Bit O Covers | The Cure: Lovesong

So we’ve finally made it to Valentine’s Day. It’s been a week-long celebration which has culminated to this day of days. I realize that most of the Valentine’s Day posts have been on the negative side, which is another good reason why this post is necessary. Love is a beautiful thing, and I tend to agree with Sameul Butler that said, “It is better to have loved and lost than never to have lost at all.” Sometimes pain is a sign that you’re finding your way home.

So to show that we’re not all about the depressing side of love, we bring you a Bit O’ Covers post that focuses on a touching love song titled (appropriately enough), “Lovesong.”

In the late 80′s, The Cure was riding high on the success of their single, “Just Like Heaven.” That song was a departure from the band’s dark and depressing style… they were suddenly a pop band, which was odd because they had never set out to BE a pop band. Their album, Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me became their first Top 40 record, which helped them gain a wider audience. The Cure‘s momentum was definitely building, and when it came time to record the follow up record, lead Cure guy Robert Smith hit the brakes and said, “Whoa!” He felt that The Cure was pulling away from their roots, and wanted to return to the Gothic form that they had established early on for themselves. He was also turning 30, which didn’t seem to agree with him.

Smith retreated and began to write songs that took a darker path… this collection ended up to become their eighth studio album, Disintegration. Because of this sudden turn to the dark side, the band’s label thought the album would be career suicide. I guess they felt that the new audience would only accept the happier, more pop-oriented music The Cure was pumping out. Well, they were wrong (but also right… I’ll explain later) as the album went on to sell over three million copies, making it their best selling album to date. The success of this record can be attributed to some strong singles, most notably “Lovesong.”

The reason why I say that the record label was also right in their assessment of Disintegration is because of the fact that “Lovesong” stands out from the rest of the album in that it’s a pop song that falls in line with songs like, “Just Like Heaven,” and their hit from The Head on the Door, “Close to Me.”

Smith included the song in the album because, as he explains, “That one song, I think, makes many people think twice. If that song wasn’t on the record, it would be very easy to dismiss the album as having a certain mood. But throwing that one in sort of upsets people a bit because they think, ‘That doesn’t fit’.”

Here’s an excellent live performance of the tune from 2001:

How do you get your hair to do that????

Even though Smith throws “Lovesong” in with the “happier” side of Disintegration, I’ve always found the song to be incredibly sad for some reason. This is perhaps because the recording sounds like Smith is singing to someone who has either passed away or has moved on. He sounds longing, reaching, and altogether broken hearted. I simply don’t hear any joy in his voice. There’s a beauty in this sadness, though… maybe that’s the attraction?

“Lovesong” hit #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and remains their highest charter. It’s been covered numerous times (as you can see below in the Dig-It section) and although many of the cover versions are good, none quite match the depths of the original.

I totally dig Tori Amos‘ version. It’s sparse and lets the beautiful melody carry the entire song. She tries too hard at times to sound passionate, though, but that’s all a matter of taste. Death Cab for Cutie does a great job with their performance… they don’t stray too far from the original, which is a smart move with this song. To me, it’s important to capture or retain the simplicity and delicate quality of “Lovesong.” Push it too hard and you lose that flavor… you’ll find a couple of performances below that, in my opinion, don’t quite hit the mark. I’m not too sure what Tool and A Perfect Circle were thinking when they put together their version.

And maybe someday I’ll discover what Snake River Conspiracy were trying to achieve with their cover… maybe. I’m not quite sure what to make of the way they changed the last line of the last chorus. It kind of ruins the sentiment.

That’s ok, though, because when it comes to covers, it all boils down to interpretation. Everybody hears a song in their own specific way.

So pick your favorite version from below and give it to your loved one tonight. It’s bound to get an “Awwww, how sweet!” reaction and you’ll earn a bunch of brownie points. Robert Smith probably got a gazillion brownie points for writing “Lovesong” to his bride-to-be. I once had a professor that asked the class, “Would you rather have a poem or song written for you as a present, or would you rather get a new car?” Amazingly enough, most of the class said they’d like the new car. I wonder what Smith’s wife would say to those people?

(if you liked this article, please vote for it by clicking on the button below!)