3 votes
#11 - Boys Don't Cry, 93 points, 2 votes, 1 #1 vote
#12 - The Cure, 78 points, 2 votes
#13 - Standing On A Beach, 46 points, 1 votes
#14 - Bloodflowers, 43 points, 1 votes
#15 - Standing On A Beach (cassette edition) ß important bit, 43 points, 1 votes
#16 - Wild Mood Swings, 43 points, 1 votes

I noticed Killing an Arab isn't on itunes -- I'm guessing in order to avoid its appropriation by the extreme right wing. Anyone know the story on this?

It might be there under its current name Killing Another

i'm waiting for smith to re-release it with "an arab" replaced with "another" a la "mr. black" in the simpsons kamp krusty episode

ha xpost

Although my life is (I hope) much less goth than it was when I was first into the Cure, I find it's the heavier stuff that's stuck with me. Instead of sounding too adolescent, records like Pornography and Faith engage me more than ever while the whimsical pop songs irritate me way more than they did. I have no interest in hearing Love Cats, Friday I'm In Love, Why Can't I Be You, etc ever again.

― Get wolves (DL), Thursday, August 16, 2012 10:36 AM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Oh god I could not feel more differently.

all of my best friends have been the type to dance to "Just Like Heaven" at their wedding receptions, so they have a bit of sentimental value.

― these albatrosses have no fear of man (La Lechera), Thursday, August 16, 2012 10:41 AM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

lol Just Like Heaven was not on our reception playlist. Iirc it was Boys Don't Cry that made the final cut.

The Walk is all time. It made my top ten.

I love "Love Cats" and "Mint Car" and "Hanging Garden" and "One Hundred Years"

― nicky lo-fi, Thursday, August 16, 2012 11:07 AM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Same. Except I haven't listened to Mint Car since 1996 and remember thinking it was silly then but I admit that I was probably being dismissive.

i should just go ahead and write a script that automatically inserts a "oh shit i forgot to vote in this because i am stupid" post for me in all of these artist poll results.

Love Cats is totally amazing. It sounds beautiful and it's a joyous earworm to boot - I was walking round the tube last weekend bellowing it out, and I don't care.

#39 - The Figurehead, 307 points, 12 votes, 2 #1 votes

Pornography, 1982

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeKTYdychco

FUCK YES THIS SONG

also this is super OTM: It has nothing to do with one being more twee and ridiculous. I think we all know and love that side of Robert. It's in the execution.

Love Cats is totally amazing. It sounds beautiful and it's a joyous earworm to boot - I was walking round the tube last weekend bellowing it out, and I don't care.

― Ismael Klata, Thursday, August 16, 2012 2:17 PM (6 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

<3

recently at karaoke I convinced myself that "The Lovecats" was within my range

guess what? it isn't

I am one of the #1s for The Figurehead. Has been my favourite Cure song for nearly 30 years.

I CAN LOSE MYSELF IN CHINESE ART AND AMERICAN GIRLS

such a thunderously wonderful song, full of immensely quotable lyrics

not that Pornography isn't fantastic top to bottom but I really think the sequence of "The Hanging Garden"/"Siamese Twins"/"The Figurehead"/"A Strange Day" is the most amazing thing the band has ever produced (and, of those four, I think "The Figurehead" is the least wonderful, which is pretty astonishing because it's fucking wonderful)

i voted "The Figurehead" glad it showed up at 39. speak of "39" i think that song would have been my number 41, so no it didn't make the cut.

Although my life is (I hope) much less goth than it was when I was first into the Cure, I find it's the heavier stuff that's stuck with me. Instead of sounding too adolescent, records like Pornography and Faith engage me more than ever while the whimsical pop songs irritate me way more than they did. I have no interest in hearing Love Cats, Friday I'm In Love, Why Can't I Be You, etc ever again.

― Get wolves (DL), Thursday, August 16, 2012 10:36 AM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Oh god I could not feel more differently.

― (✿◠‿◠) (ENBB), Thursday, August 16, 2012 2:07 PM

#38 - Lament, 311 points, 12 votes

Japanese Whispers, 1983

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHUhfTz80Kw

love "Lament" but didn't vote for it because i already picked four songs from Japanese Whispers.

oh another amazing song

Japanese Whispers was the second album I ever heard by these guys and, while I was infatuated with "Let's Go To Bed" and "Just One Kiss", it was when it hit "Lament" that I said to myself, "this might be my new favorite band".

If the album tracks and obscurities keep popping up I'm really curious to see which songs on Staring and Galore get the shaft.

If it were a studio album I'd pick JW as my favorite.

I expect to see every single up until "Catch" appear on this countdown, aside from maybe "Jumping Someone Else's Train"

Only pre-"Mint Car" non-remix ones I didn't vote for were "The Walk", "Lullaby," "Never Enough" and "A Letter To Elise", with only "The Walk" not plausibly making a top 50 ballot.

waving with a last vanilla smile

Surprised this arrived so low.

#37 - The Caterpillar, 323 points, 16 votes

The Top, 1984

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYWcCRhdClY

love "The Caterpillar" but didn't make the cut though two songs from The Top did. so to make up for that a bit i voted for it in the video poll.

"The Caterpillar" is the only classic single I've been meh about in recent years.

It was my number 6.

The Cure is definitely a band where I'd love to see the results of a "no singles" poll

#36 - M, 325 points, 14 votes

Seventeen Seconds, 1980

http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=AeNRYUVkIzE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeNRYUVkIzE

this is one of the songs that ended up in my 41-50 range; it's fucking great

with something like "M" placing it makes me realize that i really should have paid a bit more attention to Seventeen Seconds and Faith. though i did get two songs off each of those albums i feel like they are way underrepresented in my ballot.

