Lovesong (The Cure song)

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|filename=TheCureLovesong.ogg

|title="Lovesong" (1989)

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The song is performed in A minor and is built around a distinctive bass riff. The verses follow an Am/G/F/Em chord progression, which changes to F/G/Am/C in the choruses. The lyrics are simple, with each verse having the same structure ("Whenever I'm alone with you / you make me feel like I am ... again"). Speaking of its simplicity and unusually upbeat nature compared to the other tracks on Disintegration, Robert Smith stated, "It's an open show of emotion. It's not trying to be clever. It's taken me ten years to reach the point where I feel comfortable singing a very straightforward love song."{{cite book |last=Apter |first=Jeff |title=Never Enough: The Story of The Cure |date=2009 |publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn=978-1-84772-739-8 |pages=234–235}}

The single version of the song is almost exactly the same as the album version, yet the mix differs slightly, with extra reverb and harmonies added to Smith's vocals. In addition, in the instrumental section between the first two verses, the guitar does not join the keyboards as it does on the album.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}}

Similar to the title variations of the Cure song "In Between Days", there is not a universally agreed-upon spacing method of the title of "Lovesong", as it varies between "Lovesong" and "Love Song" on many official Cure releases. The original 1989 artwork for the album Disintegration uses "Love Song" on the track listing and "Lovesong" on the lyrics sheet; the revised art for the 2010 remaster of the album consistently uses "Lovesong". When released as a single in 1989, the cover artwork displayed the title as "Lovesong", while the printing on the disc itself read "Love Song" all three times. Subsequent releases of Paris and Galore both use "Lovesong" exclusively, while 2001's Greatest Hits compilation uses "Lovesong" on the track listing and "Love Song" within the liner notes. 2004's Join the Dots also uses "Lovesong" within the booklet presentation.

Upon release as a single, the song received worldwide success, and peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it the group's most successful single in the United States. The song also charted at number two on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, number 30 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 18 on the UK Singles Chart. Smith originally wrote the song for his long-time girlfriend and then fiancée, Mary, as a wedding present.

The extended mix version of the song was included on the band's 1990 remix album Mixed Up. An instrumental demo version recorded by the band was featured on the second disk of the 2010 re-release of Disintegration. A music video featuring the band performing inside a cave was also released with the single.

7-inch single

1. "Lovesong" – 3:24
2. "2 Late" – 2:40

12-inch single

1. "Lovesong" (extended mix)
2. "2 Late"
3. "Fear of Ghosts"

CD single

1. "Lovesong" (remix) – 3:24
2. "Lovesong" (extended remix) – 6:18
3. "2 Late"
4. "Fear of Ghosts"

• Robert Smith – vocals, guitar, keyboards
• Simon Gallup – bass guitar
• Porl Thompson – guitar
• Boris Williams – drums, percussion
• Roger O'Donnell – keyboards
• Lol Tolhurst – (officially, in album credits) "other instrument"
• Mark Saunders – remix

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=The Cure|title=Lovesong|award=Gold|relyear=1989|certyear=2023|source=radioscope|access-date=15 February 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Cure|title=Lovesong|award=Silver|relyear=2004|certyear=2023|id=18676-1031-1|access-date=20 January 2023}}

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{{Infobox song

| name = Love Song

| cover = 311 Love Song.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = 311

| album = 50 First Dates Soundtrack {{noitalic|and}} Greatest Hits '93–'03

| released = {{start date|2004|2|13|df=y}}

| format =

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Reggae rock, soft rock

| length = 3:28

| label = Volcano

| writer = {{hlist|Robert Smith|Simon Gallup|Porl Thompson|Roger O'Donnell|Boris Williams|Lol Tolhurst}}

| producer =

| prev_title = Beyond the Gray Sky

| prev_year = 2003

| next_title = First Straw

| next_year = 2004

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|egX9ZDaIrkU|"Love Song"}}}}

}}

"Love Song" was released as a single by the band 311 and is featured on the soundtrack of the 2004 film 50 First Dates. It is also featured on 311's greatest hits album, Greatest Hits '93–'03. While the Cure's original version peaked at number two on the Alternative Songs chart, 311's cover was peaked at number one. This cover also entered the Billboard Hot 100—peaking at number 59—becoming the band's only song to reach the chart. 311's cover was also successful in the adult contemporary radio market, peaking within the top ten of the Mainstream Top 40—at number seven.

