"In Between Days" (sometimes listed as "Inbetween Days" or "In-Between Days") is a song by the English rock band The Cure, released on 19 July 1985 as the first single from the band's sixth album The Head on the Door.
| "In Between Days" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by The Cure | ||||
| from the album The Head on the Door | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | 19 July 1985[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1985 | |||
| Studio | Angel Recording Studios, London | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:57 | |||
| Label | Fiction | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Robert Smith | |||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| The Cure singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "In Between Days" on YouTube | ||||
The song was an international success. In the UK, it was the band's ninth chart single and their fourth consecutive Top 20 hit;[4] while in the US it was their first single to reach the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 99.[5] It was a Top 20 hit in Australia and New Zealand[6] and also charted in several European countries,[7][8] increasing the popularity of the band.
Music video
editThe video was filmed on 18 June 1985 at Fulham Studios, London and created by Tim Pope. The video depicts the band playing, enhanced by 360-degree shots and drawn-in, colourful socks. Robert Smith had a camera, held by cables, which he could push away and hold at will; as did Porl Thompson, fixed on his guitar.[9]
Tim Pope said of the video "I think Robert is a true English eccentric, you see. He's an absolute nutcase; he's absolutely mad. Therefore, the films are very easy because I just do a close-up of his face and let him go a bit mad." Smith has stated that it was one of his favourite Cure videos, feeling "it captures the song", saying "We wanted to make a video that portrayed us as we are, without looking glamorous or anything, because I got very fed up with seeing people strutting and preening in videos. I think it’s the most tedious thing in the world, seeing the same people with different faces."[10]
Reception
edit"In Between Days" is widely regarded as one of the Cure's best songs. In 2019, Billboard ranked the song number three on their list of the 40 greatest Cure songs,[11] and in 2023, Mojo ranked the song number two on their list of the 30 greatest Cure songs.[12]
John Leland at Spin said, "It has the bittersweet feel of a New Order record, with a hyperstrummed acoustic guitar for depth. The boys even offer a genuine glimmer of hope, and the tune fairly breezes by on its own momentum."[13]
Track listing
editUK 7" single
- "In Between Days"
- "The Exploding Boy"
UK 12" single
- "In Between Days"
- "The Exploding Boy"
- "A Few Hours After This"
U.S. 7" single
- "In Between Days"
- "Stop Dead"
U.S./Canadian 12" single
- "In Between Days"
- "In Between Days" (Extended version)
- "Stop Dead"
UK CD
- "In Between Days" (2:55)
- "The Exploding Boy" (2:52)
- "A Few Hours After This" (2:25)
- "Six Different Ways (Live)" (3:24)
- "Push (Live)" (4:33)
- "In Between Days" (2:55) (video)
Personnel
edit- Robert Smith – vocals, guitar, six-string bass
- Porl Thompson – keyboards
- Simon Gallup – bass
- Boris Williams – drums
- Lol Tolhurst – keyboards
Charts
edit| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[14] | 16 |
| UK Singles Chart | 15 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 99 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 39 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[15] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Cover versions
editStudio versions
edit| Year | Artist | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | John Eddie | Rubáiyát: Elektra's 40th Anniversary |
| 2000 | Luka Bloom | Keeper of the Flame |
| 2003 | Ben Folds | Speed Graphic |
| 2003 | Sunfactor | One Thousand Screaming Children |
| 2005 | Korn | Unplugged |
| 2005 | La Portuaria | Rio |
| 2006 | Sunshiners | Sunshiners |
| 2008 | Mumm-Ra | Out of the Question EP |
| 2008 | Blackblack | Perfect as Cats |
| 2008 | Fightstar | Alternate Endings |
| 2009 | Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly | Covers |
| 2011 | Kim Wilde | Snapshots |
| 2015 | Tigers Jaw | Devinyl Splits No. 3: Tigers Jaw x Kevin Devine |
| 2017 | Karen Souza | Velvet Vault |
Other versions
edit- A live version of the song was released on The Rifles' single "She's Got Standards".
- The song was covered by Face to Face and is featured in the film Not Another Teen Movie.
- The song was covered by Superchunk as part of the first AV Undercover Series by The A.V. Club.
- The song was covered by Paramore during an acoustic set on Sirius XM Radio in 2013.
- The song was covered by Manic Street Preachers, who performed it at various festivals and at their show at Shepherd's Bush Empire to mark Absolute Radio's tenth anniversary.
- The song was covered by LUAMEL, a South Korean boy band, for the Apple TV+ produced television series, Pachinko, at the end of Episode 4.[16]
References
edit- ^ "Seeking a Cure" (PDF). Record Mirror. 13 July 1985. p. 7. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
- ^ Bruce Pollock (26 August 2005). Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era. Routledge. p. 182. ISBN 9780415970730.
- ^ "Just Like Heaven: The Cure's 10 best songs". NME. 27 March 2019.
- ^ "Cure | Full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts. Retrieved 2016-05-15.
- ^ "The Cure | Biography, Music & News". Billboard.com. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ Steffen Hung. "The Cure - In Between Days". Charts.nz. Retrieved 2016-11-09.
- ^ Steffen Hung. "The Cure - In Between Days". Lescharts.com. Retrieved 2016-11-09.
- ^ Jaclyn Ward. "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Archived from the original on 2009-06-02. Retrieved 2014-03-17.
- ^ "Cure video - in Between Days". www.impressionofsounds.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ Andruskevicius, Molly (2021-04-21). "Pictures Of You: The Stories Behind The Cure Videos". uDiscover Music. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
- ^ Unterberger, Andrew (March 29, 2019). "The Cure's 40 Best Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
- ^ "The Cure's 30 Greatest Songs Ranked". Mojo. November 14, 2023. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
- ^ John Leland (November 1985). "Singles". Spin. No. 6. p. 36.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "British single certifications – Cure – In Between Days". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ Hugh, Soo (2022-03-31). "Soo Hugh on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
External links
edit- "In Between Days" at Discogs (list of releases)