3. One Hundred Years (From 'Pornography')
http://youtu.be/6fA_pTaXBT8 This is the song that scares even those that are into death-metal: featuring the famous line "It Doesn't Matter if We all Die' One Hundred Years is a showcase of The Cure at their best (or worst, depending on your outlook) as far as atmosphere and conviction is concerned. One Hundred Years is the opening track from The Cure's seminal Pornography album released in 1982 and features some of the most terrifying and brutal music produced by a band. Guitars wail angrily out of control, bass booms every couple of seconds under a layer of keyboards and electronic drums. All of this is accompanied by Robert Smith's twisted, bitter vocal delivery which make it sound like his spitting the lyrics out to the listener. One Hundred Years and the whole Pornography album is certainly an acquired taste (the album can be a chore to listen to) but its brilliance comes from its bare faced tenacity and single-mindedness. It could have come across as overblown and cheesy much like later 'Gothic' music but the production, song-writing and atmosphere make everything appear grounded and believable. This was a band that no longer cared about how popular their music was (Smith commented that he wanted the album to be unlistenable). Finally, this was a band that was ready to fall apart as shown by the bust up between Robert Smith and bassist Simon Gallup at the end of the supporting tour. When you listen to this song it is hard to believe that The Cure would go on to write songs about cats, caterpillars and falling in love on fridays. Yet, it is not surprising that The Cure took a new radio-friendly turn after this album as there seemed nowhere else for them to go. They would never go this dark again. 2. A Forest (From 'Seventeen Seconds')
http://youtu.be/RGT4V6JmINA The Cure have never written particularly complicated music but they have always had an ability to pick the perfect guitar tone, bass-line or drum-beat to compliment a song. Cure songs often sound more complex due to the band's ability to layer songs with additional guitar parts, keyboard lines and overdubs. A Forest is one such example of a song that is incredibly simple but also totally unique and addictive to listen to. The addictive nature of the song originates from the simple hypnotic bass-line, which is basically the same four note pattern repeated throughout the song's 6 minute length. Once again, the song is full of moody atmosphere due to minimalist drumming and keys that leave plenty of 'space' for the guitar, bass and vocals to work their hypnotic magic. It really sounds like we're lost, blundering around in A Forest especially when the song reaches its 'Again and Again and Again' climax and we're treated to two minutes of great outro guitar. Some live versions of A Forest have been known to last up to 17 minutes long featuring multiple cruscendos, a variety of different styles in the guitar solo and improvised lyrics. Here is one such live version for your listening pleasure: http://youtu.be/-74Hhg_mYio 1. From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea (From 'Wish')
http://youtu.be/bKRMfOuLbzw Why is this the No.1 Cure song? Well, it comes down to the fact that it is the perfect blend of instruments, vocals, emotion, guitar feedback and a well-timed guitar solo. The band that is not renowned for guitar prowess but the truth of the matter is that The Cure write their guitar parts to suit a song rather than showcase artistic ability. The solo here is merely a repeat of the main lead parts but with some overdubs and feedback but the magic comes from its placement. Just listen and you'll hear how the song slows down, goes quieter, then there is an explosion of drums and finally that never-ending swirling guitar comes in. In any case, From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea features far more than a great guitar solo. From the controlled feedback at the start and end the song is roller-coaster of emotion underpinned by Boris Williams' aggressive drum-beat and Robert Smith's lyrics about lost love. Like all good Cure songs, From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea has a relentless pace and showcases the bands progression from post-punk to their own form of stadium rock. Which are your favourite Cure songs? Share your picks in the comments thread below.