I’m not sure if there’s a band that I can claim as my favorite of all time, because the reality is I have a different favorite every day. This process of choosing one favorite over all others seems futile. But, for me, The Cure, is about as close as it gets. For me, their music is irreplaceable. There are things that I feel when I put on a Cure record that I can’t experience with anything else. For the month of June, I hope to share some of this as a I cover a different Cure song each day – counting down from #30 to #1. And, in this case, I have no qualms stating my #1. #30DaysofTheCure
U.S. single release: 1983
Ranking: 26
The interesting thing about music is that often the songs that first introduced us and attracted us to certain bands aren’t necessarily the same songs that we consider our favorites. Regardless, they served a purpose. And an important one at that. My journey as a fan of The Cure is long and winding. There are certain masterpieces that I’ve always loved – the entire The Head on the Door and Disintegration albums, for instance. Other parts of the catalog are more like an acquired taste, like Seventeen Seconds. There are also Cure songs that intrigued me and pulled me in that are no longer my favorite Cure anthems today. But I’m indebted to them. At the top of that list is the standalone single “The Walk”.
“The Walk” was easy for me to get into. At the time, I recall already having an affinity for British dance-rock and synth pop outfits, from New Order to Yaz. “The Walk” was immediately accessible for me. It’s an endearing Cure song. It brings me back to the wonderful moment that I first discovered the band. As Smith sings, “In an instant, I remembered everything.”. The track was written and performed by Smith and Tolhurst only, as Gallup made his first exit from the band. The end result: less edge and mood and a lot more focus on the synth hooks and beats. “The Walk” hasn’t aged so well. If The Cure canon was a museum and this song was a work of art displayed inside, I probably wouldn’t go searching for it. But, if I accidentally stumbled upon it, I would be absolutely delighted.
“I called you after midnight. Then ran until my heart burst.”