Friday I'm in Love

{{Infobox song

| name = Friday I'm in Love

| cover = fridayimin_cov.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = the Cure

| album = Wish

| B-side = * "Halo"

"Scared as You"

| released = {{start date|1992|5|15|df=y}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre = * Jangle pop{{cite web|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|title=Galore: The Singles 1987-1997 - The Cure {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/galore-the-singles-1987-1997-mw0000596100|access-date=27 December 2015|website=AllMusic}}

pop rock{{cite web|last=Gerard|first=Chris|date=4 April 2014|title=50 Best Alternative Albums of the '90s|url=http://www.metroweekly.com/2014/04/50-best-alternative-albums-of-the-90s/|access-date=4 May 2021|website=Metro Weekly}}
indie pop{{cite web|last=Beaumont|first=Mark|date=27 March 2019|title=Just Like Heaven: The Cure's 10 best songs|url=https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/ten-best-cure-songs-2170768|access-date=9 May 2021|website=NME}}
alternative rock{{cite web |title=The 50 Best Alt-Rock Love Songs |url=https://www.spin.com/2021/02/the-50-best-alt-rock-love-songs/ |website=SPIN |date=12 February 2021 |access-date=January 23, 2022}}

| length = 3:38

| label = Fiction

| writer = * Perry Bamonte

| producer = * Robert Smith

David Allen

| prev_title = High

| prev_year = 1992

| next_title = A Letter to Elise

| next_year = 1992

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|mGgMZpGYiy8|"Friday I'm in Love"}}}}

}}

"Friday I'm in Love" is a song by British rock band the Cure. Released as the second single from their ninth studio album, Wish (1992), in May 1992, the song became a worldwide hit, reaching number six in the UK and number 18 in the United States, where it also topped the Modern Rock Tracks chart. It also won the award for European Viewer's Choice for Best Music Video at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards.

Robert Smith, the song's primary writer, described it in 1992 as both "a throw your hands in the air, let's get happy kind of record" and "a very naïve, happy type of pop song."{{cite web|url=https://img.discogs.com/bT8KTrS3hE1HgmYTlfQ1187oG8c=/fit-in/600x825/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-3412327-1393792127-8752.jpeg.jpg|title=The Cure Interview Transcript - discogs.com}}

Production

During the writing process, Robert Smith became convinced that he had inadvertently stolen the chord progression from somewhere, and this led him to a state of paranoia where he called everyone he could think of and played the song for them, asking if they had heard it before. None of them had, and Smith realised that the melody was indeed his.{{cite web|url=http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/music/interviews/Robert+Smith-59117.html|title=The Cure's Robert Smith interview - Part Two|publisher=femalefirst.co.uk|date=28 October 2010|access-date=9 October 2010}} "It's always been paradoxical that it's pushed down people's throats that we're a goth band," Smith observed. "Because, to the general public, we're not. To taxi drivers, I'm the bloke that sings 'Friday I'm in Love'. I'm not the bloke who sings 'Shake Dog Shake' or 'One Hundred Years'."{{cite magazine|first=Keith|last=Cameron|title=It's more Kiss Me than goth|magazine=Mojo|issue=129|date=August 2004|page=87}}

The song was written to be a slower number than its upbeat final rendition. While the track was recorded in D major, the commercially released version sounds a quarter-tone higher (halfway between D and E-flat) due to Smith forgetting to disengage the vari-speed function on the multi-track recorder after toying with it before the final mixing process took place. When played live, the song is performed in its original intended key as opposed to the pitch discrepancy heard on the record.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.musicfanclubs.org/cure/press/I10.html|last=Gore|first=Joe|title=Confessions of a Pop Mastermind|magazine=Guitar Player|date=September 1992|access-date=29 December 2023|archive-date=20 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120201951/https://www.musicfanclubs.org/cure/press/I10.html|url-status=bot: unknown}} The track was produced by David M. Allen and the Cure.

Release

"Friday I'm in Love" was the second single taken from the band's ninth studio album, Wish, and was released in the United Kingdom on 15 May 1992. Unusually, two formats of the song were released on a Friday instead of a Monday, so it debuted on the UK Singles Chart at a low number 31 on the chart week beginning 17 May.{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1992/MW-1992-05-23.pdf|title=Chart Focus|magazine=Music Week|page=9|date=23 May 1992|access-date=14 July 2021|quote=The Cure's idiosyncratic decision to release Friday I'm In Love on Friday instead of Monday...}} The following week, after the other two formats went on sale, the single rose to number eight and peaked at number six during its third week on the chart. As of {{YEAR}}, it is the group's last UK top-10 hit. In the United States, the song reached number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving the band their last American top-40 hit to date. It was also the band's last song (in a string of four) to top the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, matching the success of their previous single, "High", with a four-week stint at number one.

