Cheap Boys Don't Cry (Music) (The Cure) Price

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Customer Reviews of Boys Don't Cry

Memorable debut
I haven't heard Three Imaginary Boys yet, however I own everything else the Cure has released including the imports, and to my ears this is a fine debut. It has a far more casual vibe than many albums that would follow, without the usual keyboard/guitar driven Cure signature sound, but refreshingly raw and energetic. Many of the others possess a deep and emotionally heavy atmosphere throughout. However, this one uniquely captures a bare-boned arty post-punk feel with a strange eastern vibe more prominent in some songs than others. As is usually the case with this band, the basslines are awesome! See "Accuracy", "Grinding Halt" or "10:15 Saturday Night" with that neat creepy stratchy guitar in the background. The only weak song in my opinion is the somewhat annoying rant "So What"...it's bearable to listen to but I don't get it...the song seems kind of pointless. I've noticed some people complaining about "Subway Song" but it's good fun, I do think, and how can you not love that scream? It sets a nice mood, although the actual song passes almost without notice until the scream but it's the Cure having FUN see? "Boys Don't Cry" is an excellent pop song, I have to say, how could I write a review for this album and not mention that one? "Plastic Passion" is kinda cool, but I'm glad it's only two minutes because it sounds a bit uninspired. "Jumping Someone Else's Train" is a great one, simple but extremely well-written. "Killing an Arab" is another one I really dig, with a dismal middle-eastern guitar line perfectly complimenting what would otherwise be a pretty basic post-punk song. The warning sticker is incredibly stupid...all I'll say is, it just shouldn't happen; no artist should have to apologize just for the minor legion of idiots who have read too much into, and overreacted to the song's "meaning". "Another Day" and "Three Imaginary Boys" sort of foreshadow the more mood-based The Cure that would come shortly after, on Seventeen Seconds, the former being a pretty balled with very poetic lyrics (I love the "winter in water colors, shades of gray" line) and the latter, another ballad, this time darker, with lyrics about a creeping depression coming on, I think. Who knows what it's about, actually. The lyrics on the last two I mentioned are more "arty" or "abstract" I guess you'd call them...and then you have the lovely "Fire in Cairo", a somewhat dismal eastern-influenced song with an awesome F-i-r-e-i-n-c-a-i-r-o refrain, that almost every reviewer likes to mention...cause it's cool! So all in all, it's not a perfect album, but it's a memorable and promising debut. Keep in mind these songs were written by a very young Robert Smith. He wrote "Killing An Arab" when he was 16! How 'bout that? If you're just getting into the Cure, maybe you should look elsewhere for a first puchase, like Head On The Door or something, but whatever one you get, don't forget about this one, eh? :)

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Starting out somewhere very different from where are now
Album number one (or at least the US edition of it) by The Cure is a far cry from all later albums, even their second, Seventeen Seconds, let alone something like Disintegration. However, its important to remember that Robert Smith is the only member of this original trio that has survived the distance to where they are now. However, although Boys Don't Cry is far from the Cure's best as some would tell you - Robert Smith's songwriting is still in its infancy and the production is weedy - it is nevertheless an essential component in the fascinating metamorphosising collective that is The Cure.

The obvious highlights are the better known singles - the vicious, punky 'Killing An Arab' which mixes flat punk nihilism with a Middle-Eastern guitar motif, the more dense and warm 'Fire In Cairo' and the poppier classic title track. Throughout the album, there is a punky influence, occasionally, as on 'So What' (not on the original LP, but on the original UK version 3 Imaginary Boys) it is actually the singular and abiding genre. However guitars are not usually of constant prescence, the album often being driven only by bass and drums with guitars as very much a lead instrument which interplays with vocals and drops in and out. There's none of the dense layers of sounds that trademark their later albums - its always the basic rock instruments and often the sound is basic or even slightly empty sounding.

However, this suits the tone of the songs, which occasionally becomes a 'dont-[care]' attitude, a strange idea to think of with Smith who wrote such emotionally revealing songs later in his career (largely absent here, though closer '3 Imaginary Boys' is a hint at a more personal, emotional direction). He also sometimes adopts a faux-Cockney 'punk' accent, which is of slight amusement, on tracks like the aforementioned 'So What' and 'Jumping Someone Else's Train', but the voice is nevertheless unmistakably his, with that timbre that unites all Cure recordings when there is little else to tie them together.