Since voting in this, I've been noticing how much I hear the Cure just sort of out and about. "High" was on the radio somewhere the other day, "Friday I'm in Love" came on in the supermarket last week, and last night I heard "Jumping Someone Else's Train" in a local bar.

I know 17S is underrepresented in my ballot because when I tallied up my votes, nothing from it was on it. That still doesn't sit quite right.

#35 - Shake Dog Shake, 330 points, 17 votes

The Top, 1984

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qg6xNslnpM

aww yeah

YES, one of the 17.

a revelation when I bought the remastered album a couple months ago

love these results so far, great job Nate Woolls!

i agree with that. the remastered of The Top really makes it come alive.

blergh

I was the other #1 voter for The Figurehead. Its close relative and near-equal Siamese Twins was my #5. All of Pornography was in my top 30. In fact, my ballot was overwhelmingly tilted towards the run of albums between 17S and The Top, which is the Cure that's stuck with me the most, possibly because I was introduced to it very young, or possibly because its deep and mysterious poetry still makes me shiver and dream

But yeah, The Figurehead - the way it emerges from the raging instrumental torment with each new revelation ("I could lose myself..." and "Too many secrets...") - some of the greatest lyrics ever written, no doubt. Would agree with Dan about that run of tracks, albeit I'd probably extend it two in either direction. Pornography is probably among my top 5 records of all time - it's absolutely monumental, every track is great. That said, the two aforementioned centrepieces really do stand above and apart - holy hell, what music

My breakdown, then

Pornography - 8
The Top - 7
Faith - 4
17 Seconds - 3
Bloodflowers - 2
The Cure - 2 (really! Yes, they were Labyrinth and The Promise! Obviously!)
KMKMKM - 2 (probably should have been 3 as I forgot to include The Snakepit)
Wish - 1
3 Imaginary Boys - 1
The Head On The Door - 1

THE TOP IS FUCKING AMAZING BTW

#34 - Untitled, 344 points, 12 votes

Disintegration, 1989

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYCkbgb1rMw

love these results so far, great job Nate Woolls!

― Bee OK, Thursday, August 16, 2012 8:28 PM (14 minutes ago) Bookmark

Thanks!

didn't vote for that one as Disintegration already got like half the album in my ballot anyways.

I was the other #1 voter for The Figurehead. Its close relative and near-equal Siamese Twins was my #5.

Without giving a shit about spoiling anything, Siamese Twins was my #2. I am Mr Pornography.

Is that how you introduce yourself on dates?

Not until I have dropped my trousers.

Smooth

Yes, circumcised.

Although I am not actually circumcised, it just seems like the right punchline.

Although why that is even relevant, as none of you will probably ever see my penis and I am not trying to chat any of you up.

It probably is not helping that I am watching a Richard Herring live show as I type.

(It is 'What Is Love Anyway', in case you were wondering)

#33 - The Upstairs Room, 350 points, 13 votes, 1 #1 vote

Japanese Whispers, 1983

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV08rRjglEM

Now I want to see your penis.

get an upstairs room, you two

teehee

Great post LJ.

That performance of 'M' that DJP posted is incredible. Gah, I love 17s so so much. The drum sound throughout, the consistent mood. Such a great album.

xxp

ALCOHOLIC AND SLOW

another one of my votes.

Haha, it always works.

<clicks heels, Tommy Steele style>

xp

If I was ranking Pornography it would be:

Siamese Twins
The Hanging Garden
A Strange Day
The Figurehead
One Hundred Years
Cold
Pornography
A Short Term Effect

Seems a good time to post..

#32 - The Hanging Garden, 352 points, 18 votes

Pornography, 1982

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgo6_zyi0JU

and..

#31 - Siamese Twins, 360 points, 11 votes

Pornography, 1982

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFMWZ8g8ueM

lol

TOO LOW BOTH OF THESE

"Siamese Twins" is my number two.

"Lament" and "M" were both in my Top 10. "M" is just a perfect song. The bass, the guitar, the keyboards, the lyrics, the guitar solo, the slowing ending. Perfect.

that was great fun, too bad i won't be around tomorrow for the live roll out.

Lament was my #3 (iirc) and The Upstairs Room was in my top 10 (maybe #10). Glad to see them make it, though, I expected them to be higher. No big deal.

TY Pandemic. To EGREGIOUSLY TRADUCE my posting code, I'd add that I actually voted for 4 tracks off 17 Seconds, not 3, because I snuck At Night in at the bottom at the last second

...and to explain my lack of Disintegration voting - it's a good album but its very consistency means that I can ignore all of its tracks, happy in the knowledge that everyone else will vote for the right ones. Plus I just don't like it as much as I probably should. That's not really putting it right. I don't need to listen to it, ever, although I recognise its brilliance.

Whoever can guess my #2 wins a prize or something idk (clue: won't place)

Oh! Oh! Much Pornography!

My ranking of the album was

The Figurehead
Siamese Twins
One Hundred Years
Pornography
A Strange Day
A Short Term Effect (so wonderfully weird, so completely dreamlike)
Cold
The Hanging Garden (N.B. I may have ranked it 8th but it is also my Official 22nd Favourite Cure Song Ever so it's not like I don't adore it)

Are we not going down to #21 today?

That was the plan but probably not, I'm tired and need to go to bed soon. I'll do another 5 tonight, maybe 15 tomorrow and the top 10 on Saturday.

