The Five Souls of Robert Smith
There are those who say that April 21st should be declared a national holiday for all dreamers, introverts and hopeless romantics. Today is the birthday of Robert Smiththe rock legend who with The Cure turned vulnerability into strength. His music is a labyrinth of contrasting emotions: from the icy woods of post punk to the sunny afternoons of the purest pop. To celebrate, we have selected five iconic songs which represent its five preponderant souls – knowing full well that it has many more, and which are (fortunately) impossible to enclose in a few written words.
In Forest (1980): the dark soul
The dark rock manifesto. The moment the Cure found their identity. Robert Smith wanted to create something that sounded “distant” and “foggy”. Simon Gallup’s obsessive bass and Smith’s cold guitar create a forest of sound from which one cannot escape. It represents the phase in which Smith began to explore minimalism and existential angst.
Just Like Heaven (1987): the solar soul
The perfect pop song (even according to Robert Plant). An explosion of light and desire. Total falling in love, the one that takes your breath away. It is inspired by a trip Smith took with his wife Mary Poole to Beachy Head on the English coast. The guitarist wrote the lyrics trying to describe that moment when time seems to stop when you are with your loved one. The synthesizer and guitar riffs intertwine like a hug.
Lullaby (1989): the surrealist soul
The claustrophobic nightmare. From the masterpiece Disintegrationthis song takes us into the most dreamlike and disturbing side of Robert. The fear and seduction of the dark. Smith’s whisper (recorded very close to the microphone) evokes the sensation of someone talking in your ear while you sleep. “Lullaby” is a spider’s nest, a metaphor for addictions or traumas that devour us.
Friday I’m in Love (1992): the romantic soul
Pure and unabashed romance. A song that many “hardcore” fans see as an anomaly, but which Smith proudly defends. It is proof that he is not a prisoner of his dark character. It’s a hymn to lightheartedness, written to celebrate the end of the work week (even though he’s never had a “traditional” one). Fun fact: Robert was convinced he had stolen the melody from someone because it was “too beautiful and simple” to be his. He played the demo to all his friends to make sure he hadn’t done unintentional plagiarism.
Pictures of You (1989): the melancholy soul
The masterpiece of nostalgia. One of the most beautiful songs ever written about loss and memory. The pain of those who look back at what is no longer there. The song lasts over 7 minutes (in the album version) and takes all the time to let the melancholy grow. The lyrics were inspired by a fire that broke out in Smith’s house and, while digging through the rubble, he found Mary’s wallet with some photos inside. That event affected him so much that it generated this masterpiece.
