The Love Cats (song)
"The Lovecats" | ||||
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Single by The Cure | ||||
B-side |
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Released | 18 October 1983 | |||
Recorded | August 1983 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:33 | |||
Label | Fiction | |||
Songwriter(s) | Robert Smith | |||
Producer(s) |
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The Cure singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"The Love Cats" on YouTube |
"The Love Cats" (sometimes rendered as "The Lovecats") is a song by English rock band The Cure, released as a stand-alone single in October 1983.
It was the band's first Top 10 hit in the UK, peaking at number 7.[3] It also reached number 6 on the Australian chart in early 1984.[4] The single later appeared on the compilation album Japanese Whispers, released in December 1983.
Inspiration and recording[]
At the time the song was written, Robert Smith was very interested in the work of Australian author Patrick White.[5] According to a number of his fans, Smith was inspired to write "The Love Cats" after reading White's novel The Vivisector (1970), although this claim is difficult to verify.[6][7] In the novel, the protagonist, Hurtle, is appalled when his lover's husband drowns a sack of stray cats. White draws a parallel between the way in which the cats are discarded, and the treatment of certain characters in the book; by extension, the cats symbolise the most innocent and vulnerable members of society, and the casual cruelty with which they sometimes meet their fate.[8]
The recording session took place in Paris at Studio Des Dames after the band had played a one-off concert in the west of France, in Brittany, in the commune of Saint-Jacut-les-Pins in August 1983. The band recorded other songs there also in jazz rock style, "Speak my language" and ""Mr. Pink Eyes": both ended up on the b-side of the 12-inch vinyl. A fourth track also recorded in the same session, surfaced in 2006 on The Top deluxe CD reissue.
Music video[]
The music video features a number of cats and a large lampshade falling on the head of bassist Phil Thornalley. There are many shots of a mansion which the band told a buyer they were interested in buying. They returned the keys in the morning.[9] Real cats were supposed to be used but after proving to be troublesome, taxidermied ones were used in the place of cats.[10] Smith said of the video: "'The Love Cats' is far from being my favourite song: composed drunk, video filmed drunk, promotion made drunk. It was a joke."[11] The video features an early rough mix of the song done in Paris which is different from the one released on vinyl (the latter was done in London).
Track listing[]
- 7"
- "The Love Cats" (3:33)
- "Speak My Language" (2:39)
- UK & US 12"
- "The Love Cats (Extended Version)" (4:37)
- "Speak My Language" (2:39)
- "Mr. Pink Eyes" (2:45)
Personnel[]
- Robert Smith – vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica on "Mr. Pink Eyes"
- Lol Tolhurst – vibraphone
- Phil Thornalley – double bass
- Andy Anderson – drums
References[]
- ^ Mason, Stewart. "Why Can't I Be You?" Allmusic.com. Retrieved on 22 January 2013.
- ^ Ramirez, AJ (13 December 2011). "Snubbed!: Why the Cure Deserves to Be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame". PopMatters. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
- ^ "Cure | Full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ The Stud Brothers: "Pictures of Youth (Pt. 1)", Melody Maker, March 7, 1992: 25–26.
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) file for The Cure". fortunecity.com. Retrieved 2010-06-09.
- ^ "The Cure-Inspiraciones". victoriavirtual.iespana.es. Retrieved 2010-06-09.
- ^ White, Patrick. The Vivisector. New York: Viking Press, 1970.
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20071007101853/http://imaginaryboys.altervista.org/english/cure/articles/criticalguide.htm
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20080402234455/http://www.impressionofsounds.com/videogr/LOVECATS.html
- ^ "The Love Cats by the Cure - Songfacts".
External links[]
- Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
- "The Love Cats" at Discogs (list of releases)
- The Cure songs
- 1983 singles
- Songs written by Robert Smith (musician)
- 1983 songs
- Songs about cats
- Fiction Records singles
- Music videos directed by Tim Pope
- Song recordings produced by Phil Thornalley