Close To Me
The Cure
Exploring the Intimacy and Anxiety in The Cure's 'Close To Me'
The Cure's 'Close To Me' is a song that encapsulates the feeling of anxious anticipation and the desire for closeness, wrapped in the band's signature post-punk and new wave sound. The lyrics convey a sense of waiting for something with both dread and yearning, a common theme in the band's music, which often delves into the complexities of human emotions and relationships.
The opening lines, 'I've waited hours for this, I've made myself so sick,' suggest a scenario where the narrator has been anticipating an event or encounter that causes both excitement and anxiety. The repetition of 'I wish I'd stayed asleep today' implies a desire to escape from the reality of the situation, highlighting a sense of regret or apprehension. The phrase 'I never thought tonight could ever be this close to me' reveals a feeling of surprise or disbelief at the proximity of the event, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for intimacy or a significant life moment drawing near.
The Cure's frontman, Robert Smith, is known for his introspective and often somber lyrical style. In 'Close To Me,' he explores the tension between longing for connection and the fear of vulnerability that comes with it. The lines 'Just try to see in the dark, Just try to make it work, To feel the fear before you're here' suggest an attempt to navigate through uncertainty and the challenges of forming a bond with someone. The song's chorus, with its dream-like questioning of reality, 'But if I had your faith, Then I could make it safe and clean, If only I was sure, That my head on the door was a dream,' speaks to the desire for reassurance and the wish for a simpler, more secure emotional landscape.