The music video, directed by Mark Kohr, features 311 playing the song in a bar. While not featured in the version on YouTube, the version initially released for the song in conjunction with, and featuring footage from, 50 First Dates, features a cameo from former Cure member Lol Tolhurst{{cite web |title=Cure News for January 22nd: Lol to appear in the 311 video for "Lovesong" |url=http://www.ossh.com/thecure/ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/chainofflowers/jan04.html |website=Ossh.com |access-date=25 April 2021 |archive-date=25 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425022236/http://www.ossh.com/thecure/ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/chainofflowers/jan04.html |url-status=live }} as a bartender. His appearance is at 2:22 in the video.{{Cite web|url=http://archive.org/details/MTV311Lovesong311lovesongmpg|title=311 Love song|access-date=25 April 2021|via=Internet Archive}}

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|award=Platinum|certyear=2023|title=Love Song|artist=311|type=single|access-date=September 8, 2023|relyear=2004}}

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American trance singer Jes has covered the song in various trance and acoustic styles, releasing her own cover version in 2009, and included in her 2010 album High Glow. The song was covered by the Brunettes for the 2008 American Laundromat Records tribute album Just Like Heaven – a tribute to The Cure. It has also been covered by the bands A Perfect Circle (as a mashup with "Diary of a Madman"), Good Charlotte, the Deluxtone Rockets, Jack Off Jill, Snake River Conspiracy, Azam Ali/Niyaz, Death Cab for Cutie, Anberlin, Seafood (who released their cover of the song as a single in June 2007) and Fordirelifesake. Canadian musical duo Dala recorded their cover of the song on the 2005 album Angels & Thieves. Canadian psychobilly band the Brains recorded their version of the song in 2014 on their The Cover Up EP. Dutch indie band This Beautiful Mess recorded a version for a compilation of 80's cover hits.

Other solo artists have performed covers as well, such as Tori Amos during several live performances, most famously on the radio station KROQ-FM. Naimee Coleman included an interpretation of the song on her 2001 album Bring Down The Moon. Voltaire released an acoustic cover on his album Then and Again. It was also covered by Maltese singer Ira Losco, found on her 2007 unplugged album Unmasked. Japanese singer Immi included a cover of the song on her debut album Switch. American folk singer Mariee Sioux covered the song for the tribute album Perfect as Cats: A Tribute to The Cure in 2008. British singer Adele included a bossa nova cover of the song on her second album, 21, which peaked at #18 on Billboard's Smooth Jazz Songs chart.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/21-20110217|title=Adele: 21|last=Hermes|first=Will|date=17 February 2011|website=Rolling Stone|access-date=7 September 2017|archive-date=12 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712195340/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/21-20110217|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jan/23/adele-adkins-21-review|title=Adele: 21 – review|last=Empire|first=Kitty|author-link=Kitty Empire|date=22 January 2011|website=The Guardian|access-date=7 September 2017|archive-date=4 August 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240804013030/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jan/23/adele-adkins-21-review|url-status=live}}{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f[0]=ts_chart_artistname%3AAdele&f[1]=ss_chart_search_title%3A%2ALovesong%2A&f[2]=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=1&artist=Adele&title=Lovesong|title=Adele – Chart history|magazine=Billboard Smooth Jazz Songs for Adele|access-date=7 September 2017}} Nina Sky covered this song on their 2010 EP The Other Side.

The song was covered by Captain during a BBC Radio 2 live session with Dermot O'Leary. The American Indie-pop band Koufax covered it in several live apparitions.{{Cite web|url=https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/koufax/2002/cats-cradle-carrboro-nc-23d3382f.html|title=Koufax Setlist at Cat's Cradle, Carrboro|website=Setlist.fm|language=en|access-date=15 February 2020|archive-date=15 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215184222/https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/koufax/2002/cats-cradle-carrboro-nc-23d3382f.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.gaesteliste.de/konzerte/show.html?id=990015678&_nr=657|title=Konzert-Bericht: Koufax / Mates Of State / Onelinedrawing / Hamburg / Gaesteliste.de Internet-Musikmagazin|last=Bluhm|first=David|date=15 February 2020|website=Gaesteliste.de|language=de|access-date=15 February 2020|archive-date=19 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419113748/https://www.gaesteliste.de/konzerte/show.html?id=990015678&_nr=657|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_GIgCDKR3c |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/R_GIgCDKR3c |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|title=Koufax - 6/28/03|access-date=25 April 2021|publisher=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

The Big Pink provided a cover of "Lovesong" for The Cure tribute album Pictures of You: A Tribute to Godlike Geniuses The Cure, which was made available with the 25 February 2009 issue of NME.[http://journal.4ad.com/the-big-pink-cover-the-cure 4AD Journal: The Big Pink Cover The Cure] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204055346/http://journal.4ad.com/the-big-pink-cover-the-cure|date=4 December 2010}}

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Adele|title=Lovesong|award=Silver|relyear=2011|certyear=2023|id=18676-417-1|access-date=28 April 2023}}

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Category:1980s ballads

Category:1989 singles

Category:1989 songs

Category:2004 singles

Category:311 (band) songs

Category:Adele songs

Category:The Cure songs

Category:Elektra Records singles

Category:Fiction Records singles

Category:Jes (musician) songs

Category:Music videos directed by Tim Pope

Category:Rock ballads

Category:Song recordings produced by David M. Allen

Category:Songs written by Lol Tolhurst

Category:Songs written by Porl Thompson

Category:Songs written by Robert Smith (musician)

Category:Songs written by Roger O'Donnell

Category:Songs written by Simon Gallup

Category:Volcano Entertainment singles