"Pictures of You" is a song by English

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band

the Cure The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in 1978 in Crawley, Crawley, West Sussex. Throughout numerous lineup changes since the band's formation, guitarist, lead vocalist, and songwriter Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith has re ...

. It was released on 19 March 1990 by

Fiction Records Fiction Records is a British record label founded by Chris Parry in 1978, owned by Universal Music Group and based in the United Kingdom. It is best known for being the home of The Cure for over 20 years. It was originally a part of Polydor, ...

as the fourth and final single from the band's eighth studio album, '' Disintegration'' (1989). The song has a single version which is a shorter edit of the album version. There are also two different remixes on two UK 12-inch singles, and other singles released around the world, one of which later appeared on '' Mixed Up'' as the Extended Dub Mix and differs significantly from the album version in arrangement in that incorporates wholly original drum and bass arrangements. The other is an extended remix of the original album version which, at 7:59, runs slightly longer than the album version. There is also an edit which was released on 12-inch in the US, titled "extended remix" as in the European and Australasian releases, but which runs for 6:40 rather than 7:59. According to interviews, the inspiration of the song came when a fire broke loose in Robert Smith's home. After that day, Smith was going through the remains and came across his wallet which had pictures of his wife, Mary. The cover of the single is one of the pictures. The same picture was used as the cover of the " Charlotte Sometimes" single, but that image was heavily warped and distorted. In 2011, the song was voted number 283 on ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'''s "

The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring survey compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2004 in ...

" list.

Music video

The

Tim Pope Timothy Michael Pope (born 12 February 1956) is a film director most known for his music videos, for having directed feature films, and for a brief pop career. Early life and career Pope grew up in the north London suburb of Enfield. Both his ...

–directed video was shot using three Super-8 cameras in

Ballachulish The village of Ballachulish ( or , from Scottish Gaelic ) in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, is centred on former slate quarries. The name Ballachulish (Ballecheles, 1522 – Straits town) was more correctly applied to the area now called No ...

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, during the February 1990 "week of the big snow", with Robert Smith mentioning that he had never been colder before.

Composition

The song is composed in the key of A major.

Covers

Angie Hart Angela Ruth Hart (born 8 March 1972), billed as Angie Hart, is an Australian pop singer best known for her role as lead vocalist in the alternative pop rock band Frente! and the indie pop duo Splendid with her then husband Jesse Tobias. Hart's ...

's version was used for a TAC (Transport Accident Commission) ad campaign to combat speeding drivers. * Lit covered the song for their 2004 eponymous album '' Lit''. *

Blankenberge Blankenberge (; french: Blankenberghe; vls, Blanknberge) is a city and a municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the town of Blankenberge proper and the settlement of Uitkerke. On 1 December 2014, Bla ...

made a version of the song and released it as their debut single in 2016.

Track listing

7-inch single (1) # "Pictures of You" (Single edit) – 4:46 # "Last Dance" (live) – 4:42 7-inch single (2) # "Pictures of You" (Single edit) – 4:46 # "Prayers for Rain" (live) – 4:48 12-inch single (1) # "Pictures of You" (Extended version) – 8:07 # "Last Dance" (live) – 4:41 # "Fascination Street" (live) – 5:23 12-inch single (2) # "Pictures of You" (Strange mix) – 6:45This mix later appeared on the "Mixed Up" album as "Extended Dub Mix" # "Prayers for Rain" (live) – 4:48 # "Disintegration" (live) – 7:54 CD single # "Pictures of You" (Single edit) – 4:46 # "Last Dance" (live) – 4:45 # "

Fascination Street "Fascination Street" is a 1989 North-American-only single by the English rock band The Cure from their album '' Disintegration''. Their American record company refused the band's original choice "Lullaby" as the first single (it was the lead ...

" (live) – 5:19 # "Prayers for Rain" (live) – 4:48 # "Disintegration" (live) – 7:54 CD single (2) # "Pictures of You" (Single edit) – 4:46 # "Last Dance" (live) – 4:45 # "Fascination Street" (live) – 5:19

Charts

Personnel

* Robert Smith – vocals, baritone guitar, keyboards, producer *

Porl Thompson Pearl Thompson (born 8 November 1957 as Paul Stephen ThompsonChris Gerrard (2021)The Cure FAQ: All That’s Left to Know About the Most Heartbreakingly Excellent Rock Band the World Has Ever Known. Backbeat, ISBN 9781493053988, p. 155) is an E ...

– guitar *

Simon Gallup Simon Jonathon Gallup (born 1 June 1960) is an English musician and bassist with the alternative rock band The Cure. He is the second longest-serving member of the band after lead vocalist/guitarist Robert Smith. Early years Born in Duxhurst ...

– bass *

Boris Williams Boris Peter Bransby Williams (born 24 April 1957) is a French-born English drummer best known for his extensive work with the Cure (1984–1994). Biography Born in Versailles, France, he had previously worked with various artists, including T ...

– drums *

Roger O'Donnell Roger O'Donnell (born 29 October 1955) is an English keyboardist best known for his work with The Cure. O'Donnell has also performed in The Psychedelic Furs, Thompson Twins and Berlin, as well as having an active solo career. Background O'Do ...

– keyboards *

Lol Tolhurst Laurence Andrew "Lol" Tolhurst (born 3 February 1959) is a founding member and the former drummer and keyboardist of English band The Cure - he left the Cure in 1989 and was later involved in the band Presence and his current project, Levinhurs ...

– credited with "other instrument"; does not actually play on this track *Bryan 'Chuck' New – remix

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pictures Of You (The Cure Song) 1989 songs The Cure songs Songs written by Robert Smith (musician) 1990 singles Fiction Records singles Songs written by Boris Williams Songs written by Simon Gallup Songs written by Porl Thompson Songs written by Lol Tolhurst Songs written by Roger O'Donnell Song recordings produced by David M. Allen Gothic rock songs