#30 - The Drowning Man, 361 points, 12 votes

Faith, 1981

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOWejXDs-D0

oh fucking lol

:D

THE TOP IS FUCKING AMAZING BTW

― once a week is ample, jeudi 16 août 2012 20:37 (55 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

OTM

it really pained me to not have this on my ballot

Only four songs post-1985 so far. Definitely wasn't expecting that.

My #4

Let's just say that my 'guess my #2! (it won't place)' game fell rather flat

Aldo, are you my long-lost brother? Am I Master Pornography?

(four times a week is definitely ample but this is THE CURE)

#29 - The Kiss, 364 points, 13 votes, 1 #1 vote

Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me, 1987

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yshUFah31iQ

once a week, dunno, but this is weird.

almost every song that is showing up is a surprise.

They certainly knew/know how to open an album these guys. The first song played at my very first concert attended. Long intro, then a screen dropped, and there they were in all their magnificence.

if we both put A Forest at 3 then from now on all your posts are mine xxp

#28 - A Strange Day, 366 points, 15 votes, 1 #1 vote

Pornography, 1982

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiSpGqjcl04

lol it's the pornography hour

nice, quite simply one of their best songs.

haha

"A Strange Day" is so wonderful, that bridge is just wau

also I'm trying to think of a song that opens a Cure album that I dislike and I'm coming up blank because they're all awesome

That's where we differ then, I have always thought A Forest was massively over-rated.

My #3 is a title track. BUT WHICH ONE?

Well, The Top is my #4 so it's obviously that one, bro

clearly it's well-loved album track "The Cure"

Oh, and Dan's just reminded me that I have one Wild Mood Swings song on my ballot (pretty fkn obvious which one), meaning that the only albums I've completely ignored are 4.13 Dream and Disintegration :D

One thread per week, by this point, clearly -_-

The Kiss was my no.1. Pandemic otm about it being a great opener - I did my listening chronologically and tbh was finding it a bit hard work after the early rush. Then I got to Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me and woah! It's nothing flash either, just a wah pedal and an echo, but so effective.

#27 - Like Cockatoos, 368 points, 12 votes, 2 #1 votes

Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me, 1987

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-kf6IIZy38

"Drowning Man" and "Strange Day" both in my Top 10. So brilliant.

"Like Cockatoos" is what I used to place on mixtapes to divide the dilettantes from the fans.

Oh wow, there goes my #2!

My favourite Cure song to sing along to for some reason. Not that I can sing mind you.

love love love "like all the faces that quiz when you smile"

this is another awesome "how good is your breath support" song

if you can get through all of "and he was standing at the corner where the road turned dark a part of shiny red like blood the rain fell black down the street and kissed his feet she fell her head an inch away from heaven" you are doing well

the guitar strumming on this track is sick

guess i'm a dilletante cuz "cockatoos" doesn't do much for me

DILETTANTE DILETTANTE DILETTANTE DILETTANTE DILETTANTE DILETTANTE

it's okay, there's plenty of Cure for dilettantes too, I mean look at "Mint Car"

(srsly though, do you know "Halo", one of the FIIL b-sides? I bet you'd dig that: http://youtu.be/wmqJBm72WP8)

i've kept 2cd-rs worth of stuff from join the dots, you butt

Last one for tonight!

#26 - The Lovecats, 378 points, 19 votes

Japanese Whispers, 1983

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk08Zb6oyf8

I'm really surprised this one made the top 50.

I'm really surprised it isn't in the top ten.

will admit "cockatoos" has sick guitar strumming and amazing breath control

like cockatoos

what a stunning career, we are only 25 songs in and almost all of the songs are classics.

Entries from my ballot:

2. Siamese Twins
3. The Hanging Garden
7. A Strange Day
8. Lament
9. Shake Dog Shake
12. Like Cockatoos
17. The Kiss
28. The Figurehead

2. High
7. Why Can't I Be You?
13. The Caterpillar
14. Three Imaginary Boys
22. A Strange Day
23. The Lovecats
24. Other Voices
34. The Hanging Garden
37. Open

9 of 25 so far.

missed one, it's actually 10 songs so far:

15 A Man Inside My Mouth
12 Open
6 Three Imaginary Boys
34 The Walk
20 The Figurehead
37 Shake Dog Shake
10 The Upstairs Room
2 Siamese Twins
26 A Strange Day
23 The Lovecats

"Like Cockatoos" is so good, I can't even express it. Everything I love about dark Cure.
The long intro, the unconventionnal song structure, great imagery, a little bit eastern sounding, weird noises (are they supposed to sound like cockatoos or cockroaches?), the amazing string ending. Beautiful!

Don't forget the bass line!

great live clips!

god WISH sucks.

rite, rong

Alfred were you the other #1 for Like Cockatoos? I may have posted elsewhen on ILX my mainest reason for putting it there but shall refrain now

lol at LJ’s antidisintegrationarianism*, but homeboy totally neeeeeds to get himself immersed in b-sides.

It is irritating me mildly but aggregately every time nate posts a single or b-side as Japanese Whispers, 1983 or another b-side as undated. I did all that hard work for you! (except typoing Love Cats as ’84, erm)

*ok xpost

I placed a lot today, 5 from my Top 10:

2. Like Cockatoos
3. M
7. Lament
8. A Strange Day
9. The Drowning Man
21. The Kiss
26. The Lovecats
28. The Figurehead
33. Shake Dog Shake

Some of mine are showing up now. 'Lament' was in my top ten, so I'm a little disappointed to see it this low. Nothing else in my top ten has shown up yet, but absolutely looking forward to the rest.

I may have posted elsewhen on ILX my mainest reason for putting it there but shall refrain now.

You're teasing us!

I may have posted elsewhen on ILX my mainest reason for putting it there but shall refrain now.

