Lovesong (The Cure song)

For other uses, see Love song (disambiguation).

"Lovesong"
Song

"Lovesong" (sometimes listed as "Love Song") is a modern ballad written by Robert Smith and originally released by The Cure on their Disintegration album. Robert Smith originally wrote this song as a gift to his longtime girlfriend, Mary, shortly before their marriage.

Title

The title of this song is widely disputed, as it varies between "Lovesong" and "Love Song" on many official Cure releases. The artwork for the album Disintegration uses both, "Love Song" on the tracklisting and "Lovesong" on the lyrics sheet. When released as a single in 1989 the artwork displayed the title as "Lovesong", and subsequent releases of Paris and Galore both also use "Lovesong" exclusively, whilst 2001's Greatest Hits compilation uses "Lovesong" on the tracklisting and "Love Song" within the liner notes. 2004's Join the Dots also uses "Lovesong" within the booklet presentation.

Original release

Upon release as a single, the song received worldwide success, and first peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Robert Smith originally wrote the song for his wife, Mary, as a wedding present. They are still married.

Track listing

7" single

1. "Lovesong"
2. "2 Late"

12" single

1. "Lovesong" (Extended Mix)
2. "2 Late"
3. "Fear of Ghosts"

CD single

1. "Lovesong" (Extended Mix)
2. "2 Late"
3. "Fear of Ghosts"
4. "Lovesong"

Personnel

• Simon Gallup - Bass
• Robert Smith - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Producer, Engineer
• Porl Thompson - Guitar
• Boris Williams - Drums
• Roger O'Donnell - Keyboards
• Laurence Tolhurst - "Other Instruments". Tolhurst did not play on this record or indeed any other on the Disintegration album, he is credited for contractual reasons.

311's version

The song was covered by 311 in 2004 for the 50 First Dates soundtrack. 311's version of the song can also be found on their compilation album, Greatest Hits '93-'03. This version adds an underlying island beat and plays during the closing credits of the film.

The track reached #1 on Billboard's Modern Rock chart, 311's first #1 single since "Down" in 1996.

Former Cure band member Lol Tolhurst appears in the music video. He was a member of the Cure at the time "Lovesong" was recorded, but did not participate in the recording, and he was fired shortly before the single's release.

Other cover versions

It has also been covered by the bands Korn, Anberlin, A Perfect Circle, Tool, Angry Johnny And The Killbillies, The Deluxtone Rockets, Jack Off Jill, Snake River Conspiracy, Ira Losco, Death Cab for Cutie and Voltaire. Solo artists have performed covers as well, such as singer-songwriter Tori Amos and Blake Lewis during the sixth season of American Idol.

External links

• Lyrics