June 4, 2025

The Cure is my definitive favorite band. Each of their albums hold a really special place in my heart. This is in no small part because of the music itself – Robert Smith’s melodies and hooks are unlike anyone else’s. However, something that has endeared me to The Cure’s work more than anything else are the lyrics.

Robert Smith is an excellent writer and poet. Songs like “Lovesong,” “Just Like Heaven,” or “Pictures of You” would be great because of the music alone, but Smith’s writing elevates them into all-time greats. Much of his writing centers on fairly dark or esoteric themes – I think Pornography and Disintegration are testaments to how The Cure can capture feelings of despair and desperation perfectly.

The lyrics don’t necessarily get less abstract with The Cure’s poppier songs, though. Take “In Between Days” – it’s light and fun and seemingly references some sort of love triangle. But a closer look at the lyrics make that interpretation a little murkier. “And I know I was wrong / When I said it was true / That it couldn’t be me / And be her in between / Without You” seems fairly straightforward, but when partnered with “Yesterday I got so old / I felt like I could die / Yesterday I got so old / It made me want to cry,” it throws a bit of a wrench into a more straightforward lyrical analysis.

Something that has always been straightforward about The Cure, though, is their image. Robert Smith, for basically his entire career, has always presented himself in a fairly androgynous, goth style. Thick eyeliner, bright lipstick, and long, messy hair. For this post, I am going to focus in more on the androgyny, as I would like to highlight how The Cure actively leans in to queer themes in their music.

Now, as I mentioned before, much of Robert Smith’s songwriting is esoteric. He isn’t always one to say exactly what a song means or how you should feel about it. However, there is one song that, above the rest, explicitly references queerness more than any other.

That song is “Push,” from The Cure’s 1985 album The Head on the Door. “Push” features extremely abstract lyrics. “Go, go, go / Go, go, go / Push him away … He gets inside to stare at her / The seeping mouth, the mouth that knows / The secret you / Always you / A smile to hide the fear away / Oh, smear this man across the walls” read the lyrics in part.

This reads, to me, as a person struggling with their gender identity or sexuality and how it can be easier for someone to push those feelings down or aside. Smith uses gendered words very deliberately here. “Push him away,” “he gets inside to stare at her,” and “oh, smear this man across the walls” feel very important. I’ve seen some interpretation of this song as being about a sort of male/female relationship and I’m really not one to say somebody is wrong about how they interpret art. I agree that the dichotomy between masculinity and femininity is important here, but not in the sense that it describes a romantic relationship. I more so read this as someone overcoming their struggles with their true identity and finally chooses to live as themselves (finally choosing to smear that man across the walls).

This interpretation is bolstered by how the lyrics end. “Exactly the same clean room / Exactly the same clean bed / But I’ve stayed away too long this time / And I’ve got too big to fit this time” is less specific, but generally points to the idea of someone growing and changing. They have “returned” to some aspect of their youth (either in their memories or literally), but have changed to the point where they are different. Even if some of their surroundings or physical traits are “exactly the same,” they’ve “got too big to fit this time.” Things have changed.

I truly believe this song is a powerful, queer narrative. But, you really don’t have to take my word for it, as Robert Smith himself has confirmed that it is. According to him, this song was inspired by some memories where he rode train lines while wearing a dress (to hear for yourself, he describes it this way in an intro to the song during one of their recorded concerts – this concert has been reuploaded on YouTube, and occurs at roughly 42:26). With that context, I truly believe this song is about as explicitly queer as you can get. As a note, I do think it’s important to clarify that a man could wear a dress (or a woman could wear a more masculine outfit) and not be queer at all. However, based on the memories this song was inspired by and how the lyrics play out, I think it’s safe to say that in this context it can be read as queer.

Robert Smith and The Cure have always been progressive and on the cutting edge of culture. I think their pro-LGBTQ+ stances are clear and I think “Push” is a really interesting example of those views. Speaking from my personal experience, this has always been one of my favorite tracks from my favorite Cure album. The lyrics really resonate with me and I’ve read many stories online of how this song really resonates with others, too. I love Robert Smith’s songwriting and it’s always a treat to discuss it in more detail.

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Happy Pride Month! In celebration, each post this month will focus on a different LGBTQ+ piece of media or artist. I hope you enjoy these works and I highly recommend you support any queer artists you know. It’s more important than ever to show your support for the LGBTQ+ community. While I am not affiliated with them, I would like to direct you to The Trevor Project. They are a non-profit dedicated to protecting young members of the LGBTQ+ community, especially in regards to their mental health. If you have the means, they are always accepting donations to continue the work they’re doing. Even if you can’t support a group like that financially, you can still make a difference by being a strong ally. Support members of your family, friend group, and community, regardless of their identity.