Charlotte Sometimes (song)
Encyclopedia
"Charlotte Sometimes" is a 1981 single by The Cure
. The lyrics to both sides were based on the 1969 children's novel of the same name
by British writer Penelope Farmer
. The single peaked at number forty-four in the UK Singles Chart
.
, a children's novel by British writer Penelope Farmer
, published in 1969.
Lyrics include "she was crying and crying for a girl who died so many years before" and "sometimes I'm dreaming where all the other people dance". It has dream-like rhythmic and melodic structures; recurring modal transitions, numerous harmonic suspensions and lamenting vocals create a feeling of inevitable drift into darkness. Originally a non-album single released in between Faith and Pornography
, the song later appears on the 2005 reissue of Faith. A powerful live take was included on the Concert album.
The B-Side of "Charlotte Sometimes" is "Splintered in Her Head", which is also based on the novel. The mood of "Splintered in Her Head" is overall more disquieting, with metallic, distorted vocals and heavy percussion, foreshadowing the next year's Pornography
. The Cure released a third song based on the novel, called The Empty World on the album The Top
.
The ten minute live version of Faith on the B-side of the 12" version was recorded at the Sydney
Capitol Theatre in August 1981 by the then Australian Broadcasting Commission's youth radio station 2JJJ
. This version is reproduced on Disc 2 of the deluxe reissue of album Faith.
The music video for the song was filmed at Holloway Sanitorium, the location of several other high profile music video shoots in the 1980s. It features the character of Charlotte recreating scenes from the story in the presence of the band, while Smith mimes the words of the song.
The cover of the single is a distorted picture of Mary Poole, Robert's then-girlfriend and now-wife. The same picture was used again as the cover of The Cure's 1990 single Pictures of You, but in that case the picture was clear and undistorted.
12" single
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
. The lyrics to both sides were based on the 1969 children's novel of the same name
Charlotte Sometimes (book)
Charlotte Sometimes is a children's novel by British writer Penelope Farmer, published in 1969.It is the third and best known of three books featuring the Makepeace sisters, Charlotte and Emma, and inspired the song "Charlotte Sometimes" by English rock band The Cure...
by British writer Penelope Farmer
Penelope Farmer
-Life:She was born as a fraternal twin in Westerham, Kent, on 14 June 1939 to Hugh Robert MacDonald and Penelope Boothby Farmer. After attending a boarding school, she read history at St Anne's College, Oxford and did postgraduate work at Bedford College, University of London.Information about...
. The single peaked at number forty-four in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
History
The song "Charlotte Sometimes" is based on Charlotte SometimesCharlotte Sometimes (book)
Charlotte Sometimes is a children's novel by British writer Penelope Farmer, published in 1969.It is the third and best known of three books featuring the Makepeace sisters, Charlotte and Emma, and inspired the song "Charlotte Sometimes" by English rock band The Cure...
, a children's novel by British writer Penelope Farmer
Penelope Farmer
-Life:She was born as a fraternal twin in Westerham, Kent, on 14 June 1939 to Hugh Robert MacDonald and Penelope Boothby Farmer. After attending a boarding school, she read history at St Anne's College, Oxford and did postgraduate work at Bedford College, University of London.Information about...
, published in 1969.
Lyrics include "she was crying and crying for a girl who died so many years before" and "sometimes I'm dreaming where all the other people dance". It has dream-like rhythmic and melodic structures; recurring modal transitions, numerous harmonic suspensions and lamenting vocals create a feeling of inevitable drift into darkness. Originally a non-album single released in between Faith and Pornography
Pornography (album)
NME reviewer Dave Hill wrote, "This record portrays and parades its currency of exposed futility and naked fear with so few distractions or adornments, and so little sense of shame...
, the song later appears on the 2005 reissue of Faith. A powerful live take was included on the Concert album.
The B-Side of "Charlotte Sometimes" is "Splintered in Her Head", which is also based on the novel. The mood of "Splintered in Her Head" is overall more disquieting, with metallic, distorted vocals and heavy percussion, foreshadowing the next year's Pornography
Pornography (album)
NME reviewer Dave Hill wrote, "This record portrays and parades its currency of exposed futility and naked fear with so few distractions or adornments, and so little sense of shame...
. The Cure released a third song based on the novel, called The Empty World on the album The Top
The Top (album)
The Top is the fifth studio album by British band The Cure, released in 1984.-Overview:The Top was the studio album to follow Pornography. After Pornography, Robert Smith found himself without his friend Simon Gallup, who departed the band due to a fight.Smith then took a radical shift in his music...
.
The ten minute live version of Faith on the B-side of the 12" version was recorded at the Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
Capitol Theatre in August 1981 by the then Australian Broadcasting Commission's youth radio station 2JJJ
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
. This version is reproduced on Disc 2 of the deluxe reissue of album Faith.
The music video for the song was filmed at Holloway Sanitorium, the location of several other high profile music video shoots in the 1980s. It features the character of Charlotte recreating scenes from the story in the presence of the band, while Smith mimes the words of the song.
The cover of the single is a distorted picture of Mary Poole, Robert's then-girlfriend and now-wife. The same picture was used again as the cover of The Cure's 1990 single Pictures of You, but in that case the picture was clear and undistorted.
Track listing
7" Single- "Charlotte Sometimes"
- "Splintered in Her Head"
12" single
- "Charlotte Sometimes"
- "Splintered in Her Head"
- "Faith" (live)
Personnel
- Robert SmithRobert Smith (musician)Robert James Smith is an English musician. He is the lead singer, guitar player and principal songwriter of the rock band The Cure, and its only constant member since its founding in 1976...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes... - Simon GallupSimon GallupSimon Jonathon Gallup is an English musician and bassist of the post-punk band The Cure.-Early years:...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Lol Tolhurst - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....