How you doin’, friends? We’re feeling a little melancholy here at the Dial, and we’re not sure why. So we’ve decided to listen to a selection from an act that just may be "the cure" for what ails us. Stay tuned for college rock pioneers The Cure, and their classic single "In Between Days"!
"Yesterday I got so old, I felt like I could die... Yesterday I got so old, it made me want to cry."
Released in July 1985 as the lead single from The Cure’s sixth LP "The Head on the Door", the band’s line up at this point (which tended to fluctuate dramatically over the years), was Porl Thompson on guitar, Simon Gallup on bass, drummer Boris Williams, keyboards courtesy of Laurence "Lol" Tolhurst, and of course, vocalist Robert Smith, whom has been the only constant member of the band throughout its history.
"In Between..." is a song about a love triangle of sorts… Robert’s character has left his true love for somebody else, but has since come to the realization that the other person is standing "in between" him and his true love, whom he longs to reconcile with.
I’ve heard the Cure’s music referred to as "happy sad", which makes sense, especially regarding this song. Smith’s remorseful and introspective lyrics are contrasted against the upbeat, whimsical bouncy pop sound of the music. Featuring complex layered guitar and keyboards, along with Smith’s signature 6 string bass playing, The Cure is often thought of as "goth", but they really have created their own unique blend of new wave, post-punk, and new romantic, which tended to be the Cure’s M.O. for much of their output. I find it lovely.
"Go on go on, just walk away… go on go on, your choice is made…"
"In Between…" is significant chart-wise as it is The Cure’s first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100. However, the tune barely made a dent, stopping at position #99! I guess the U.S. wasn’t quite ready for Robert’s goth-inflected pop just yet, though the band scored well with the tune in the UK at #15. Oddly enough, it danced its way to #39 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, but made NO appearance on the U.S. Modern Rock chart, which is unbelievable to me.
Of course, bigger hits were on the way for the band, with their iconic tunes "Just like Heaven" (#40/1987), "Lovesong" (#2/1989), and "Friday I'm in Love" (#18/1992) only a few years away.
There appears to be some confusion as to the appropriate way to spell the title, as the alternate spellings of "Inbetween Days" (strung together), "In-Between Days" (hyphenated), and "In Between Days" (with a space) appear on various releases by The Cure, sometimes using alternate spellings in different places on the same album or CD! Since the single shows "In Between Days", that’s what I am personally going with. Also that spelling just looks correct. But unless Robert can give me some feedback, I guess it will remain unclear what the official song title is.
"Yesterday I got so scared, I shivered like a child… Yesterday away from you, it froze me deep inside."
Since its 1985 release, Robert Smith’s ode to yearning for one’s true love has been covered by artists as varied as Ben Folds, Kim Wilde, Superchunk, Face to Face, and Korn, via an unplugged performance that paired Korn frontman Jonathan Davis with Robert Smith on vocals.
So, now the fog has lifted, and we are feeling a little better here at the Dial. It seems that Smith’s blend of melancholy lyrics and musical whimsy was indeed the cure for our blues. Check it out below, and be sure to stay tuned to the Dial for more forgotten tracks from radio’s past!
"And I know I was wrong, when I said it was true, that it couldn’t be me and be her in between… without you… without you."
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