You're teasing us!

"The Walk" is the only one of my top 10 to show up so far, but out of today's I also had Like Cockatoos, The Kiss, Caterpillar and Love Cats. Hanging Garden was the last thing I cut, I think...

Recap of the poll so far:

#50 - A Man Inside My Mouth, 253 points, 9 votes
#49 - Other Voices, 255 points, 13 votes
#48 - In Your House, 255 points, 14 votes
#47 - Open, 257 points, 11 votes
#46 - Grinding Halt, 258 points, 11 votes
#45 - Six Different Ways, 259 points, 11 votes
#44 - If Only Tonight We Could Sleep, 272 points, 14 votes
#43 - Three Imaginary Boys, 275 points, 13 votes
#42 - Why Can't I Be You?, 277 points, 9 votes
#41 - High, 286 points, 10 votes
#40 - The Walk, 295 points, 15 votes
#39 - The Figurehead, 307 points, 12 votes, 2 #1 votes
#38 - Lament, 311 points, 12 votes
#37 - The Caterpillar, 323 points, 16 votes
#36 - M, 325 points, 14 votes
#35 - Shake Dog Shake, 330 points, 17 votes
#34 - Untitled, 344 points, 12 votes
#33 - The Upstairs Room, 350 points, 13 votes, 1 #1 vote
#32 - The Hanging Garden, 352 points, 18 votes
#31 - Siamese Twins, 360 points, 11 votes
#30 - The Drowning Man, 361 points, 12 votes
#29 - The Kiss, 364 points, 13 votes, 1 #1 vote
#28 - A Strange Day, 366 points, 15 votes, 1 #1 vote
#27 - Like Cockatoos, 368 points, 12 votes, 2 #1 votes
#26 - The Lovecats, 378 points, 19 votes

I just noticed that "The Upstairs Room" placed higher than its A-Side "The Walk".
I wonder if "The Exploding Boy" will place higher than "In Between Days" or if one of the "High" B-Sides will be it too?

We have representation of every album through Wish except Mixed Up

Mixed Up was ineligible

I was the guy who voted for "The Upstairs Room" as my #1... Sweet rollout as I barely know half of the songs thus far.

Mixed Up was ineligible

"Never Enough" was eligible.

Oops, I meant if one of the "High" B-Sides will BEAT it...

"Never Enough" was eligible.

non-album single! 12" remix was later compiled on remix compilation album

the High b-sides were all cut late from my ballot

The Exploding Boy was not

Jeez, I'm just thinking: if 'Let's Go to Bed' places higher than 'Lament' I will not be pleased.

so the top votes so far are:

26 - The Lovecats, 378 points, 19 votes
32 - The Hanging Garden, 352 points, 18 votes
35 - Shake Dog Shake, 330 points, 17 votes
37 - The Caterpillar, 323 points, 16 votes
(t)28 - A Strange Day, 366 points, 15 votes, 1 #1 vote
(t)40 - The Walk, 295 points, 15 votes

There are still about 15 singles that I'd say are a lock, so that leaves room for approximately 10 more album tracks and b-sides.

I could see "10:15" placing higher than "Killing an Arab".

Jeez, I'm just thinking: if 'Let's Go to Bed' places higher than 'Lament' I will not be pleased.

I can't think of a Cure poll where this wouldn't happen tbh

Still not a lot from my ballot so far:

15. The Kiss
24. Shake Dog Shake
25. The Figurehead
35. In Your House

But there were a lot of songs that I cut from my list that I might have voted for on a different day, like "Siamese Twins", "Like Cockatoos", "M", "Six Different Ways", "High" ...

Still only four from my ballot, but I expect the top 25 to have a lot more in common with my list than 26-50.

1) The Figurehead
2) Siamese Twins
5) The Drowning Man
27)A Strange Day
28) M
29) Shake Dog Shake
31) The Upstairs Room

That's really kind of weird, that clustering.

Is there anyone here who submited a ballot but didn't get an acknowledgement from me? Too late to do anything about it now but I'm curious.

Alfred were you the other #1 for Like Cockatoos?

no, that was me! there are relevant stories, but

Going for a pint after work so I'm starting early today

#25 - Push, 387 points, 15 votes

The Head on the Door, 1985

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR3gr2k-B5E

you bastards

but at least it didn't hit the top 10, which is what I was afraid of

Woohoo!!! Though I thought it was Top 20 for sure.

Seriously I can't see how you'd deny that guitar riff.

^ this, for real

while I still dig "Mint Car" DJP can definitely take pride in ruining "Push" for me.

#24 - Faith, 403 points, 16 votes

Faith, 1981

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kHNS7sW5Ss

With "Push" it's like they came up with a decent 2-minute instrumental demo, then recorded Robert trying out some vocal ideas over it. Then decided to play both back-to-back and call it a song, rather than just selling the instrumental to an advertising agency like they should have.

But it's so much fun to sing along to!

"Push" = one of the two HOTD tracks I didn't vote for.

I have to assume they're coming, but if any of the HOTD "Greatest hits" cuts didn't make the top 25 after some of these album tracks I'd go full Mugatu.

They're coming for sure.

#23 - Killing An Arab, 409 points, 17 votes

Killing An Arab (single), 1978

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh01Pil7vj4

LESS "PUSH" MORE "FAITH"

One of my brother's friends in college had a bunch of Cure bootlegs and taped live versions of "Three Imaginary Boys" and "Faith" onto a cassette for me in the summer of 1988; that bass line has been a total earworm for me ever since and led to me being obsessed with the idea of becoming a bass player all through high school

20+ years later, I'm finally learning how to play guitar; the seeds of that were planted by this song

xp: oh this is bad-ass too

My 10th grade English teacher was really confused as to why I wanted to read The Stranger for extra credit until I played her this song; the way the lyrics are directly lifted from That Scene makes for a chilling moment, both in the book and the song.

