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The Cure — All Cats Are Grey
Album: Faith
Avg rating:
7.3

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1420









Released: 1981
Length: 5:10
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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I never thought that I would find myself
In bed amongst the stones
The columns are all men
Begging to crush me
No shapes sail on the dark deep lakes
And no flags wave me home

In the caves
All cats are grey
In the caves
The textures coat my skin
In the death cell
A single note rings on and on and on
Comments (128)add comment
 deniseperry wrote:

Such a slippery soothing sound.




I  Agree.
Posted 1 year ago by joejennings    [ Reply ]
 Tippster wrote:


This band and album basically kicked off Goth. 


Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division and Bela Lugosi's dead by Bauhaus both came out in 1979. I think these two bands fully started Goth, but credit is also due to earlier bands that were pointing in that direction such as Television, Iggy Pop, David Bowie, and probably a bunch of other really cool bands that I'm not remembering right now. 
Posted 1 year ago by Kajukenbo    [ Reply ]
 timmus wrote:
It's strange thinking they started out with this kind of refined, complex sound, and just 10 years later they were cranking out yacht rock drivel like "Friday I'm In Love".


You really ought to listen to the rest of Wish if you think that's an adequate summation
Posted 1 year ago by bialia    [ Reply ]
Such a slippery soothing sound.
Posted 1 year ago by deniseperry    [ Reply ]
It's strange thinking they started out with this kind of refined, complex sound, and just 10 years later they were cranking out yacht rock drivel like "Friday I'm In Love".
Posted 2 years ago by timmus    [ Reply ]
 smartn1 wrote:

Why do I feel dead inside now?




You ate too much junk food!! Too many Cheetos!!
Posted 2 years ago by joejennings    [ Reply ]
The more I hear this, the more I like it!!  Thanx RP!
Posted 2 years ago by joejennings    [ Reply ]
Why do I feel dead inside now?
Posted 2 years ago by smartn1    [ Reply ]
Excellent Tune! I never heard it before. Thanx RP!
Posted 2 years ago by joejennings    [ Reply ]
 bam23 wrote:

Never heard this before this hour. Prior to 2+ years in Japan, I was completely unaware of this band. Peter, from Ireland, introduced me, and since then this band has been one I pay attention to. But where did this piece come from? Excellent, in its genre (which is?).



This band and album basically kicked off Goth. 
Posted 2 years ago by Tippster    [ Reply ]
 Tippster wrote:

Still one of my top 5 Cure songs.  Love the atmosphere of this piece.



Same here. The whole album really.  Changed my teenager Rock-n-Roll brain. Thank goodness. 
Posted 2 years ago by Tippster    [ Reply ]
Reminds me a bit of OMD. This is very, very, nice.
Posted 2 years ago by mach-hog    [ Reply ]
 bam23 wrote:
 But where did this piece come from?
 
came from some time 40 years ago...
Posted 2 years ago by oldviolin    [ Reply ]
Never heard this before this hour. Prior to 2+ years in Japan, I was completely unaware of this band. Peter, from Ireland, introduced me, and since then this band has been one I pay attention to. But where did this piece come from? Excellent, in its genre (which is?).
Posted 2 years ago by bam23    [ Reply ]
CatsChatter
Posted 3 years ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
The Dire Straits Song before has an higher rating than this...not possible!
This Cure Song ist a TEN!!!
Posted 3 years ago by caramba-caracho    [ Reply ]
 aspicer wrote:
Yes, it was the very dark early period of The Cure, but some of their best work IMHO. Embracing the "Shadow- side"  yields beauty sometimes.
 

