From Brooklyn Vegan:
Robert Smith picks 1 song from every Cure album that matches the mood of 'Songs of a Lost World'
Bill Pearis
Near the end of the 100-minute video interview with Robert Smith that was posted to The Cure‘s Songs of a Lost World website over the weekend, the BBC radio DJ (and former Menswear drummer) Matt Everitt asks “What are your 10 favorite Cure songs off the top of your head and why?” Robert Smith rolls his eyes, exasperated, and says “There’s no such thing as my 10 favorite Cure songs. If I answer now I’d change it halfway though.”
Robert Smith does make a counter offer, though. “If I was to answer the question honestly, and I picked a song from each album, it would reflect the songs that I would’ve liked to have written for this album.” Here’s that list, one song from all 13 Cure albums that Robert Smith thinks fits the mood of Songs of a Lost World:
“Three Imaginary Boys” (from Three Imaginary Boys): “It’s a song I’d be happy with now. It still resonates with me.”
“At Night” (from Seventeen Seconds): “We play that a lot live. It has the same kind of mood as this album, it would fit quite happily on this album.
“Faith” (from Faith): “When I wrote that I remember thinking ‘Ahhh, I can write songs!’ It was actually the first song I was really, really proud of. There’s not much to it but there’s something about it. It was everything I wanted it to be. I could’ve given up after I wrote ‘Faith,’ I proved to myself that I can do it.”
“Cold” (from Pornography): “We’ve been playing that one a lot live. It would fit on this album, mood and musically.”
“The Top” (from The Top): “Finding a song on The Top is difficult…’The Top’ would work, that’s a weird song.”
“Sinking” (from The Head on the Door): “Again, a bit of doom and gloom…but the whole album’s a bit more bright and breezy.”
“If Only Tonight We Could Sleep” (from Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me): “That’s another one we’ve played a lot recently. There’s a lovely mood to it when it’s played well.”
“Untitled” (Disintegration): “That is one of my favorite Cure songs. I like that I didn’t title it! (Laughs) I had the courage to not bother to think of a title.”
“To Wish Impossible Things” (from Wish): “That’s another one of my favorite Cure songs. We never play it, I don’t know why [last play was Coachella 2009] but that would fit happily — or unhappily — on this album.”
“Treasure” (from Wild Mood Swings): “Oh god this is difficult,” Robert Smith said, initially picking “One” before changing his mind. “No, ‘Treasure,’ actually. That was inspired by loss, by [English poet) Christina Rossetti, by someone else’s words.”
“Last Day of Summer” (from Bloodflowers): “That’s become a favorite. I was never quite sure about it as a song but I like it now.”
“Before Three” (from The Cure): “Now it gets tricky. [The Cure] is my least favorite album that we’ve made. The only album that I really don’t think works.”
“The Hungry Ghost” (from 4:13 Dream): “It wouldn’t fit on this album, but I do like it. It’s about how people are consumed by wanting more and more and more, including me.”
With that Robert says, laughing, “That’s it, my entire life flashing before my eyes. I’m going to keel over.”
Songs of a Lost World is out November 1.
