Galore

The Cure's late-era singles: pop perfection with a shadow.

Galore is a 1997 compilation album by The Cure, serving as a singles collection that spans from 1987's 'Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me' era through 1997's 'Wild Mood Swings'. It is often considered a companion piece to the earlier compilation 'Standing on a Beach', covering the band's later commercial peak and their evolution into the 1990s. The album features 18 tracks, including the new single 'Wrong Number', and was released to capitalize on the band's enduring popularity while providing a snapshot of their more polished, pop-oriented output.

Last updated 2026-09-29 from the source article.

Quick Facts

Artist: The Cure
Released: 28 October 1997
Recorded: 1987–1997
Length: 72:47
Label: Fiction; Elektra

Facts from the source article.

Lore & Background

Galore captures The Cure at a crossroads, where their gothic roots had fully bloomed into stadium-sized pop anthems. The compilation showcases the band's ability to craft melancholic yet accessible songs, from the shimmering 'Just Like Heaven' to the brooding 'Lullaby'. It also includes 'Wrong Number', a rare collaboration with producer Mark Saunders that hints at the electronic experiments of their later work. For fans, Galore is a bittersweet collection, representing the end of the band's most commercially successful period before they retreated into more experimental territory in the 2000s.

Reader's Guide

Galore was released on October 28, 1997, by Fiction Records in the UK and Elektra Records in the US. The tracklist includes hits like 'Just Like Heaven', 'Lullaby', 'Friday I'm in Love', and 'Mint Car', alongside deeper cuts such as 'Trust' and 'Gone!'. The new track 'Wrong Number' was a departure, featuring a more electronic, trip-hop influenced sound. The compilation peaked at number 37 on the UK Albums Chart and number 32 on the US Billboard 200. Critical reception was mixed; some praised the song selection, while others felt it was a weaker follow-up to 'Standing on a Beach'. Production was handled by The Cure, David M. Allen, and Mark Saunders. The album's cover art, featuring a young girl with a haunting expression, was designed by longtime collaborator Andy Vella.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1	Why Can't I Be You?	Smith, Simon Gallup, Porl Thompson, Boris Williams, Lol Tolhurst	3:14
2	Catch	Smith, Gallup, Thompson, Williams, Tolhurst	2:45
3	Just Like Heaven (remix)	Smith, Gallup, Thompson, Williams, Tolhurst	3:32
4	Hot Hot Hot!!! (remix)	Smith, Gallup, Thompson, Williams, Tolhurst	3:35
5	Lullaby (remix)	Smith, Gallup, Thompson, Williams, Roger O'Donnell, Tolhurst	4:09
6	Fascination Street (remix)	Smith, Gallup, Thompson, Williams, O'Donnell, Tolhurst	4:20
7	Lovesong (remix)	Smith, Gallup, Thompson, Williams, O'Donnell, Tolhurst	3:28
8	Pictures of You (single edit)	Smith, Gallup, Thompson, Williams, O'Donnell, Tolhurst	4:48
9	Never Enough (single mix)	Smith, Gallup, Thompson, William	4:28
10	Close to Me (Closest mix)	Smith	4:21
11	High (single mix)	Smith, Gallup, Thompson, Williams, Perry Bamonte	3:33
12	Friday I'm in Love	Smith, Gallup, Thompson, Williams, Bamonte	3:36
13	A Letter to Elise (7" remix edit)	Smith, Gallup, Thompson, Williams, Bamonte	4:20
14	The 13th (Swing radio mix)	Smith, Gallup, Bamonte, Jason Cooper, O'Donnell	4:17
15	Mint Car (radio mix)	Smith, Gallup, Bamonte, Cooper, O'Donnell	3:31
16	Strange Attraction	Smith, Gallup, Bamonte, Cooper, O'Donnell	4:21
17	Gone! (radio mix)	Smith, Gallup, Bamonte, Cooper, O'Donnell	4:27
18	Wrong Number	Smith	6:01
Total length			72:47

Track listing from the source article.

Did You Know?

The album's title 'Galore' was chosen by Robert Smith as a playful nod to the abundance of singles.
The cover art features a photograph of a young girl named Margaux, taken by photographer Andy Vella.
Contrary to popular belief, 'Wrong Number' was not the first The Cure song to feature a drum machine prominently.
The compilation omits several notable singles from the period, such as 'The Lovecats' and 'Close to Me', which appear on 'Standing on a Beach'.