John Scott Is Cured

Introduction

My friend John Scott is a writer and comedian and has been sharing and commenting on some great songs by the Cure today. I asked him if I could collect them for this Vocal story and he was up for it but said when the gin kicked in later there would be a lot more.

We share a lot of common music tastes and the Cure is just one, but the comments he has made for each video are pure gold. Virtually all the words accompanying the videos are from John. I don't know if that makes me a plagiarist or collaborator, but he has given me permission to use his words, and he is the writer and comedian and has just finished the script for the Japanese Animated Movie Wildheart.

I featured him in this piece here:

This is where he is on Facebook with a very nice Bonnyrigg Rose badge:

There's no logical order to these, and some I will comment on in addition to what John has to say.

"Why Can't I Be You?"

Woohoo. It's nearly the weekend. I'll be celebrating that by posting The Cure all day. Where do you even start with this genius?

To get the day rolling, here he is at his most pop and funky.

"A Forest"

Ooh dark Cure. And to think the genius Bob Smith was only seven years old in this video.

"In Between Days"

If joy was a sound and you could pour it out of a bottle it would probably come out a bit like this.

"Pictures Of You"

100 million likes on YouTube. Melancholy rarely sounds as beautiful as this.

"Catch"

Robert Smith's songwriting process.

Dododedodedodedodadandododedodootdo.

Yeah that's good. I like dootehdoos...now something that makes me sad.. but I'll compare it to sweeties. Probably strawberry bonbons I like them

More dotehdoos... yes thats good.

Maybe mention Japanese or Chinese. Look at these? No I think that's been done.

More dootdehdo.

Yes good.

Finish on we might as all be dead or in love. More sweeties. Sherbert lemons. Perfect!

One of my favourite Cure songs, always makes me think of a girl called Frances Dibley who I worked with at Yorkshire Water in the nineteen eighties. I sold her my copy of "Staring At The Sea" when I moved to CD. She asked me if I was sure because she felt like she was getting it very cheaply. She got a bargain.

"Hanging Garden"

Hey Bob, there's these new post punk bands like Joy Division and Souxie. They've got a heavy, heavy sound. Some say the Cure are a bit pop in comparison.

BOB: Pfft. Hold my pint...

"Primary"

I'm not a musician but I do have a Bass playing pal. I remember being stunned when he told me this driving thundering noise is just two bass guitars and drums. One bass has a flange on apparently. Which sounds a bit ooh matron Bob's getting a great noise out of his flange.

"Friday I'm In Love"

Well, we are doing these posts on a Friday. So it would be churlish/gloomy Cure puritan to miss out this one. Bob hits peak pop.

The problem with The Cure, or rather not the problem is that can be anything from pure darkness to total enlightenment.

"Prayers For Rain"

I am sticking to singles for these posts. Apart from this one indulgence. From their 'masterpiece ' Disintegration, (they have a few including a double album) This came on my tunes on random the other night. I'd forgotten how much of a thumping noise/ melody heavy powerhouse it is.

Robert Smith and David Bowie - "Quicksand"

Bowie invited his favourite musicians to duet with him on his 50th. Saw an interview with Mr Smith saying Bowie sent him a track from his new industrial heavy album and he was kind of broken hearted he wasn't doing his favourite track Quicksand with him. A week later Bowie sent him another track he'd like him to duet on...

I remember learning "Quicksand" (from "Hunky Dory") as a teenager, and nice to include this in here. Probably won't try it for my YouTube channel but "Catch" is tempting me.

"The Lovecats"

Their first big sidestep. At the time in interview Mr Bob was asked if The Cure were going pop.

"No, I don't think so. There won't be a Love Cats part 2. We'll soon be back to doom and gloom."

A favourite of mine and my Cat loving friends and I have used it in a few of my feline-related stories like this one:

"Lovesong"

Love Cats to Love Song

"Boys Don't Cry"

But they do Bob. Mainly when listening to you.

"The Walk"

LOL: The rest of the band have buggered off Bob. All we've got left is that keyboard and my drum kit. Any ideas?

BOB: Yeah gimmie that keyboard. Here's one.

LOL: How does it go?

BOB: Doot doot doot doot dodehdooto doot deh dooh doot doodoot do.

LOl: Awesome.

BOB: One day LOL your name is going to take on new dimensions... and it will probably get quite annoying.

An imaginary conversation between Robert Smith and Lol Tolhurst

"The Caterpillar"

I remember this night on Top of the Pops . My brother Bill Scott said, "who are this lot? They're like a bunch of demented hippies."

Spot on.

"Charlotte Sometimes"

And this one's for Ed Jupp . I used to be in a sketch show with his bruv. He's a very funny guy. But Ed always had the best taste in music.

"Hot, Hot, Hot!!!"

According to legend (created by himself) this was around the time Sir Bobert got a bit too high one night, cut off his hair, and turned into Suggs from Madness.

"Lullaby"

And as we wind down for the day... sleep well.

And that's the end.. time for...

I was just going to post this and let that be that... but.... Here's a wee tale...

Many, many times ago, when I was a very young man I found myself with a very posh lass in a very big house listening to The Cure. I was still a bit of a Cure novice then. A song came on that I thought was The Walk, I said, "Oh, I love this one. It's one of my favourites. "

But it wasn't The Walk. It was a different song. Anyhoo that turned out to be a nice Freudian slip.

And it;'s goodnight from me. And it's goodnight from Robert.

So that's it for now. John Scott is Cured.

Thank you for joining us