In summary, this is a very good album, if not their best as some would tell you. If you want to own a good range of 3 or 4 Cure albums that show off their different sides, this might be one to own, though its not the one to start with unless short, melodic poppy/punky songs are much more your thing than more complex tracks.

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What future legends are made of..
OK, so technically this isn't The Cure's first album. Well, it is, and it isn't. It culls the best tracks from their actual debut album, "Three Imaginary Boys", removing some of the filler ("Meathook", "It's Not You"), and replacing it with their early singles (most notably, "Killing an Arab" and the title track). Here's a rundown:

1. Boys Don't Cry (2:35)

Right from the opening chord sequence, you can tell this one is a winner. It's a perfect pop song - even though the lyrics are written from the point of view of a broken hearted man, the bouncy melody of the song overshadows them. You'll be too busy tapping your foot or bobbing your head to even notice Robert's sadness.

2. Plastic Passion (2:14)

This was originally a B-Side of the previous song. It may seem pretty flat the first time you hear it, but after a couple listens, the jerky bass lines it builds its foundation on will grow on you.

3. 10:15 Saturday Night (3:38)

An early masterpiece that seems to foreshadow where The Cure was headed musically. The lyrics paint a wonderful picture of sitting in isolation late at night, waiting for a phone call that you know won't come. The minimalistic musical backdrop further adds to the lonely and desolate feeling of the song. One of the best on the album.

4. Accuracy (2:16)

Another song that will most likely seem flat upon the first listen, but slowly seeps into your subconscious as you listen to it more. Lyrically, it seems to be about seduction of a lover.

5. So What (3:01)

This one is a little silly, but I still enjoy it for that reason alone. The lyrics seem to be taken from various advertisements ("Cake Icing and Decorating Set, Special Offer! Only 3.30!"), and are sung/shouted in a sarcastic manner. It's a little deeper than it may seem on the surface, actually.

6. Jumping Someone Else's Train (2:56)

A definite standout on the album. Musically, it's very new wave: energetic drum beat/bass lines and a jangly guitar riff. The lyrics are great too, relating to how people conform to society's trends, and losing their identity in the process.

7. Subway Song (1:59)

A very weird song, but cool. It's basically just a repeating bass line, with a haromica in the background, and spoken word lyrics from Robert. The harmonica gives it a blusey feel, but at the same time, it's sort of creepy. I always picture myself in a NYC city subway at 2 in the morning, surrounded by weirdos, when I listen to it. It ends with a deafening scream, that always scares me, no matter how many times I listen to it!

8. Killing An Arab (2:22)

Along with the title track, the most recognized song on the album. Due to the title, the song was controversial upon it's initial release. However, it's lyrical content is taken from "The Stranger" by Albert Camus. The harmonic minor melodies of the song give it a Middle Eastern feel amongst the punkish backdrop. A Cure classic.

9. Fire in Cairo (3:21)

The cartoonish representation of the album's cover sort of paints a picture of this song, which is an Egyptian fantasy of sorts. Musically, it kind of reminds me of Murmur-era R.E.M, which is a compliment. The chorus, in which Robert spells out the title in a melodic way, will be in your head for the rest of the day.

10. Another Day (3:43)

My favorite song on the album, and one of my favorite Cure songs altogether. Unlike most of the songs on this album, there's really no New Wave or Punk overtones to it. It's very moody and depressing with lyrics such as "I stare at the window waiting for the day to go..winter in water colours, shades of gray".

11. Grinding Halt (2:49)

This is probably the weakest song on the album. It's not bad by any means, but it sort of interrupts the flow between tracks 10 and 12. It should've been placed in the first half, which is a little more playful.

12. Three Imaginary Boys (3:14)

My second favorite on the album. Along with the aforementioned "Another Day", this one has a much darker feel to it (both lyrically and musically). Robert's closing words, "Can You Help Me?" leave the listener hanging in isolation, which sets the tone for their follow-up, 1980's masterpiece, "Seventeen Seconds".

And that pretty much sums it up. Most people consider this an anamoly in The Cure's catlogue, but I think it's absolutely essential. Songs like "Killing an Arab", "So What", "Accuracy", "Grinding Halt", and "Jumping Someone Else's Train" show off their punk/new wave beginnings, whereas "10:15..", "Another Day", "Subway Song", and "Three Imaginary Boys" show them experimenting with the dreamier (but gloomy) soundscapes that they'd become famous for.

Best Tracks: Another Day, Three Imaginary Boys, 10:15 Saturday Night, Killing an Arab.