Fascination Street
The Cure's first US Modern Rock number-one, born from a refused single choice and a New Orleans night.
"Fascination Street" is a song by English rock band the Cure from their eighth studio album, Disintegration (1989). It was issued as a single only in North America, as the band's American record company refused to release the band's original choice, "Lullaby", as the first single (it was the lead single in the UK and was released in the US later). The song became the band's first number-one single on the US Billboard then-newly created Modern Rock Tracks chart, staying on top for seven weeks.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- the Cure
- Album
- Disintegration
- B-side
- "Babble"; "Out of Mind"
- Released
- 18 April 1989
- Genre
- Gothic rock; alternative rock
- Length
- 5:16 (album version); 4:20 (single version)
- Label
- Elektra
- Composer
- Robert Smith
- Simon Gallup
- Boris Williams
- Porl Thompson
- Roger O'Donnell
- Lol Tolhurst
Lore & Background
In the liner notes for the compilation Galore, Robert Smith describes “Fascination Street” as: ‘A ‘generic’ song about the (often cynical) delights of exploring a new city nightlife; based loosely on one particular ‘band adventure’ in New Orleans 1985 – Bourbon Street, the cliche perhaps.’ Smith has additionally commented, "I was getting ready to go there, and I thought, 'What the fuck do I think I'm going to find?' It's about the incredulity that I could still be fooled into looking for a perfect moment." The song was inspired by an alcoholic night in New Orleans.
Reader's Guide
The song's personnel includes Simon Gallup on bass guitar, Robert Smith on lead guitar, keyboards, vocals, producer, and engineer, Porl Thompson on guitar, Boris Williams on drums, Roger O'Donnell on keyboards, and Lol Tolhurst on other instruments. Production credits for the remixes include Mark Saunders, Robert Smith, and Chris Parry as remixers, with David M. Allen also credited as producer and engineer. Track listings vary by format: the 7-inch and cassette single (Elektra / 7 69300; 9 469300) contains "Fascination Street" (remix) at 4:17 and "Babble" at 4:16. The 12-inch (Elektra / 96 67040 (CDN) and Elektra / 0-66704) includes "Fascination Street" (extended remix) at 8:48, "Babble" at 4:16, and "Out of Mind" at 3:51. The CD (Elektra / 66702-2) adds both the remix (4:17) and extended remix (8:48) along with "Babble" and "Out of Mind."
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