Okay, how come that's so low? The perfect first record imo.

TS: The Cure's "Faith" vs George Michael's "Faith."

I would like to hear them cover each other's song

TS: who would use the worst faux coffee house beats

cure covering George Michael's "Faith" would make a lot of sense. I always thought GM's "Faith" sounded a lot like "Close to Me"

I still remember playing the Standing On A Beach cassette and hearing the first notes of "Killing An Arab" and thinking "woah, this is super lo-fi" (I was familiar with KMKMKM and JW at this point) and then just being enthralled by the music/story

oh man: GM in "Freedom '90" mode could have covered "Close to Me."

Coming up to the really REALLY good stuff now.

#22 - Fire In Cairo, 414 points, 20 votes

Three Imaginary Boys, 1979

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIqf67ovjAE

bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce

this is a great song (not on my ballot tho, which when I look back at it makes me wonder if I didn't need serious amounts of Paxil as I was compiling it)

I like Fire In Cairo, but I never got why people like it THAT much.
I mean, over "Killing An Arab"??

didn't vote in this (too much and I'm not THAT huge a fan to expend the effort) but pleased to see the results

I would have liked to see what Robert Smith's record collection looked like in the late 70s through the 80s - his range of influences has always seemed a bit inscrutable to me (Barrett, Bowie, probably some krautrock - altho the Cure doesn't really sound like any of those things in and of themselves)

he was a big pop fan too

I guess Bowie's pop too (in England)

A Nick Drake fan too.

i hope this is one of those polls where there's tons of non hits in the Top 20 but i guess they've had far too many great singles for that.

I can see Smith loving Drake's mopey englishness but I don't hear it much in his songwriting or guitar-playing really

I think I can guess what the highest album track will be. Is it too early for predictions?

I got Boys Don't Cry for Christmas in 1992, and sometime in the next month I had it on the family stereo while my mom was taking down Christmas decorations. "F-I-R-E-I-N-C-A-I-R-O" finally made her demand it be turned off.

I got over it pretty fast myself.

he was a big pop fan too

do you mean just whatever top 40 stuff was current at the time in the UK...? This is one of the most curious things to me about Smith's ouevre, that he has very clear pop smarts for hooks, arrangements, song structures, etc. but they're filtered through this bizarre (or at least highly unusual) stylistic tics - his voice, odd instrumentation, broad swathes of digital reverb, strange effects, harsh synth and guitar tones etc. The pop angle was mostly dormant for a lot of their overly goth period (Faith, Pornography etc.) but it really came to the fore later obviously.

xp

Love love love this one

#21 - The Funeral Party, 433 points, 16 votes

Faith, 1981

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLV1YwfIkGA

now that's an album track i'm glad to see everyone's behind

wow almost 20 more points than "Fire In Cairo" with 4 fewer votes

haha love this song, but not nearly as much as my dad does (it's his favorite Cure song, he used to make me play it on repeat)

the harmony on it really makes it IMO, which is probably why live performances of it tend to fall flat for me (ps Robert, in case you are reading this my falsetto is good enough to do your harmony parts, yr ppl should call my ppl, where "my ppl" is me speaking in a funny voice)

Didn't think this one would beat "Faith" and "The Drowning Man". I guess it's prettier.

Never really been a fan of this myself

#20 - Lullaby, 443 points, 17 votes

Disintegration, 1989

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqxYy8OOTOE

I like Fire In Cairo, but I never got why people like it THAT much.
I mean, over "Killing An Arab"??

?? Can see no argument for "Killing an Arab" over the much better "Fire in Cairo." "Cairo," like "Grinding Halt," has feeling and mystery; "Killing an Arab" has feeling but opens up to say "hey look I'm name-checking stuff from a book" -- plus "I'M ALIVE. I'M DEAD" is too on-the-nose as far as I'm concerned. Not saying it's a bad song, just that it's below the median for early Cure.

(To be fair, "Boys Don't Cry" is pretty lyrically on-the-nose too, but dude, those triplets!)

well... "Killing An Arab" is going to be pretty on-the-nose considering the lyrics are taken pretty much verbatim from the book, so that doesn't bother me

"Lullaby" is fantastic and, looking back at my ballot, I am astounded that I didn't vote for it

It's existentialist, man! (x-post)

"Lullaby" didn't make my ballot either, but it's a great great pop single.

I like Fire In Cairo, but I never got why people like it THAT much.
I mean, over "Killing An Arab"??

― LeRooLeRoo, Friday, August 17, 2012 12:46 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Why does it have to be one or the other? I love and voted for both.

xp: I mean, it's super creepy, the video is wonderful, and it's in my vocal range; this shit should have been in my top 5

clearly I'm on a happy/poppy kick ATM, if I did my ballot now it would be all "The Walk", "Friday I'm In Love', "Boys Don't Cry", "The Perfect Girl", "Hey You!", "Hot Hot Hot!!!", "Six Different Ways", "The Caterpillar" etc

#19 - Lovesong, 461 points, 17 votes

Disintegration, 1989

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU6wkCxDHCk

totally dreamy song, not on my ballot, I can sing this one too

probably the 2nd-weakest song on Disintegration (after "Closedown")

Never cared for this

I'm still thinking about what Cure song my dad might like. Maybe "Plainsong" or something with Santana-esque shred guitar ("Cut"?).

