View source for Three Imaginary Boys

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox album
| name         = Three Imaginary Boys
| type         = studio
| artist       = [[the Cure]]
| cover        = TheCureThreeImaginaryBoysalbumcover.jpg
| alt          = 
| released     = 8 May 1979
| recorded     = 1978–79
| venue        = 
| studio       = [[Morgan Studios|Morgan]], London
| genre        = {{flatlist|
* [[Post-punk]]
* [[New wave music|new wave]]
* [[pop-punk]]
* [[power pop]]
}}
| length       = 35:31
| label        = [[Fiction Records|Fiction]]
| producer     = [[Chris Parry (producer)|Chris Parry]]
| prev_title   = 
| prev_year    = 
| next_title   = [[Boys Don't Cry (The Cure album)|Boys Don't Cry]]
| next_year    = 1980
| misc         = {{Singles
 | name        = Three Imaginary Boys
 | type        = studio
 | single1     = Grinding Halt/Meat Hook (Promo)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/ru/release/1603400-The-Cure-Grinding-Halt-Meat-Hook?srsltid=AfmBOop-AMhS9rhVIY7Mfq6oXaNZ9wLP_nIb6wc1oz2Co-5e_DkHZzzO|title = The Cure; Grinding Halt/Meat Hook (Promo)|date = 1979}}</ref>
 | single1date = May 1979 (UK)
 | single2     = [[10:15 Saturday Night|10:15 Saturday Night]] 
 | single2date = 1980 (France)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/ru/master/2923411-The-Cure-1015-Saturday-Night|title = The Cure; 10:15 Saturday Night (Promo)|date = 1979}}</ref>}}
}}

'''''Three Imaginary Boys''''' is the debut studio album by the English [[Rock music|rock]] band [[the Cure]], released on 8 May 1979 by [[Fiction Records]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecure.com/release/three-imaginary-boys/|title = The Cure &#124; Three Imaginary Boys|date = 8 May 1979}}</ref> and reached number 44 on the [[UK Albums Chart]].<ref name="guinness">Roberts, David (ed.) (2006). ''[[British Hit Singles & Albums]]'', 19th edition, London: [[HiT Entertainment]]. {{ISBN|1-904994-10-5}}.</ref> It was later released in the United States, Canada, and Australia with a different track listing as a compilation album titled ''[[Boys Don't Cry (The Cure album)|Boys Don't Cry]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.post-punk.com/the-cure-boys-dont-cry/|title = The Cure &#124; Boys Don't Cry|date = 5 February 2016}}</ref>

== Production and content ==
The record company decided which songs were put on the album and running order,<ref>{{cite web |last=Gallucci |first=Michael|date=11 May 2013 |title=34 Years Ago: The Cure's 'Three Imaginary Boys' Album Released |url=https://diffuser.fm/cure-three-imaginary-boys-album-released/ |access-date=13 October 2023 |website=Diffuser.fm }}</ref> as well as the cover artwork, without [[Robert Smith (musician)|Robert Smith]]'s consent. For all Cure albums since, Smith has ensured that he is given complete creative control over the final product before it goes on sale.<ref name="Apter">{{cite book |last=Apter |first=Jeff |title=Never Enough: The Story of The Cure |publisher=[[Omnibus Press]] |year=2009}}</ref> The "[[Foxy Lady]]" [[soundcheck]], with vocals sung by [[Michael Dempsey]], was not supposed to be on the album, and was removed for the American release. Smith has stated that "songs like 'Object' and 'World War' and our cover of 'Foxy Lady' were [producer] [[Chris Parry (producer)|Chris Parry]]'s choice".<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Oldham |first=James |date=August 2004 |title=The Gothfather |magazine=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]] |issue=87 |pages=50–66}}</ref>

In a ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' interview from 1987, Smith said he was never happy with the album. He said he "was very angst-ridden, very dislocated", at the time of its creation, and said he did not think there was "any sense of emotion on that first album at all. A lot of it was very superficial—I didn't even like it at the time. There were criticisms made that it was very lightweight, and I thought they were justified. Even when we'd make it, I wanted to do something I though had more substance to it."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=SPIN |date=2019-07-19 |title=The Cure: Our 1987 Interview |url=https://www.spin.com/2019/07/the-cure-robert-smith-kiss-me-kiss-me-kiss-me-july-1987-interview/ |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=SPIN |language=en-US}}</ref> He also said the album's production was rushed, with him writing lyrics to songs while he was singing them.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rabid |first=Jack |date=1996-01-01 |title=A Foolish Arrangement:Interview:1/1/1996The Big Takeover#40 |url=http://www.afoolisharrangement.com/Cure/interview.asp?InterviewID=74 |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=A Foolish Arrangement}}</ref>

== Release ==

''Three Imaginary Boys'' was originally released on 8 May 1979 by record label Fiction.

