The Top

by The Cure

The Top cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 4 May 1984
  • Label: Fiction
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Length: 1:45:34
  • Community rating: 2.92/5 from 13 ratings

Artists on this release: Andy Anderson, Porl Thompson, Robert Smith

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Recorded during a period of intense substance abuse and lineup instability, 'The Top' is a wildly eclectic, deeply hallucinogenic departure from The Cure's traditional gothic gloom. Robert Smith essentially functioned as a solo artist, layering Middle Eastern motifs, erratic synthesizers, and manic, surreal lyricism over swirling neo-psychedelic rock. The album is a dark, highly quirky, and profoundly playful transitional experiment.

Genres

Descriptors: melodic

Tracklist

  1. Shake Dog Shake (4:56)
  2. The Birdmad Girl (4:06)
  3. Wailing Wall (5:22)
  4. Give Me It (3:42)
  5. Dressing Up (2:51)
  6. The Caterpillar (3:41)
  7. Piggy In The Mirror (3:40)
  8. The Empty World (2:36)
  9. Bananafishbones (2:59)
  10. The Top (6:56)
  11. You Stayed ... - Robert Smith Home Demo (2:20)
  12. Ariel - Robert Smith Home Demo (2:58)
  13. A Hand Inside My Mouth - Studio Demo (3:39)
  14. Sadacic (M05) - Robert Smith Studio Demo (4:15)
  15. Shake Dog Shake - Studio Demo (4:55)
  16. Piggy In The Mirror - Studio Demo (3:39)
  17. Birdmad Girl - Studio Demo (3:35)
  18. Give Me It - Studio Demo (3:42)
  19. Throw Your Foot - Studio Demo (3:29)
  20. Happy The Man - Studio Demo (2:44)
  21. The Caterpillar - Studio Demo (4:16)
  22. Dressing Up - Studio Alternative Mix (2:12)
  23. Wailing Wall - Studio Alternative Mix (4:57)
  24. The Empty World - Live Bootleg (2:47)
  25. Bananafishbones - Live Bootleg (2:57)
  26. The Top - Live Bootleg (7:11)
  27. Forever (version) - Live Bootleg (4:58)

Credits

  • The Cure - primary artist
  • Parched Art - design, artwork
  • Andy Anderson - drums, percussion
  • David M. Allen - engineer, producer
  • Howard Gray - engineer
  • Laurence Tolhurst - instruments [other instruments], written-by
  • Robert Smith - instruments, voice, producer, written-by
  • Chris Parry - producer
  • Porl Thompson - saxophone

More from The Cure: full discography