Music video

The video, directed by Tim Pope, features the band performing the song in front of various backdrops on a soundstage, in homage to French silent filmmaker Georges Méliès: the video features the appearance of characters from his The Eclipse, or the Courtship of the Sun and Moon. Throughout the video the band play with various props and costumes while several extras wander around, causing chaos and ultimately trashing the set. Tim Pope makes a cameo at the beginning, riding a rocking horse and yelling out high-pitched stage directions through a plastic megaphone after inhaling helium from a balloon. The band's Japanese make-up artist also makes an appearance. The final shot is of bassist Simon Gallup crouching and peering into the camera while wearing a bridal veil and holding some champagne.{{cite magazine |first=Jordan |last=Runtagh |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-cures-friday-im-in-love-7-things-you-didnt-know-111331/ |title=The Cure's 'Friday I'm in Love': 7 Things You Didn't Know |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=21 Apr 2017 |access-date=23 February 2019 |url-access=subscription}} The producer of "Friday, I'm in Love", Dave M. Allen, makes an appearance in the background, also holding up props. Another oddity is the band's name on the drum—a scrawled "The Cures" rather than the band's singular name.

Track listing

{{Track listing

| headline = 7-inch vinyl

| title1 = Friday I'm in Love

| length1 = 3:36

| title2 = Halo

| length2 = 3:47

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = 12-inch vinyl

| title1 = Friday I'm in Love

| note1 = Strangelove Mix

| length1 = 5:29

| title2 = Halo

| length2 = 3:47

| title3 = Scared as You

| length3 = 4:12

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = CD

| title1 = Friday I'm in Love

| length1 = 3:36

| title2 = Halo

| length2 = 3:47

| title3 = Scared as You

| length3 = 4:12

| title4 = Friday I'm in Love

| note4 = Strangelove Mix

| length4 = 5:29

}}

Personnel

Robert Smith – vocals, guitar
Simon Gallup – bass
Porl Thompson – guitar
Boris Williams – drums
Perry Bamonte – six-string bass, keyboards

Charts

=Weekly charts=

scope="row"\|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine\|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-06-27.pdf\|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles\|magazine=Music & Media\|volume=9\|issue=26\|page=23\|date=27 June 1992\|access-date=31 January 2020}} \|align="center"\|20
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" \|+Weekly chart performance for "Friday I'm in Love" !Chart (1992–1993) !Peak position
{{single chart\|Australia\|39\|artist=The Cure\|song=Friday I'm In Love\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Austria\|13\|artist=The Cure\|song=Friday I'm In Love\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Canadatopsingles\|3\|chartid=1973\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Germany\|16\|artist=Cure\|song=Friday I'm In Love\|songid=2465\|rowheader=true\|access-date=27 October 2019}}
{{single chart\|Ireland2\|4\|song=Friday I'm in Love\|rowheader=true\|access-date=27 October 2019}}
{{single chart\|Dutch100\|32\|artist=The Cure\|song=Friday I'm In Love\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|New Zealand\|7\|artist=The Cure\|song=Friday I'm In Love\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Norway\|7\|artist=The Cure\|song=Friday I'm In Love\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Sweden\|17\|artist=The Cure\|song=Friday I'm In Love\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Switzerland\|17\|artist=The Cure\|song=Friday I'm In Love\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|UK\|6\|date=19920606\|rowheader=true\|access-date=9 March 2019\|refname="uk"}}
{{single chart\|Billboardhot100\|18\|artist=The Cure\|rowheader=true\|refname="hot100"}}
{{single chart\|Billboardalternativesongs\|1\|artist=The Cure\|rowheader=true\|access-date=27 October 2019\|refname="usas"}}
{{single chart\|Billboarddanceclubplay\|32\|artist=The Cure\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Billboarddancesales\|29\|artist=The Cure\|rowheader=true\|access-date=14 July 2021}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" \|+Year-end chart performance for "Friday I'm in Love" !Chart (1992) !Position
scope="row"\|Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite magazine\|url=http://rpmimages.3345.ca/pdfs/Volume+56-No.+25-December+19%2C+1992.pdf\|title=The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1992\|magazine=RPM\|volume=56\|issue=25\|page=8\|date=19 December 1992\|access-date=23 March 2019}} \|align="center"\|42
scope="row"\|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-12-19.pdf\|title=1992 Year-End Sales Charts\|magazine=Music & Media\|volume=9\|issue=51/52\|page=17\|date=19 December 1992\|access-date=31 January 2020}} \|align="center"\|97
scope="row"\|Germany (Media Control){{cite web\|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1992\|title=Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1992\|publisher=GfK Entertainment\|language=de\|access-date=27 October 2019}} \|align="center"\|52
scope="row"\|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web\|url=http://billboardtop100of.com/1992-2/\|title=Billboard Top 100 – 1992\|website=Billboardtop100of.com\|access-date=27 October 2019}} \|align="center"\|71
scope="row"\|US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard){{cite magazine\|title=The Year in Music: Top Modern Rock Tracks\|magazine=Billboard\|volume=104\|issue=52\|page=YE-42\|date=26 December 1992}} \|align="center"\|3