The album was reissued on 29 November 2004 and featured a second disc of unreleased material, including songs recorded under the band name Easy Cure with [[Porl Thompson]]. It was originally supposed to be released in early 2004 along with the band's next three studio albums (''[[Seventeen Seconds]]'', ''[[Faith (The Cure album)|Faith]]'' and ''[[Pornography (album)|Pornography]]''), but was delayed multiple times before being released by itself at the end of 2004. As it featured a variety of old songs, it was the only deluxe edition by the band that did not include an alternate version of each song on the first disc. Some of the early booklets in the reissue had missing lyrics, which were made available on the Cure's website in [[Portable Document Format|PDF]] form.{{citation needed|date=October 2012}} All copies since contain the lyrics.

A one-disc reissue was released on 5 September 2005, containing only the original album. It was also released in the standard jewel case rather than in a box. In some countries, the deluxe edition has become a collector's item as production was phased out, being replaced by the more economic single-disc version.

== Reception ==
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="True">{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/three-imaginary-boys-mw0000143449 |title=''Three Imaginary Boys'' – The Cure |publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=28 January 2013 |last=True |first=Chris}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Blender (magazine)|Blender]]''
| rev2score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=3478 |title=The Cure: ''Three Imaginary Boys'' |magazine=[[Blender (magazine)|Blender]] |issue=41 |date=October 2005 |access-date=2 November 2015 |last=Wolk |first=Douglas |author-link=Douglas Wolk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051127000110/http://blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=3478 |archive-date=27 November 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[The Guardian]]''
| rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/dec/17/popandrock.shopping2 |title=The Cure, ''Three Imaginary Boys'' Deluxe Edition |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=17 December 2004 |access-date=20 August 2016 |last=Sweeting |first=Adam |author-link=Adam Sweeting}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[The Irish Times]]''
| rev4score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/reissues-1.1170454 |title=The Cure: ''Three Imaginary Boys'' – Deluxe Edition (Fiction/Polydor) |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |date=17 December 2004 |access-date=1 November 2020 |last=Courtney |first=Kevin}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]''
| rev5score = 8.7/10<ref name="Abebe">{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/1694-three-imaginary-boys-deluxe-edition/ |title=The Cure: ''Three Imaginary Boys'' [Deluxe Edition] |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |date=14 December 2004 |access-date=28 January 2013 |last=Abebe |first=Nitsuh}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[Record Mirror]]''
| rev6score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Physician Rock 'n' Roll Thyself! |magazine=[[Record Mirror]] |date=19 May 1979 |last=Westwood |first=Chris |author-link=Chris Westwood (author) |page=16}}</ref>
| rev7 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
| rev7score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite book |chapter=The Cure |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Sheffield |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor-last=Brackett |editor-first=Nathan |editor-link=Nathan Brackett |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |editor2-link=Christian Hoard |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=t9eocwUfoSoC&pg=PA205 205–06]}}</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[Smash Hits]]''
| rev8score = 8/10<ref name="Starr">{{cite magazine |title=Albums |magazine=[[Smash Hits]] |volume=1 |issue=15 |date=28 June – 11 July 1979 |last=Starr |first=Red |page=25}}</ref>
| rev9 = ''[[Sounds (magazine)|Sounds]]''
| rev9score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="McCullough">{{cite magazine |title=Cure Pop for Now People |magazine=[[Sounds (magazine)|Sounds]] |date=12 December 1979 |last=McCullough |first=Dave}}</ref>
| rev10 = ''[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]''
| rev10score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The Cure: Three Imaginary Boys |magazine=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]] |issue=92 |date=January 2005 |last=Martin |first=Piers |page=146}}</ref>
}}

Despite Smith's displeasure with the record, ''Three Imaginary Boys'' was well received critically at the time of its release.<ref name="Apter"/> ''[[Sounds (magazine)|Sounds]]''{{'}} Dave McCullough praised it in a 5-star review and noted: "The Cure are going somewhere different on each track, the ideas are startling and disarming." McCullough noted the variety of the material and qualified "Grinding Halt" as a "pop song that reminds you of [[the Isley Brothers]] or the [[Buzzcocks]]."<ref name="McCullough"/> Red Starr, writing in ''[[Smash Hits]]'', described the album as a "brilliant, compelling debut."<ref name="Starr"/> However, ''[[NME]]''{{'}}s [[Paul Morley]] did not share the same point of view and wrote: "Most of the time, it's a voice catching its breath, a cautiously primitive riff guitar, toy drumming and a sprightly bass."<ref name="Morley">{{cite magazine |title=A Cure for Cancer? |magazine=[[NME]]|date=12 May 1979 |last=Morley |first=Paul |author-link=Paul Morley}}</ref>