Not sometimes, I claim it to be ESSENTIAL
Refusing to do so can create horrible things, see history (start last night)
Posted 3 years ago by ExploitingChaos    [ Reply ]
Still one of my top 5 Cure songs.  Love the atmosphere of this piece.
Posted 3 years ago by Tippster    [ Reply ]
Yes, it was the very dark early period of The Cure, but some of their best work IMHO. Embracing the "Shadow- side"  yields beauty sometimes.
Posted 3 years ago by aspicer    [ Reply ]
I can’t see how this gets a 7.3 rating,lifeless tune by the Cure when there are so many other decent tracks from them.
Posted 4 years ago by Easyrider    [ Reply ]
Perfect song, perfect album. Straight 10 every day of the week.

Thanks Bill I needed this.
Posted 4 years ago by be4con    [ Reply ]
 mayorr7 wrote:
 
 
can only agree
Posted 4 years ago by Poopsey    [ Reply ]
Play The Year of the Cat now
Posted 5 years ago by ThePoose    [ Reply ]
 Austin2Florida wrote:
Should follow this with Love Cats to keep the cat theme going.
 
Followed by Stray Cat Strut by the Stray Cats and Tommy the Cat by  Primus.
Posted 6 years ago by LeGiff    [ Reply ]
First time for me. Thought I’d heard all the choice cuts. 
Posted 6 years ago by passsion8    [ Reply ]
Really like this follow up to RH's Decks Dark - Nice one Bill! {#Cheers}
Posted 7 years ago by aspicer    [ Reply ]
Can't help but stop and actively listen to this one.....SO MANY memories to this album and song....awesome work.
Posted 7 years ago by aspicer    [ Reply ]
Never mind the song name - I listen with my ears and that is what matters.  This song and the album that it is taken from belongs to a place and a time and hearing it brings me back to then.

I saw the Cure in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia back then and they played many songs from this album.

Sounds strange now but like all music it is indelibly linked to when we used to listen to it.

Thanks for playing it Bill.
Posted 9 years ago by Stephen_Phillips    [ Reply ]
PSD'd from another Dylan wank into this.  So smoooooth.
Posted 9 years ago by Tippster    [ Reply ]
Well, for sure this song is grey, possibly the very essence of musical greyness. Not even miserable or angst-ridden enough to fit into the usual Cure oeuvre, but the musical equivalent of John Major*. Aural Valium. PSD and away off to the dynamism of the Afrocelts.

* Brit reference to an ancient Prime Minister famed for his mediocrity and sheer lack of personality.
Posted 10 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
Love love love this song and album.
Posted 10 years ago by Tippster    [ Reply ]
Only heard the first 30 seconds and am loving it already.

And I don't see a single negative comment on this tune ! 
Posted 10 years ago by msymmes    [ Reply ]
Amazing sound for an early 80's release aided by the 128 AAC natch!
Posted 10 years ago by TerryS    [ Reply ]
never heard this Cure song before - I hate to admit, but I thought it was Phil Collins/ genesis before the singing started .... sounds a lot more Cure-y now that he's singing though (and a lot better) {#Drummer}- love the title
Posted 10 years ago by suesblues    [ Reply ]
WOW....RH Separator into this....AMAZING!  Bill you're good!!!  {#Mrgreen}  ..but we already knew that.
Posted 11 years ago by aspicer    [ Reply ]
...secrets is another favorite from this era...
Posted 11 years ago by mandolin    [ Reply ]
Genius. 
Posted 11 years ago by glowworm    [ Reply ]
This one reminds me of Joy Division. Very nice to hear it again. Brilliant
Posted 11 years ago by Doubledirk    [ Reply ]
Love this!!  One of my 3 favorite songs by The Cure.  Dark and atmospheric....in a good-sounding way!! 
Posted 11 years ago by d48m02h1918    [ Reply ]
The Funeral Party, another excellent track of this album. Nice, Bill!
Posted 11 years ago by Euskadita    [ Reply ]
And here I was thinking "another slit-yer-wrists morning on RP..."

mayorr7 wrote:
This is just an amazing set you've got going this monday morning...Dire Straits , "follow me home", Radiohead, "separator", and now the Cure and "all cats are grey". What beautiful songs. Thanks for keeping the good stuff coming. I don't know how you manage to program such an disparate mix of tunes across genres and musical eras so incredibly well and so consistently.
Randy   
Birmingham, AL
 


Posted 11 years ago by coccyx    [ Reply ]
This is just an amazing set you've got going this monday morning...Dire Straits , "follow me home", Radiohead, "separator", and now the Cure and "all cats are grey". What beautiful songs. Thanks for keeping the good stuff coming. I don't know how you manage to program such an disparate mix of tunes across genres and musical eras so incredibly well and so consistently.
Randy   
Birmingham, AL
Posted 11 years ago by mayorr7    [ Reply ]
My fave song from this album. .. so quiet and conducive to contemplation
Posted 11 years ago by spiggy    [ Reply ]
..atmospheric..sucks my mind upwards..
Posted 12 years ago by cShaggy    [ Reply ]
yes, but how many shades of grey?  50, perhaps? ;)
Posted 12 years ago by LongGoneDaddy    [ Reply ]
 vivyruest wrote:
"Faith" album is from 1981, not 1988....
 
CD came out in '88, maybe?
Posted 12 years ago by Tippster    [ Reply ]
"Faith" album is from 1981, not 1988....
Posted 12 years ago by vivyruest    [ Reply ]
 Biscobret wrote:
'Faith' & 'Seventeen Seconds' are both such great, brilliant really, moody albums.  Atmospheric.  The best of the best early - mid Eighties music!!
 
Yep!
Posted 12 years ago by mmoyer    [ Reply ]
 Biscobret wrote:
'Faith' & 'Seventeen Seconds' are both such great, brilliant really, moody albums.  Atmospheric.  The best of the best early - mid Eighties music!!
 
& it definitely did NOT come out in 1988!

Faith
Studio album by The Cure
Released11 April 1981
GenrePost-punk, Dark Wave, Dream Pop
Length36:54
LabelFiction (UK)
A&M (U.S. original release)
Elektra (1986 reissue)
Rhino (2006 reissue)
ProducerThe Cure, Mike Hedges

Posted 12 years ago by Biscobret    [ Reply ]
'Faith' & 'Seventeen Seconds' are both such great, brilliant really, moody albums.  Atmospheric.  The best of the best early - mid Eighties music!!
Posted 12 years ago by Biscobret    [ Reply ]
I'm not familiar with this one — like it!  Opening notes made me think of the "Drive" soundtrack (which is soooooo completely 80's inspired).
Posted 12 years ago by socalhol    [ Reply ]

Big Cure fan here. Maybe my favourite band ever. Seen them perform this song live a couple of times.

9.


Posted 12 years ago by le_colonel    [ Reply ]
Amazing tune - one of the best from The Cure.  Uplifting and inspiring in a down way!
Posted 12 years ago by aspicer    [ Reply ]
Oh wow, flashing to 1985.
Posted 12 years ago by shakylegs    [ Reply ]
some things just strike me as resonant. I don't know why, and that's what I like about it...
Posted 13 years ago by oldviolin    [ Reply ]
Don't care what color your cat is or isn't. Love the Cure though.
Posted 13 years ago by gatorade    [ Reply ]
 Jelani wrote:

Well, actually, the saying goes: "All cats are grey in the dark" referencing the hesitance of one having a random shag with another of the opposite sex that isn't "that great looking"...once the lights are out....
 
I still don't get it, I guess. I have a cat that glows in the dark (well, if you rub his fur the wrong way...)  Still, I like this song, so I'll just switch to glide now...

Posted 13 years ago by Cynaera    [ Reply ]
 Cynaera wrote:
I have twelve cats, and only one of them is grey - and she's still a kitten, so leaning towards calico. Still - would the title have worked had it been "All Dogs Are Grey"?  All (insert single-syllable animal name here) Are Grey.  All Mice Are Grey. All Snakes Are Grey. 

I have GOT to stop over-analyzing songs.
 
