Sunday Shuffle Review #2: Inbetween Days by The Cure

This weeks Shuffle Review landed on a song that's just plain fun and depressing in the way that only The Cure can do. "Inbetween Days" was the first single and opening track from The Cure's 1985 album Head on the the Door. This was the first Cure album I bought, discovering them in my British Alternative awakening when I went to college. The Cure, led by Robert Smith, were "the" band for black-clad suburban "rebels" too sophisticated for punks filthiness and aggression. We there was were depressed as only teenagers who wanted to be hopelessly introspective yet still have fun could be. Cure fans were emo before emo.

"Inbetween Days" was a perfect song for that attitude. It is infectiously upbeat. It takes off fast and stays like that for 2:58 until the very last note. Alternating single note synthesizer and electric guitar layer melodically on top of constantly driving acoustic guitar and percussion. This song moves and never lets up.

Lyrically the song cannot be more different. It begins with a painful expression of aging and loss

Yesterday I got so old
I felt like I could die
Yesterday I got so old
It made me want to cry

Just walk away
Your choice is made
Go on go on
And disappear
Go on go on
Away from here

From this pushing away, Smith realizes his mistakes. He needs her but has pushed her away

And I know I was wrong
When I said it was true
That it couldn't be me and be her
Inbetween without you
Without you

Verse two shifts to a please to return that goes unanswered

Yesterday I got so scared

I shivered like a child
Yesterday away from you
It froze me deep inside
Come back come back
Don't walk away
Come back come back
Come back today
Come back come back
Why can't you see
Come back come back
Come back to me

It is a sad song that you just have to dance to. It is a perfect example of the genius of Robert Smith and why The Cure captured such a fanatical following. Enjoy!! Just don't think about getting old and losing your one true love.