IIRC my dad really liked all of their albums up through Disintegration except for Pornography which he just thought was tuneless whining with no real songcraft; the closest he got to liking that album was "Siamese Twins" and even there the meandering vocal melody drove him insane.

Starting to suspect we're past the point where "Burn" might have shown up. Thanks a lot, DJP!

;_;

s'ok

I was just listening to "Burn" yesterday, what a great great great song

not quite as great as "To The Sky" or "A Chain of Flowers" or "A Japanese Dream" tho

"Closedown" is gorgeous. "Lovesong" is alright. It was nice to hear it on the radio in 89.

I had "Lovesong" low on my list, but couldn't leave it off. Apart from being a fine pop tune, I remember how weird it seemed that the Cure had a top 10 hit. A significant moment in that late '80s wave of "college rock" taking over.

Good run this, that's four of my top dozen or so in the last five places

Lovesong was a top ten hit?

it hit #2 in the US!

It's lyrics played a key role in an episode of 'One Tree Hill'. Does it get any better than that?

I don't love "Lovesong" but thought it would be higher, maybe because I'm the right age to remember this being massively huge and ubiquitous

I'm amazed. Lullaby was top ten in the UK, which isn't that unusual, but dive said it was impossible for them to do that in the US.

I didn't remember it reaching #2, but I do remember that a lot of people who made fun of newwave/postmodern/weirdo rock before that were all of the sudden very into that song (in my own sphere, natch, but I bet that was the case in a lot of places). It was on the radio all the time, the video was constantly played on MTV, and The Cure owned America for about three weeks.

The Cure's top forty history in America:

Just Like Heaven #40
Lovesong #2
Friday I'm in Love #18

not quite as great as "To The Sky"

i remember taping this off the radio! still totally love that song

#18 - Let’s Go To Bed, 473 points, 20 votes, 2 #1 votes

single, 1982

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w8vhe_LiuQ

I was looking at my grim, dour ballot and thinking "I don't really want to change any of this, but something's not quite right..." and then I put "Let's Go To Bed" on at #40 and went "perfecto"

<3 lovesong and let's go to bed

I was looking at my grim, dour ballot and thinking "I don't really want to change any of this, but something's not quite right..." and then I put "Let's Go To Bed" on at #40 and went "perfecto"

Yeah, me too although I think it was 38 from memory.

"Let's Go To Bed" has the best lyrics for any chorus in the world, and singing to match.

yeah, it's kind of too bad that Robert can never remember them

would have been in my top ten for sure, maybe top 5

btw is there a Banshees poll in the pipeline?

there should be!

I'm amazed this didn't make the top 10

#17 - Pictures Of You, 497 points, 19 votes, 2 #1 votes

Disintegration, 1989

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcMEx4OHLOs

you know what I'm about to post, right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoGxbrGqNL8

It was my #1.

I am too, but also I didn't vote for it.

It's the drumming that I love on the original though.

It was in my teens.

basically I love this song, but I REALLY love that remix

the drumming on the original is great but I really dig the guitar/bass interplay and how the synths divebomb in on it, and then the counterpoint between everything as every instrument noodles along on its own complimentary melody line while Robert floats his vocal line over the top

I also love how, in the remix, this organized chaos drops in and out over the dub beat

it was not on my ballot but I totally love it

"slow drowned you were angels" thru to "open my eyes but i never see anything" is perfectly written and perfectly sung

yes

#16 - Fascination Street, 506 points, 21 votes, 2 #1 votes

Disintegration, 1989

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjAlHICXBCQ

this and 'like cockatoos' have great run on sentences/lyrics.

I'm amazed this didn't make the top 10

Me too -- my #5.

"Fascination Street," I remember I was dubious about it when I first heard it ahead of the album release. After all the color and energy of KMKMKM it seemed awfully murky and moody. But it clicked for me when I heard it in the context of Disintegration.

I'm amazed this didn't make the top 10

real talk

My #4:

#15 - Play For Today, 516 points, 21 votes

Seventeen Seconds, 1980

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkehf2JjoVQ

I didn't think i was going to vote for Fascination Street, but the "move! to! the beat!" part squeaked it in at the bottom.

Who was my co-#1 Fascination Street friend?

TOO LOW

I have just got back from the pub and am watching The Armageddon Factor to accompany it. Oh, Mary Tamm. (to Would Have Smashed I go)

#14 - One Hundred Years, 536 points, 23 votes

Pornography, 1982

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Idf-KBT-Wxs

Catching up here a bit. "Lovesong" was famously kept off the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 by Janet Jackson's "Miss You Much".

"Fascination Street," I remember I was dubious about it when I first heard it ahead of the album release. After all the color and energy of KMKMKM it seemed awfully murky and moody. But it clicked for me when I heard it in the context of Disintegration.

I'm glad my gamble worked and "Play For Today" and "Pictures Of You" placed, even though I had to cut them off my ballot at the last minute.

#13 - Disintegration, 563 points, 23 votes, 2 #1 votes

Disintegration, 1989

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2V2bJxFu-U

Wow @ "Disintegration" beating all the singles from the album!

Play for Today far too low. Guess that just leaves A Forest off of 17S still to place

my number one.

that instrumental hook. song gives me chills. it's so good.

And "One Hundred Years" was the last from Pornography. Still one left from Disintegration though, probably Top 10... (x-post)

Always Jumping Someone Else's Train not made an appearance yet either, which surprises me. Top ten?

Another one I thought would be top 10 for sure:

#12 - A Night Like This, 564 points, 25 votes, 2 #1 votes

The Head on the Door, 1985

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ssu_6MXDcDA

Never been a big fan of this one, despite it containing a bunch of things I like in a song.

i am a huge fan of this one! good voting, folks.