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+Year-end chart performance for "Friday I'm in Love"

!Chart (1992)

!Position

scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite magazine|url=http://rpmimages.3345.ca/pdfs/Volume+56-No.+25-December+19%2C+1992.pdf|title=The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1992|magazine=RPM|volume=56|issue=25|page=8|date=19 December 1992|access-date=23 March 2019}}

|align="center"|42

scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-12-19.pdf|title=1992 Year-End Sales Charts|magazine=Music & Media|volume=9|issue=51/52|page=17|date=19 December 1992|access-date=31 January 2020}}

|align="center"|97

scope="row"|Germany (Media Control){{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1992|title=Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1992|publisher=GfK Entertainment|language=de|access-date=27 October 2019}}

|align="center"|52

scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://billboardtop100of.com/1992-2/|title=Billboard Top 100 – 1992|website=Billboardtop100of.com|access-date=27 October 2019}}

|align="center"|71

scope="row"|US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=The Year in Music: Top Modern Rock Tracks|magazine=Billboard|volume=104|issue=52|page=YE-42|date=26 December 1992}}

|align="center"|3

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Friday I'm in Love"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|artist=Cure|title=Friday I'm in Love|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=1992|certyear=2024|id=14128|access-date=20 July 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|artist=The Cure|title=Friday I'm in Love|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=1992|certyear=2023|id=11412|access-date=8 October 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=The Cure|title=Friday I'm in Love|award=Platinum|number=2|type=single|relyear=1992|certyear=2023|source=radioscope|access-date=15 February 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|artist=The Cure|title=Friday I'm in Love|award=Platinum|number=2|type=single|relyear=1992|certyear=2024|access-date=29 October 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Cure|title=Friday I'm in Love|type=single|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2004|certyear=2023|id=13196-1031-1|access-date=20 October 2023}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" \|+Release history for "Friday I'm in Love" !scope="col"\|Region !scope="col"\|Date !scope="col"\|Label(s) !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|Ref.\|Reference}}
scope="row"\|United Kingdom \|15 May 1992 \|rowspan="2"\|Fiction \|
scope="row"\|Europe \|18 May 1992 \|{{cite magazine\|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-05-23.pdf\|title=Friday I'm in Love\|magazine=Music & Media\|volume=9\|issue=21\|page=38\|date=23 May 1992\|access-date=25 July 2020}}
scope="row"\|United States \|28 May 1992 \|Elektra \|{{cite web\|url=https://www.amazon.com/Friday-Im-in-Love/dp/B00000DJSH\|title=Friday I'm in Love\|publisher=Amazon\|access-date=14 July 2021}}
scope="row"\|Japan \|25 June 1992 \|Fiction \|{{cite web\|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/4567/products/201768/1/\|title=フライデイ・アイム・イン・ラヴ {{!}} Cure\|trans-title=Friday I'm in Love {{!}} Cure\|publisher=Oricon\|language=ja\|access-date=30 August 2023}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|+Release history for "Friday I'm in Love"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"|United Kingdom

|15 May 1992

|rowspan="2"|Fiction

scope="row"|Europe

|18 May 1992

|{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-05-23.pdf|title=Friday I'm in Love|magazine=Music & Media|volume=9|issue=21|page=38|date=23 May 1992|access-date=25 July 2020}}

scope="row"|United States

|28 May 1992

|Elektra

|{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Friday-Im-in-Love/dp/B00000DJSH|title=Friday I'm in Love|publisher=Amazon|access-date=14 July 2021}}

scope="row"|Japan

|25 June 1992

|Fiction

|{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/4567/products/201768/1/|title=フライデイ・アイム・イン・ラヴ {{!}} Cure|trans-title=Friday I'm in Love {{!}} Cure|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=30 August 2023}}