Chris True of [[AllMusic]] retrospectively called the album "a very strong debut" and a "semi-detached bit of late-'70s English [[pop-punk]]".<ref name="True"/> Nitsuh Abebe of ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' likened the album to a "[[New wave music|new wave]] [[Wire (band)|Wire]]... [or] [[Joy Division]]" and called it "as original a record as anything else to spin off from the tail end of punk."<ref name="Abebe"/> He also called the album "spiky [[post-punk]]."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/11887-the-top-the-head-on-the-door-kiss-me-kiss-me-kiss-me-blue-sunshine/ |title=The Cure / Robert Smith: ''The Top'' / ''The Head on the Door'' / ''Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me'' / ''Blue Sunshine'' |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |date=25 August 2006 |access-date=14 February 2020 |last=Abebe |first=Nitsuh}}</ref> [[BBC Music]] critic Simon Morgan said "Smith was forging his own take on the post-punk zeitgeist,"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/jf25/ |title=The Cure ''Three Imaginary Boys'' (Deluxe Edition) Review |website=[[BBC Music]] |date=2 December 2004 |access-date=1 November 2020 |last=Morgan |first=Simon}}</ref> while author [[Martin C. Strong]] said it "remains among the Cure's finest work," adding that "their strangely accessible post-punk snippets lent an air of suppressed melancholy."<ref>{{cite book |title=The Essential Rock Discography |last=Strong |first=Martin C. |author-link=Martin C. Strong}}</ref> The album was also described as "a collection of melodic but slightly kooky [[power-pop]]" by Chris Gerard of ''[[PopMatters]]''.<ref name="Gerard 3">{{cite web |url=https://www.popmatters.com/100-best-singles-80s-part5/3 |title=The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 5: 20 – 1 |website=[[PopMatters]] |date=1 October 2015 |access-date=14 February 2020 |last=Gerard |first=Chris |page=3}}</ref>

==50th anniversary plans==
On 14 October 2024, Robert Smith announced plans for retiring in 2029 following the 50th anniversary of ''Three Imaginary Boys''. "I'm 70 in 2029, and that's the 50th anniversary of the first Cure album [''Three Imaginary Boys'']. If I make it that far, that's it. In the intervening time, I'd like to include playing concerts as part of the overall plan of what we’re going to do. I've loved it; the last 10 years of playing shows have been the best 10 years of being in the band. It pisses all over the other 30-odd years! It’s been great."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fu|first1=Eddie |title=The Cure Will Retire After 50th Anniversary of Debut Album in 2029 |url=https://consequence.net/2024/10/the-cure-retire-50th-anniversary/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR26mSJpfB9eMjZKTYZew_NjONt5WOvLlsm1fhc9_DwN9k9-QX7rq1BZYsk_aem_oR82u4DJyX0SlF_x-rX7iA |website=Consequence |access-date=14 October 2024 |date=14 October 2024}}</ref>

