Top 10 Best Songs by The Cure

The definitive "gothic" track. The intro lasts forever: layer by layer the tension is built. The guitar sounds bare and cold, the bass rumbles. It is about a man who follows a girl into a forest, but she does not exist. "Again and again and again." You feel the panic and disorientation. A hypnotic trip into the darkness.

A whispering nightmare. The pizzicato violins (plucked) sound like spider legs crawling over your back. Smith sings about the "spiderman" who comes to get him. It is creepy, theatrical, and strangely sexy. The atmosphere is unique: dark, sexy, and scary at the same time. A song that crawls under your skin and stays there.

Robert Smith wrote this as a wedding gift for his wife Mary. It is a direct, simple declaration of love. "However far away, I will always love you." The music is moody and gothic, with a prominent bass line and an organ. It proves that romance does not have to be saccharine. Adele covered it, but the original remains most moving.

Perhaps the perfect pop song. The guitar riff, the bass line, the synthesizers: everything falls into place. It is about a dreamlike memory of a day by the sea with his wife. The song radiates energy and love. "Dancing in the deepest oceans." When the music suddenly stops at the end, it feels like you wake from a beautiful dream.

Their early breakthrough. It is a perfect mix of punk and pop. The lyrics are about male pride which forbids you from showing your emotions. "I would break down at your feet and beg forgiveness." Robert Smith sings it with boyish innocence. It is a timeless earworm about regret and the impossibility of staying tough when your heart breaks.

A claustrophobic pop song. The instrumentation is minimal: a bass line, a drum computer, and some heavy breathing. It is about the fear of getting close to someone, literally and figuratively. The atmosphere is oppressive but also playful. The music video, in which the band falls off a cliff in a wardrobe, is legendary.

An energetic song with an acoustic guitar that sets the tempo. The melody is upbeat, but the lyrics are about aging and fear. The contrast between fast music and heavy words is typical of The Cure. It is short, fierce, and sticks immediately in your head.

A long, dreamy trip full of nostalgia. The synthesizer layer sounds like a mist you walk through. The lyrics are about viewing old photos of a loved one. "There was nothing in the world that I ever wanted more than to feel you deep in my heart." It is intensely romantic and sad. Music to drift away to on a rainy day.

Proof that The Cure can just be cheerful. Robert Smith wrote this in a fit of pure euphoria. It is a perfect guitar pop song. It is about the excitement of the weekend and being in love. "I don't care if Monday's blue." It is simple, catchy, and irresistible. A song that immediately makes you hop.