Always Jumping Someone Else's Train not made an appearance yet either, which surprises me. Top ten?

So close..

#11 - Jumping Someone Else's Train, 587 points, 25 votes, 1 #1 vote

Jumping Someone Else's Train (single), 1979

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-L9_IDjtH0

Top 10 tomorrow.

d'oh!

I'm amazed that placed so high, really...

I'm thinking Robert Smith, pop genius, won this poll. His gloomy goth side didn't fare so well....

I had 'Jumping' at 27.

A lot of my picks have started showing, though only two of my top ten have made it so far.

I was away in Rome when this was polling, otherwise I'd have voted, and it would all have been the pop stuff, soz. Including "Lets -> Bed"

I'm thinking Robert Smith, pop genius, won this poll. His gloomy goth side didn't fare so well....

I wouldn't quite say that. 14 out of 40 are from SS/Faith/Pornography (more than half the total songs from those albums), plus all those Disintegration album cuts. But yeah, if you write a bunch of great pop songs, those will probably show up in a poll.

Was sure "A Night Like This" would be Top 10 too!
Was starting to think "Jumping..." wasn't gonna make it at all. Nice to see it so high.

Kind of getting worried that my #1 won't place. It's either gonna be 7 big singles, 2 album tracks and 1 b-side OR 8 big singles, 1 album track and 1 b-side (hoping it's the former).

still a couple of Disintegration album tracks that might have a chance

Jumping Someone Else's Train (single), 1979

resp nux

Yeah I don't know if my #1 will show or not. It may be something everybody likes but not enough to vote for it.

Recap of the poll so far:

#50 - A Man Inside My Mouth, 253 points, 9 votes
#49 - Other Voices, 255 points, 13 votes
#48 - In Your House, 255 points, 14 votes
#47 - Open, 257 points, 11 votes
#46 - Grinding Halt, 258 points, 11 votes
#45 - Six Different Ways, 259 points, 11 votes
#44 - If Only Tonight We Could Sleep, 272 points, 14 votes
#43 - Three Imaginary Boys, 275 points, 13 votes
#42 - Why Can't I Be You?, 277 points, 9 votes
#41 - High, 286 points, 10 votes
#40 - The Walk, 295 points, 15 votes
#39 - The Figurehead, 307 points, 12 votes, 2 #1 votes
#38 - Lament, 311 points, 12 votes
#37 - The Caterpillar, 323 points, 16 votes
#36 - M, 325 points, 14 votes
#35 - Shake Dog Shake, 330 points, 17 votes
#34 - Untitled, 344 points, 12 votes
#33 - The Upstairs Room, 350 points, 13 votes, 1 #1 vote
#32 - The Hanging Garden, 352 points, 18 votes
#31 - Siamese Twins, 360 points, 11 votes
#30 - The Drowning Man, 361 points, 12 votes
#29 - The Kiss, 364 points, 13 votes, 1 #1 vote
#28 - A Strange Day, 366 points, 15 votes, 1 #1 vote
#27 - Like Cockatoos, 368 points, 12 votes, 2 #1 votes
#26 - The Lovecats, 378 points, 19 votes
#25 - Push, 387 points, 15 votes
#24 - Faith, 403 points, 16 votes
#23 - Killing An Arab, 409 points, 17 votes
#22 - Fire In Cairo, 414 points, 20 votes
#21 - The Funeral Party, 433 points, 16 votes
#20 - Lullaby, 443 points, 17 votes
#19 - Lovesong, 461 points, 17 votes
#18 - Let’s Go To Bed, 473 points, 20 votes, 2 #1 votes
#17 - Pictures Of You, 497 points, 19 votes, 2 #1 votes
#16 - Fascination Street, 506 points, 21 votes, 2 #1 votes
#15 - Play For Today, 516 points, 21 votes
#14 - One Hundred Years, 536 points, 23 votes
#13 - Disintegration, 563 points, 23 votes, 2 #1 votes
#12 - A Night Like This, 564 points, 25 votes, 2 #1 votes
#11 - Jumping Someone Else's Train, 587 points, 25 votes, 1 #1 vote

Who was my co-#1 Fascination Street friend?

Me! And I don't regret a thing.

Just catching up on this poll. Great list so far, they really have a ridiculous amount of brilliant songs.

I'm kind of surprised nothing later than Wish has made it, thought something would sneak in from the later albums.

Any more B-sides to place? I was hoping Throw Your Foot would make it but the only one I can still see placing would be maybe This Twilight Garden.

Glad to see wo much love for A Night Like This, I ended up putting it as my number one. That sax solo gets me everytime, it's one of his best vocals too. I'm fairly sure my number two will be in the top ten, maybe as their highest album track.

Biggest surprise is Lovesong not being in the top ten, I thought that was one of their most universal songs.

Yeah, I'm really surprised about Lovesong.

Had all of these on my list:

#19 - Lovesong, 461 points, 17 votes
#18 - Let’s Go To Bed, 473 points, 20 votes, 2 #1 votes
#17 - Pictures Of You, 497 points, 19 votes, 2 #1 votes
#16 - Fascination Street, 506 points, 21 votes, 2 #1 votes
#15 - Play For Today, 516 points, 21 votes
#14 - One Hundred Years, 536 points, 23 votes
#13 - Disintegration, 563 points, 23 votes, 2 #1 votes
#12 - A Night Like This, 564 points, 25 votes, 2 #1 votes
#11 - Jumping Someone Else's Train, 587 points, 25 votes, 1 #1 vote

I was the #1 vote for Jumping. Couldn't reasonably expect it to be much higher I guess. So yay!

