Three Imaginary Boys

Three Imaginary Boys
Studio album by The Cure
Released	11 May 1979
Recorded	Autumn, 1978
Genre	Post-punk
Length	33:44
Label	Fiction (UK) Rhino (U.S. 2004 & 2006 releases)
Producer	Chris Parry
The Cure chronology
Three Imaginary Boys (1979) Seventeen Seconds (1980)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Blender	[2]
Pitchfork Media	(8.7/10) [3]
Gothic.gr	[4]

Three Imaginary Boys is English rock band The Cure's debut album, released in May 1979 by Fiction Records. It was later released in the United States, with a slightly different song line-up, as Boys Don't Cry.

Contents 1 History 2 2004 re-release 3 Track listing 3.1 Original 1979 release 3.2 2004 Deluxe Edition 4 Personnel 5 References

History

"Foxy Lady", a soundcheck with vocals sung by Michael Dempsey, was not supposed to be on the album and was removed for the American release. Smith has stated that "songs like 'Object' and 'World War' and our cover of 'Foxy Lady' were [Chris Parry's] choice, even though they were diabolical and I hated them"^[5] The record company decided which songs were put on the album, as well as the cover artwork, without Robert Smith's consent. For all Cure albums since, Smith has ensured he is given complete creative control over the final product before it goes on sale.

The band has performed as an encore "Three Imaginary Boys", "Fire in Cairo", "Boys Don't Cry", "Jumping Someone Else's Train", "Grinding Halt", "10:15 Saturday Night" and "Killing an Arab" (sung as "Killing Another") on the 2007/2008 4Tour (the singles "Boys Don't Cry", "Jumping Someone Else's Train" and "Killing an Arab" were on the American release).

In 2011 The Cure performed the album in its entirety at venues in Sydney, New York, and Los Angeles.^[6] These shows, billed as The Cure: 'Reflections', were recorded for potential DVD release.

2004 re-release

The album was reissued on 29 November 2004 in the UK (7 December in the U.S.), and featured a second disc of unreleased material, including songs recorded under the band name "Easy Cure" with Porl Thompson. Since it features a variety of old songs, it is the only Deluxe Edition by the band which does not feature an alternate version of all the songs on the first disc. Some of the early booklets in the reissue had the lyrics missing, and were made available on The Cure's website in pdf form. All copies since have the lyrics.

The first single, "Killing an Arab", was excluded from the re-issue likely due to its controversial nature (see the article).

It was originally supposed to be released in early 2004 along with Seventeen Seconds, Faith, and Pornography but was delayed multiple times and was finally released by itself at the end of 2004.

There also exists a one-CD reissue. It was released on 5 September 2005 in the UK and 28 March 2006 in the US. The CD features the original album, but does not contain the bonus disc. It is also released in the standard jewel case, and not a box. In some countries, the Deluxe Edition has become a collector's item as production was phased out, being replaced by the more economic one-CD version.

Track listing

Original 1979 release

All songs written and composed by Robert Smith, Michael Dempsey and Lol Tolhurst, except where noted. 

The album included an uncredited, final instrumental track informally called "The Weedy Burton". The fact was not acknowledged until the Deluxe Edition re-issue.

2004 Deluxe Edition

The first disc contains the original album, with the addition of "The Weedy Burton" as a regular thirteenth track, and slightly different track lengths. The second disc contains rarities 1977 to 1979.

Personnel

• Robert Smith – guitar, lead vocals
• Michael Dempsey – bass, background vocals, lead vocals on "Foxy Lady"
• Lol Tolhurst – drums

• Porl Thompson – lead guitar and background vocals on tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 & 7 on Bonus Disc.
• David Dragon – illustrations
• Michael J. Dutton – assistant
• Martyn Goddard – photography
• Mike Hedges – engineer
• Connie Jude – illustrations
• Chris Parry – producer
• B. Smith – photography
• Bill Smith – design

Recorded and mixed at Morgan Studios, London, England.

References

The Cure Robert Smith Simon Gallup Roger O'Donnell Jason Cooper Andy Anderson Perry Bamonte Michael Dempsey Matthieu Hartley Porl Thompson Phil Thornalley Lol Tolhurst Boris Williams Studio albums Three Imaginary Boys Seventeen Seconds Faith Pornography The Top The Head on the Door Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me Disintegration Wish Wild Mood Swings Bloodflowers The Cure 4:13 Dream Live albums Concert: The Cure Live Entreat Show Paris Bestival Live 2011 Compilations Boys Don't Cry Happily Ever After Japanese Whispers Standing on a Beach/Staring at the Sea Mixed Up Assemblage CD Collection Galore Greatest Hits Join the Dots 4play EPs Half an Octopuss Quadpus The Peel Sessions Integration Lost Wishes Sideshow Five Swing Live Festival 2005 Hypnagogic States EP Singles "Killing an Arab" "Boys Don't Cry" "Jumping Someone Else's Train" "A Forest" "Primary" "Charlotte Sometimes" "A Single" "Let's Go to Bed" "The Walk" "The Lovecats" "The Caterpillar" "In Between Days" "Close to Me" "Why Can't I Be You?" "Catch" "Just Like Heaven" "Hot Hot Hot!!!" "Lullaby" "Fascination Street" "Lovesong" "Pictures of You" "Never Enough" "Close to Me (Remix)" "High" "Friday I'm in Love" "A Letter to Elise" "The 13th" "Mint Car" "Gone!" "Strange Attraction" "Wrong Number" "Cut Here" "Just Say Yes" "The End of the World" "Taking Off" ("alt.end") "The Only One" "Freakshow" "Sleep When I'm Dead" "The Perfect Boy" Videos Staring at the Sea: The Images The Cure Live in Japan The Cure in Orange Picture Show Play Out Show Galore: The Videos 1987–1997 Greatest Hits Trilogy Festival 2005 Related bands Associates Babacar COGASM Cult Hero Easy Cure Fools Dance The Glove Levinhurst Lockjaw The Magazine Spies Malice Presence Shelleyan Orphan Siouxsie and the Banshees Related articles Discography Personnel Blue Sunshine "10:15 Saturday Night" "Like an Animal" "Punish Me with Kisses" "I'm a Cult Hero" Essential Glastonbury