== Track listing ==

{{track listing
| headline = Side A
| all_writing = the Cure ([[Robert Smith (musician)|Robert Smith]], [[Michael Dempsey]] and [[Lol Tolhurst]]), except "Foxy Lady" written by [[Jimi Hendrix]]
| title1 = [[10:15 Saturday Night]]<!-- listed as "10.15" (not "10:15") on back cover -->
| length1 = 3:42
| title2 = Accuracy
| length2 = 2:17
| title3 = Grinding Halt
| length3 = 2:49
| title4 = Another Day
| length4 = 3:44
| title5 = Object
| length5 = 3:03
| title6 = Subway Song
| length6 = 2:00
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Side B
| title1 = [[Foxy Lady]]
| note1 = [[The Jimi Hendrix Experience]] cover
| length1 = 2:29
| title2 = Meat Hook
| length2 = 2:17
| title3 = So What
| length3 = 2:37
| title4 = Fire in Cairo
| length4 = 3:23
| title5 = It's Not You
| length5 = 2:49
| title6 = Three Imaginary Boys
| length6 = 3:17
| title7 = The Weedy Burton
| length7 = 1:04
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Deluxe Edition bonus disc
| title1 = I Want to Be Old
| note1 = SAV studio demo, October 1977; previously unreleased
| length1 = 2:36
| title2 = I'm Cold
| note2 = SAV studio demo, November 1977
| length2 = 3:21
| title3 = Heroin Face
| note3 = live in The Rocket, Crawley, December 1977; previously available on ''Curiosity''
| length3 = 2:40
| title4 = I Just Need Myself
| note4 = PSL studio demo, January 1978; previously unreleased
| length4 = 2:14
| title5 = 10:15 Saturday Night
| note5 = Robert Smith home demo, February 1978
| length5 = 4:36
| title6 = The Cocktail Party
| note6 = group home demo, March 1978; previously unreleased
| length6 = 4:17
| title7 = Grinding Halt
| note7 = group home demo, April 1978
| length7 = 3:31
| title8 = Boys Don't Cry
| note8 = Chestnut studio demo, May 1978; previously available on ''Curiosity''
| length8 = 2:45
| title9 = It's Not You
| note9 = Chestnut studio demo, May 1978
| length9 = 3:16
| title10 = 10:15 Saturday Night
| note10 = Chestnut studio demo, May 1978
| length10 = 3:41
| title11 = Fire in Cairo
| note11 = Chestnut studio demo, May 1978
| length11 = 3:42
| title12 = Winter
| note12 = ''Three Imaginary Boys'' studio outtake, October 1978; previously unreleased
| length12 = 3:46
| title13 = Faded Smiles
| note13 = also known as "I Don't Know"; ''Three Imaginary Boys'' studio outtake, October 1978; previously unreleased
| length13 = 2:16
| title14 = Play with Me
| note14 = ''Three Imaginary Boys'' studio outtake, October 1978; previously unreleased
| length14 = 3:30
| title15 = World War
| note15 = on early copies of ''[[Boys Don't Cry (The Cure album)|Boys Don't Cry]]''
| length15 = 2:38
| title16 = [[Boys Don't Cry (The Cure song)|Boys Don't Cry]]
| note16 = also on ''Boys Don't Cry''
| length16 = 2:37
| title17 = [[Jumping Someone Else's Train]]
| note17 = also on ''Boys Don't Cry''
| length17 = 2:59
| title18 = Subway Song
| note18 = live in Nottingham, October 1979; previously available on ''Curiosity''
| length18 = 2:27
| title19 = Accuracy
| note19 = live in Nottingham, October 1979
| length19 = 2:36
| title20 = 10:15 Saturday Night
| note20 = live in Nottingham, October 1979
| length20 = 4:38
}}

== Personnel ==
''' The Cure'''

* [[Robert Smith (musician)|Robert Smith]]&nbsp;– guitar, lead vocals (all but "Foxy Lady"), harmonica ("Subway Song")
* [[Michael Dempsey]]&nbsp;– bass, backing and lead ("Foxy Lady") vocals
* [[Lol Tolhurst]]&nbsp;– drums

''' Additional personnel'''

* [[Porl Thompson]]&nbsp;– lead guitar, backing vocals (1–4, 6, 7 of bonus disc)

''' Technical'''

* David Dragon&nbsp;– sleeve illustrations
* Michael J. Dutton&nbsp;– "assistant"
* Martyn Goddard&nbsp;– sleeve photography
* [[Mike Hedges]]&nbsp;– [[audio engineering|engineering]]
* Connie Jude&nbsp;– sleeve illustrations
*[[Chris Parry (producer)|Chris Parry]]&nbsp;– [[record producer|production]]
* Bill Smith&nbsp;– art direction, sleeve design, additional photography

==Certifications and sales==
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|nocert=true|type=album|artist=The Cure|title=Three Imaginary Boys|salesamount=30,000|salesref=<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dyQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT59|magazine=[[Billboard magazine|Billboard]]|first=Glenn|last=Baker|title=Frontier Booms Via Divere Acts|page=60|date=8 August 1981|issn=0006-2510|access-date=27 January 2024}}</ref>}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|award=Silver|type=album|artist=The Cure|title=Three Imaginary Boys|relyear=2005|certyear=2024|id=19653-1031-2|note=2005 release|access-date=27 January 2024}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

== References ==

{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==

* {{Discogs master|20319|type=album}}

{{The Cure}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:The Cure albums]]
[[Category:Fiction Records albums]]
[[Category:1979 debut albums]]
[[Category:Rhino Entertainment albums]]
[[Category:Albums recorded at Morgan Sound Studios]]
[[Category:Power pop albums by English artists]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Chris Parry]]