Well, actually, the saying goes: "All cats are grey in the dark" referencing the hesitance of one having a random shag with another of the opposite sex that isn't "that great looking"...once the lights are out....
Posted 13 years ago by Jelani    [ Reply ]
I have twelve cats, and only one of them is grey - and she's still a kitten, so leaning towards calico. Still - would the title have worked had it been "All Dogs Are Grey"?  All (insert single-syllable animal name here) Are Grey.  All Mice Are Grey. All Snakes Are Grey. 

I have GOT to stop over-analyzing songs.
Posted 13 years ago by Cynaera    [ Reply ]
Whoever added this song deserves a glass of red wine... served by a pale crying wench in a stained wedding dress.  Gothtacular!

Such a great tune.

Posted 14 years ago by Tippster    [ Reply ]
I'mmmm sinnnnkkkkinnnng innntoooo aaa traaaaannnnce...
Posted 14 years ago by Jeff09    [ Reply ]
Check out the lyrics - death - that's always been my thinking. hypnotique...
the piano at the end = very cool...

I never thought that I would find myself
In bed amongst the stones
The columns are all men
Begging to crush me
No shapes sail on the dark deep lakes
And no flags wave me home

In the caves
All cats are grey
In the caves
The textures coat my skin
In the death cell
A single note
Rings on and on and on



Posted 14 years ago by sbird    [ Reply ]
This is probably one of their best songs. If you get a chance to check the video out to this on Youtube you should. Fits perfectly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oSBK-JS-O0


Posted 14 years ago by Bocephus    [ Reply ]
one of their finest
Posted 14 years ago by rage    [ Reply ]
I like the Cure, but have never heard this one and feel that I was a better person for that.{#Stop}{#Puke}
Posted 14 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
I have 5 cats, 2 dogs and one wife and they all like this tune.
Posted 14 years ago by nalle    [ Reply ]
My family does have a grey cat! So I have to give this song a high rating because of its truthiness. {#Mrgreen}

Posted 14 years ago by peter_james_bond    [ Reply ]
Cat obsessives the lot of em.
Posted 15 years ago by EssexTex    [ Reply ]
lol cat
Posted 15 years ago by a_genuine_find    [ Reply ]
My cat is white and he likes this song.
Posted 15 years ago by fuh2    [ Reply ]
My cat Annie (Animalus Insanus) is not gray. Her colors separated and she is black and white.
Isabeau (the nutty) is a bit of gray though. She is a Tabby point Siamese looking thing.

So, does anyone want some Grey Tea? Not made from cats BTW.
Posted 15 years ago by jpfueler    [ Reply ]
 dionysius wrote:
We used to have a gray cat, but then he died. Now none of our cats are gray. I think that Mr. Robert Smith should be more observant, and not make such blanket statements that are so easy to disprove. Faulty use of inductive reasoning leads to strange songwriting.
 
I repeat my original observation of people who live in Texas, something happens to them.
And it occurs no matter where they come from, maybe their brain shrinks, I don't know.
But this observation is hillarious!!!!! 

Posted 15 years ago by lattalo    [ Reply ]
Definitely excellent! I haven't heard this one in YEARS... thanks Bill!
Posted 15 years ago by WhiskeyDude    [ Reply ]
Beautiful.... somber, hypnotic, dramatic, a chill wind sweeping across the Russian steppes....

Posted 16 years ago by Zep    [ Reply ]
 Faterson wrote:
I'm a fanatic The Cure fan, but most of their songs are 7 at best, just as with any other artist. Let's not get overly excited. {#Smile}
 
And you gave The Bangles "Walk Like An Egyptian" a golden 10 {#Whistle}
Posted 16 years ago by OHMish    [ Reply ]
I'm a fanatic The Cure fan, but most of their songs are 7 at best, just as with any other artist. Let's not get overly excited. {#Smile}
Posted 16 years ago by Faterson    [ Reply ]
All cats are grey ... and most Cure songs are 10. :-)
Posted 16 years ago by smehan55    [ Reply ]
Actually, my cat is white with five-point tabby coloring....