Seems my top 3 have all placed recently (and... 5 of my top 10, with another four of that 10 likely to come. I may turn out to Mr Consensus).

i'm home from work:

15 A Man Inside My Mouth
12 Open
6 Three Imaginary Boys
34 The Walk
20 The Figurehead
37 Shake Dog Shake
10 The Upstairs Room
2 Siamese Twins
26 A Strange Day
23 The Lovecats
-----
15 A Man Inside My Mouth
12 Open
6 Three Imaginary Boys
34 The Walk
20 The Figurehead
37 Shake Dog Shake
10 The Upstairs Room
2 Siamese Twins
26 A Strange Day
23 The Lovecats
---------
15 A Man Inside My Mouth
12 Open
6 Three Imaginary Boys
34 The Walk
20 The Figurehead
37 Shake Dog Shake
10 The Upstairs Room
2 Siamese Twins
26 A Strange Day
23 The Lovecats
--------
9 Faith
16 Fire in Cairo
3 Lullaby
8 Lovesong
14 Let's Go to Bed
25 Fascination Street
28 Play for Today
18 Disintegration
17 A Night Like This
29 Jumping Someone Else's Train

sorry for the double there

i have 20 out of 40 so far...unbelievable.

so that means i placed 10 out of 15 songs for today. i wonder if i will do even better for the Top 10.

kind of sorry that transcendent stuff like "the drowning man", "faith" and "disintegration" didn't crack the top 10, but very happy with how the list is unfolding otherwise.

i'm listening through the Disintegration album right now. certain parts of this still really get under my skin. there's the unyielding romance of "the same deep water as you", the dream fragment ghost assembly of "last dance" and the unstoppable title track, which is just anthem-like in its hysteria.

The only b-side I see placing now is "10:15 Saturday Night". It's also better known because it's on Three Imaginary Boys, Boys Don't Cry, Staring At The Sea, and Join The Dots! So really, it's like a b-side/album cut/single. (x-post)

My pics that placed today:

10) Push
31) Faith
30) Killing An Arab
38) Fascination Street
39) One Hundred Years
5) A Night Like This
35) Jumping Someone Else's Train

So only 7 out of 15 and mostly in my 30-40 spots. I might turn out to be Mr Non-Concensus!

"A Night Like This" = my #1

There's eleven songs left that I can't see not making the poll. Dying to find out which one will be left out!

Really hoping Friday I'm in Love gets the boot.

That would also be my choice out of the 11, but I really doubt it. Wouldn't it be great to see "Doing The Unstuck" or "From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea" instead? (I know, keep dreaming...)

see guys? Wish is good.

End and Apart are the only Wish tracks I voted for. (End is so much better than Open, which has already made the poll.)

i dunno man, while it's easy to compare "open" and "end", because they're kind of like flipside responses to the same situation, i find it hard to say that one is better than the other.

i think Wish will be subject to revisionism some time soon. i mean, i'm looking at the tracklist and there are honest to god six or seven stone cold classics on there.

xp I did not mean to imply that Open is garbage. It's not at all. I just love End a whole whole lot.

that's fair enough. in fairness, it seems that i put "end" slightly higher on my ballot.

I prefer "End" too, though I didn't vote for it.

I voted for both

don't expect Friday I'm In Love to make the poll

I mean, I like it, it's no Mint Car, but one of their 40 best? nah

Wish is great. I just think there's something about the production that makes them sound more like a normal band. Less reverb or echo or something. Less keyboards, more accoustic sounding.
But it's full of great songs. "To Wish Impossible Things" is often overlooked, and any band would kill to have recorded "Trust".

It is excellent. At first glance it looks like a New Jersey but that's really unfair. It's more that fashions changed under them than because of any drop in quality.

I never liked "Lovesong" all that much. It's sweet and simple, and "Disintegration" (the album) needed a break from all the heaviness in the middle, but it's not that great a song, and they wrote *much* better love songs elsewhere (no pun intended).

"Fascination Street" was my #3. It came out just as I was getting into the Cure, and so for the longest time, that song *was* the Cure for me (I wasn't a big fan right away and didn't start listening to their entire albums until months later). Cheers for the "Trilogy" version too, that's probably my favourite live recording of it.

I don't have my ballot in front of me, but I voted for "Push", "Faith", "Pictures of You", "Fascination Street", "One Hundred Years", "Disintegration", "Jumping". I knew my songs would start showing up eventually ...

Is anyone else a bit surprised that nothing post-1992 will make the poll? I figured a track or two from "The Cure" or "Bloodflowers" would sneak in around #30. At least that's what I thought before I saw the results of the albums poll.

One more thing about "Fascination Street" ... DJP wrote on the polling thread that people would like more of their post-'92 songs if Boris Williams had drummed on them, which was very OTM. I don't think there's another Cure song that relies on the interplay between bass and drums more than "Fascination Street". It could have been a very ordinary song without an extraordinary drummer playing on it.

Eighteen individual #1 votes have placed so far, that's about half the participants? So that leaves about an equal number of #1 votes to be spread among the top ten songs. That's some interesting non-consensus, which probably means the points in the top ten will be really close?

I don't think it's giving too much away this late in the game if I tell you that the highest placed song from The Cure was (I Don't Know What's Going) On at #110 and the highest Bloodflowers song was Watching Me Fall at #109 (the highest 4:13 Dream song was Underneath The Stars at #127 and the highest Wild Mood Swings song was The 13th at #91).

C'mon "Burn", you can make the top 10!

j/k (through the tears)

Burn was #82.