The Cure - The Exploding Boy (1985)

The next installment of rarities from The Cure covers the years from 1983 to 1985. It starts with their blatant attempt to get a Top Ten hit single with the catchy 'The Love Cats', giving them a number 7 chart position after 'The Walk' had opened up the charts for them with a number 12 hit a few months earlier. 'The Caterpillar' and 'Close To You' quickly followed those two into the charts, so this collection contains songs from their most commercial period so far. 'Lament' was a free vinyl 7" given away with Flexipop magazine in 1982, after they'd upgraded from flexi-discs to hard vinyl, and for the rest of the tracks I've added the appropriate b-sides from the 'Join The Dots' box set to songs from the 'Japanese Whispers' compilation of 1983 to make an album that showcases The Cure's pop side to great effect. 

Track listing

01 The Love Cats (single 1983)
02 Speak My Langauge (b-side of 'The Love Cats')
03 Mr. Pink Eyes (b-side of 'The Love Cats' 12")
04 Lament (Flexipop freebie 1982)
05 The Walk (single 1983)
06 The Dream (b-side of 'The Walk')
07 The Upstairs Room (b-side of 'The Walk' 12")
08 Happy The Man (b-side of 'The Caterpillar' 1984)
09 Throw Your Foot (b-side of 'The Caterpillar' 12" 1984)
10 A Man Inside My Mouth (b-side of 'Close To Me' 1985)
11 Stop Dead (b-side of 'Close To Me' 12" 1985)
12 New Day (b-side of 'Close To Me' 10" 1985)
13 The Exploding Boy (b-side of 'In Between Days' 1985)
14 A Few Hours After This... (b-side of 'In Between Days' 12" 1985)