{#Roflol}
Posted 16 years ago by SantaFeGrace    [ Reply ]
Never heard this before, but I'm likin' it.
Posted 16 years ago by F1    [ Reply ]
...wow!..i'm really surprised to hear this on radio paradise - it's a stellar song, not contesting that at all, but it's not by any means what i would consider radio-friendly...
Posted 16 years ago by mandolin    [ Reply ]
Since I can't make 1 louder, this one needs to go to 11.
Posted 16 years ago by seandevine    [ Reply ]
6 -> 8. What was I thinking? This song is awesome!
Posted 16 years ago by lathyris    [ Reply ]
Great archeological pop discover!
Posted 16 years ago by aragon    [ Reply ]
Austin2Florida wrote:
Should follow this with Love Cats to keep the cat theme going.
jeje, so true.. that song is awesome!!!
Posted 16 years ago by tripi    [ Reply ]
......"now there's nothing left but....faith" - Thanks for spinning a great song of the season. Happy Halloween everyone.....
Posted 17 years ago by sonic67061    [ Reply ]
Why do I have the sudden urge to swallow a bottle of xanax and wash it down with a box of merlot? I miss being a teenager.
Posted 17 years ago by magnoliase    [ Reply ]
This one takes me back to college. All black clothes, pasty women and my Vespa scooter with sidecar. What a life while it lasted.
Posted 17 years ago by CafeRacer    [ Reply ]
All cats are grey
So are songs by the Cure
Posted 17 years ago by MM13    [ Reply ]
Maybe if he went with younger women he wouldn't be so sad. randomprime wrote:
I have no idea what this means, now that I know what cat really means. See you cats later!
Posted 17 years ago by eastcoast    [ Reply ]
I am looking after a couple of cats for my friend, the one sat on the shelf above me is grey but the other one is orange so The Cure are a bunch of liars
Posted 17 years ago by tiggers    [ Reply ]
exciter76 wrote:
a prelude to the 2nd cure's best album: pornography!(the 1st is no way disintegration!!!)
AGREED! Pornography and Faith are far the best albums from this band. The rest is just window dressing for a popular following. Dark, mysterious, brooding, kicking a stone alone on a road going nowhere not trying to get anywhere. That is the Cure I loved. Back in college trying to figure out who the hell I am.
Posted 17 years ago by horstman    [ Reply ]
daveesh wrote:
Ben Franklin used this line when referring to his affinity for older women: "And as in the Dark all Cats are grey, the Pleasure of Corporal Enjoyment with an old Woman is at least equal and frequently superior; every Knack being by Practice capable by improvement.
This is correct. All Cats Are Gray is Ben Franklin's reference to the fact that all women are identical in bed when the lights are out, and (in fact) older women are often better in bed than younger women due to their experience. The word cat is a metaphor for a certain distinctive part of the female anatomy. See here. (click here)
Posted 18 years ago by pianocomposer    [ Reply ]
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Posted 18 years ago by liser    [ Reply ]
rKokon wrote:
They aren't saying that all cats are gray if they are quoting the saw. The saw says that in the dark, all cats are gray. That can be interpreted in various ways, none of them literal.
Ben Franklin used this line when referring to his affinity for older women: "And as in the Dark all Cats are grey, the Pleasure of Corporal Enjoyment with an old Woman is at least equal and frequently superior; every Knack being by Practice capable by improvement.
Posted 18 years ago by daveesh    [ Reply ]
We used to have a gray cat, but then he died. Now none of our cats are gray. I think that Mr. Robert Smith should be more observant, and not make such blanket statements that are so easy to disprove. Faulty use of inductive reasoning leads to strange songwriting.
