
The Cure - "Boys Don't Cry"
03/18/24 • 54 min
"Boys Don't Cry" is one of the defining songs of The Cure's career — and it never even charted in the US. But the new wave classic is an undeniable slice of pop-rock perfection, and perhaps the most ubiquitously enduring track in The Cure's catalog.
On this classic episode of The Story Behind the Song, The Cure's Lol Tolhurst, who co-wrote "Boys Don't Cry" with Robert Smith and Michael Dempsey, join host Peter Csathy to share his first-hand insight into the iconic song. Tolhurst also talks about his book Goth, a History, and his album with Suzie and the Banshees' Budgie and multi-instrumentalist Jacknife Lee, Los Angeles.
Listen to the full conversation with The Cure's Lol Tolhurst as he tells first-hand tales about "Boys Don't Cry." Make sure to follow The Story Behind the Song for all the fresh and archival episodes coming in Season 2, and rate and review on Apple Podcasts to show your support for our series.
Fans of The Story Behind the Song can also check out our new merch for Season 2:! Available now at the Consequence Shop, we have a killer new poster (framed and unframed) and a jigsaw puzzle (1,000 piece or 252 piece) featuring an original illustration referencing all the songs and artists from the first three years of the podcast. Grab yours now.
You can also follow host Peter Csathy on Threads at @pcsathy and at Deep Cuts Media, and keep up with the Consequence Podcast Network for updates on all our shows.
Support The Story Behind the Song by checking out StubHub: https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/mVRZyZV
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
"Boys Don't Cry" is one of the defining songs of The Cure's career — and it never even charted in the US. But the new wave classic is an undeniable slice of pop-rock perfection, and perhaps the most ubiquitously enduring track in The Cure's catalog.
On this classic episode of The Story Behind the Song, The Cure's Lol Tolhurst, who co-wrote "Boys Don't Cry" with Robert Smith and Michael Dempsey, join host Peter Csathy to share his first-hand insight into the iconic song. Tolhurst also talks about his book Goth, a History, and his album with Suzie and the Banshees' Budgie and multi-instrumentalist Jacknife Lee, Los Angeles.
Listen to the full conversation with The Cure's Lol Tolhurst as he tells first-hand tales about "Boys Don't Cry." Make sure to follow The Story Behind the Song for all the fresh and archival episodes coming in Season 2, and rate and review on Apple Podcasts to show your support for our series.
Fans of The Story Behind the Song can also check out our new merch for Season 2:! Available now at the Consequence Shop, we have a killer new poster (framed and unframed) and a jigsaw puzzle (1,000 piece or 252 piece) featuring an original illustration referencing all the songs and artists from the first three years of the podcast. Grab yours now.
You can also follow host Peter Csathy on Threads at @pcsathy and at Deep Cuts Media, and keep up with the Consequence Podcast Network for updates on all our shows.
Support The Story Behind the Song by checking out StubHub: https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/mVRZyZV
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Previous Episode

Violent Femmes - "Blister in the Sun"
When it comes to truly timeless, ahead-its-time jams, few songs can hold a candle to the Violent Femmes’ "Blister in the Sun." The alt-rock, proto-folk-punk, now-ubiquitous tune still sounds so fresh that it's hard to believe it's over 40 years old. On this episode of The Story Behind the Song, vocalist Gordon Gano explores the origins of the classic cut, revealing how it almost wasn't a Violent Femmes at all. He also clears up what the song is REALLY about.
Listen to singer and songwriter Gordon Gano tell these "Blister in the Sun" stories, or on your favorite podcast platform. Make sure to follow The Story Behind the Song for all the fresh and archival episodes coming in Season 2, and rate and review on Apple Podcasts to show your support for our series.
Also, some exciting new to coincide with the launch fo The Story Behind the Song Season 2: We have merch! Available now at the Consequence Shop, we have a killer new poster (framed and unframed) and a jigsaw puzzle (1,000 piece or 252 piece) featuring an original illustration referencing all the songs and artists from the first three years of the podcast. Grab yours now using the buy now buttons below!
You can also follow host Peter Csathy on Threads at @pcsathy and at Deep Cuts Media, and keep up with the Consequence Podcast Network for updates on all our shows.
Support The Story Behind the Song by checking out StubHub: https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/mVRZyZV
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Next Episode

Huey Lewis and the News - "I Want a New Drug" & Sports
Do you like Huey Lewis and The News? Their early work was a little new-wave for some, but when Sports came out in '83, the band had really came into their own, commercially and artistically. Hey, Paul, listen to Huey Lewis himself dive into the record, as well as standout "I Want a New Drug," on this episode of The Story Behind the Song!
Featuring songs like"Heart and Soul," "The Heart of Rock & Roll," "I Want a New Drug," and "If This Is It," Sports spent a whopping 160 weeks on the charts. It's now sold over seven million copies in the United States alone, establishing itself as a commercial titan and a cultural signifier for the mid-1980s.
Listen to Huey Lewis explore Sports, "I Want a New Drug," and more on your favorite podcast platform. Make sure to follow The Story Behind the Song for all the fresh and archival episodes coming in Season 2, and rate and review on Apple Podcasts to show your support for our series.
The Huey Lewis and the News jukebox Broadway Musical, The Heart of Rock & Roll, begins previews on March 29th, and you can get tickets here. Also, make sure to check out the new TSBTS merch -- including a killer poster and jigsaw puzzle -- available now at the Consequence Shop!
You can also follow host Peter Csathy on Threads at @pcsathy and at Deep Cuts Media, and keep up with the Consequence Podcast Network for updates on all our shows.
Support The Story Behind the Song by checking out StubHub: https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/mVRZyZV
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/the-story-behind-the-song-190119/the-cure-boys-dont-cry-46818837"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to the cure - "boys don't cry" on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy