Three Imaginary Boys

My original cassette release is (C) & (P) 1978, a year earlier than what's given here, in '79 an expanded re-issue came out in the states as Boys Don't Cry, which isn't avalable here?!? That version had a few additional tracks, the aforementioned title single + "World War," "Plastic Passion," & "Heroin-heroine" & in shops I've seen re-mastered re-issues with further bonus tracks. On my original, the titles are all given on it as icons or pictograms in keeping with the dry humor of the conceptually obscured cover art band-foto stand-ins which always seemed like a clear Monty-Python-eque post-dada / post-punk sense of humour. Musically, their signature earlier-era moodier-tunes like 10:15 & the title track are here, but also, a sense of their of darker humor with Subway Song & Grinding Halt, which has such a strangely upbeat dancey feeling for cold-war nuclear-winter anxiety, its like Schopenhauer's motto: cheer up, we're all gonna die. So, the cover art feels incomplete without the original icon-image titles; the record as post-modern art object is lost, but there'd be a way to fix it: include the bonus tracks from the re-issued remastered CDs & give a more accurate account of what their early era was like.

to warn the world of this weenie lamo band. James hates mucus like this which can be roasted on sticks.

where's the original Boys Don't Cry? where's World War???

Foxey!! Bummer they took out some good songs- what about artistic freedom of expression? Censorship is way worse than risk of offending the jihad.

My first exposure to the Cure came in 1980 with Seventeen Seconds, so when I went back and bought this release, I wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Object is a great song, and Another Day and the title track would hint at things to come. The rest of this release however is an interesting slice of history, but nothing all that great. The Cure would release nothing like this again.

The Cure is my favorite band. This is not an album I would listen to regularly. This and Wild Mood Swings would usually get pushed aside for most of the rest of their discography. I didn't fully appreciate this album until the band did their "Reflections" shows where they did this, Seventeen Seconds, Faith, and a lot of the B-sides. from that era of the band. Someone had recorded the first show in Sydney Australia, and I downloaded it, and somehow got hooked on it. It is now one of my favorites. Other than Meathook, the album is flawless. Meathook is dumb. I need this on vinyl now.

My favorite cure album so far. I've only heard three, but this one takes the cake for me. I simply love it. Makes me wonder why not many people talk about this album when I bring up the cure. Seems like everyone only know the hits like "Friday I'm in love" Which are my least favorite cure songs with the exception of "Just like Heaven". I say give this album a listen.

Besides the original songs on the album it is great to hear the demo versions and how the songs developed. But I am disappointed that they removed "Killing An Arab". I guess it was viewed as controversial even though if you know the background of the song it isn't anti-arab. It is a shame. It is the best song on the album.

The best cure album ever. If your a fan, this album is a MUST HAVE!!

It's been a long time since I've had this on vinyl, but I thought Killing an...(I'll be PC here) was on this album. It's not in iTunes at all. I guess it might have become too contraversial, but was it removed from the album? Or I guess it could have been on another album, but I don't think so. Anyway, loved The Cure then and they still rock!