Posted 18 years ago by dionysius    [ Reply ]
So this is it... this is as good as it gets?
Posted 18 years ago by MinMan    [ Reply ]
fuh2 wrote:
This song dont scare me.
I ain't afraid of grey cats.
Posted 18 years ago by davin    [ Reply ]
This song dont scare me.
Posted 18 years ago by fuh2    [ Reply ]
Man, I love this chilly sound...Don't ask me why...
Posted 18 years ago by junebaby65    [ Reply ]
i'm a fan of the cure and have been since college. yet i've never heard of this album! guess i'm not a TRUE fan ... i'll work harder.
Posted 18 years ago by phillips    [ Reply ]
Finally! A Cure song without that guy CRYING.
Posted 18 years ago by Geecheeboy    [ Reply ]
a prelude to the 2nd cure's best album: pornography!(the 1st is no way disintegration!!!)
Posted 18 years ago by exciter76    [ Reply ]
If you can't keep the clunkers off your own ipod then you really are in trouble ... passsion8 wrote:
On my ipod shuffle there comes a time when I'll get a few clunkers in a row That's whats happening with the last few songs here - UGH
Posted 18 years ago by JayCee    [ Reply ]
It sounds like the Cure were listening to OMD when they wrote this, I think it's highly derivative.
Posted 18 years ago by mach-hog    [ Reply ]
Should follow this with Love Cats to keep the cat theme going.
Posted 18 years ago by Austin2Florida    [ Reply ]
LaundryDetergent wrote:
One of the BEST Cure songs... One of the BEST Cure Albums.
Too bad that means it gets a 2 instead of a 1.
Posted 18 years ago by ElSupreme    [ Reply ]
One of the BEST Cure songs... One of the BEST Cure Albums.
Posted 18 years ago by LaundryDetergent    [ Reply ]
Thank you!
Posted 18 years ago by koegou    [ Reply ]
This is a great track from a great album. Faith is an amazing album to listen to from start to finish with headphones. (Do people still do that?) Really takes you to another place.
Posted 18 years ago by SCJoniguy    [ Reply ]
On my ipod shuffle there comes a time when I'll get a few clunkers in a row That's whats happening with the last few songs here - UGH
Posted 18 years ago by passsion8    [ Reply ]
lixy wrote:
There's a French proverb that goes "La nuit, tout les chats sont gris". It literally translates to "At nights, all cats are gray".
as in Dutch, meaning that beauty doesn't count when it's dark... Kinda cynical ;)
Posted 18 years ago by lunar1963    [ Reply ]
Not what I would consider a typical Cure-like number, but sounds like a classic to me.
Posted 18 years ago by kgish    [ Reply ]
in the caves all cats are grey
Posted 18 years ago by kaupmees    [ Reply ]
catmaven wrote:
They aren't saying that all cats are gray if they are quoting the saw. The saw says that in the dark, all cats are gray. That can be interpreted in various ways, none of them literal.
There's a French proverb that goes "La nuit, tout les chats sont gris". It literally translates to "At nights, all cats are gray".
Posted 18 years ago by lixy    [ Reply ]
They aren't saying that all cats are gray if they are quoting the saw. The saw says that in the dark, all cats are gray. That can be interpreted in various ways, none of them literal.
Posted 18 years ago by rKokon    [ Reply ]
Another fine piece of melancholia from the Cure.
Posted 19 years ago by redeyespy    [ Reply ]
...and now for your local forecast.
Posted 19 years ago by tiger_town_trumpet    [ Reply ]
Roverfish wrote:
I have insider knowledge that all cats are not, in fact, grey. :-$ Likeable and not exactly well-known Cure cut.
The Cure "broke" in Europe about 3 albums before the US...
Posted 19 years ago by lunar1963    [ Reply ]
I have insider knowledge that all cats are not, in fact, grey. :-$ Likeable and not exactly well-known Cure cut.
Posted 19 years ago by Roverfish    [ Reply ]
I uploaded this here sometime in February of 2005.
Posted 19 years ago by noyou    [ Reply ]