6. A Strange Day (From 'Pornography')
http://youtu.be/TyG3AtzN1OM Unlike A Foolish Arrangement, there are some Cure songs when we can clearly decipher the lyrics to find their meaning - A Strange Day is one such song. Take these lines from the build up to the climatic and lovely guitar solo:
"And I laugh as I drift in the wind Blind dancing on a beach of stone Cherish the faces as they wait for the end Sudden hush across the water And we're here again And the sand And the sea grows I close my eyes Move slowly through drowning waves Going away On a strange day"
Of course, we're hearing the calls of someone who has accepted that the world is about end, but it is how the song is put together which makes the song magical. On the face of it, A Strange Day is quite an ordinary rock song but once again The Cure have layered the song with so much atmosphere that we feel as if the world is ending around us. Drums are loud, the keyboards are subtle and a repetitive whilst simple bass line acts as the lead instrument. But what makes this song a classic is the perfect placement of that haunting guitar solo at 3:32. The world falling apart never sounded so wonderfully bleak.
5. Disintegration (From 'Disintegration')
http://youtu.be/ggP5YDziMSY There are many reasons why The Cure's eighth album Disintegration is regarded as the band's magnum opus. The centre-piece to the album is its title song, which is another Cure epic and an emotional roller-coaster of a song full of regret and nostalgia. Apart from a throbbing bass-line Disintegration is far from the aggressive nature the band displayed with 1982's Pornography yet the song (and album) carry a similar unrelenting and fairly unnerving atmosphere. Here we hear a different kind of hopelessness, it isn't about the end of the world but rather the end of relationship that should have ended a long time ago. Keyboards chime at just the right level to cause a thunderous strike but never become painful for the listener while the guitar tones are fused together is such an interesting fashion. Robert Smith's vocals are clearly the best part of the song though, especially during the climax when it sounds like he could explode at any moment with incandescent rage or regret .
4. Just Like Heaven (From 'Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me')
http://youtu.be/n3nPiBai66M Everyone has heard Just Like Heaven. If you asked a room full of strangers what the quintessential Cure song was then they would most probably say this. Featuring one of the the greatest intros in pop music with each instrument being individually presented and integrated into a lush soundscape Just Like Heaven is undoubtedly The Cure's best pop song. There isn't really too much else to say about this song apart from that it should be enjoyed as it one of the best pop songs from the 1980s, which does not have a cheesy side. This song could quite easily be re-released today and it would not seem out of place in the alternative/indie music scene. There are millions of bands out there that would have loved to have written this song and dozens have decided to cover it.