Boys Don't Cry (song)

This article is about the Cure song. For the Plumb song, see Boys Don't Cry (Plumb song). For other uses, see Boys Don't Cry (disambiguation).

"Boys Don't Cry"
Single by The Cure
Released	June 15, 1979 (UK) 21 April 1986 (UK)
Format	7" 12"
Recorded	1979
Genre	Post-punk
Length	2:35
Label	Fiction Records
Producer	Chris Parry (1979/1986) Robert Smith (1986) Dave Allen (1986)
The Cure singles chronology
"Killing an Arab" (1978) "Boys Don't Cry" (1979) "Jumping Someone Else's Train" (1979)
The Cure continued chronology "Half an Octopuss" / "Quadpus" (1986) "Boys Don't Cry (New Voice · New Mix)" (1986) "Why Can't I Be You?" (1987) 1986 cover "Boys Don't Cry (New Voice · New Mix)" single cover.

"Boys Don't Cry" was the second single to be released by The Cure, released in June 1979. It was released in the UK as a stand-alone single, and was included as the title track on Boys Don't Cry, the American equivalent to Three Imaginary Boys.

History

Written by Michael Dempsey, Robert Smith, and Lol Tolhurst, the lyrics tell the story of a man who has given up trying to regain the love of a girl that he has lost, and tries to disguise his true emotional state by "laughing, hiding the tears in [his] eyes, 'cause boys don't cry".

In April 1986 it was re-released under the title "New Voice · New Mix", in which the original track was remixed and the vocals re-recorded. The new version was not received well^{[citation needed]}, and unlike the original, has not appeared on any subsequent release by The Cure. The updated version can however be heard in the music video for "Boys Don't Cry". It was released to promote Standing on a Beach, however, only the original appeares on the album.

Track listing

1979 release

7" single

1. "Boys Don't Cry" - 2:34
2. "Plastic Passion" - 2:15

1986 re-release

7" single

1. "Boys Don't Cry (New Voice · New Mix)"
2. "Pill Box Tales" - 2:56

12" single

1. "Boys Don't Cry (New Voice · Club Mix)"
2. "Pill Box Tales" - 2:56
3. "Do the Hansa" - 2:40

Personnel

• Michael Dempsey – Bass
• Robert Smith – Voice, Guitar
• Lol Tolhurst – Drums

Other versions

Use in film

The song has appeared in:

• The 1998 movie The Wedding Singer.
• A cover version, performed by Nathan Larson, was used as the title song of the 1999 film Boys Don't Cry.
• A cover version, performed by G:rant-Lee Phillips, used in the soundtrack of the 2011 film Friends with Benefits.
• The 2006 film Starter for Ten.
• The 2006 French film "I Do", played during Luis's Cure phase.
• The 2008 film Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist as Nick's cellphone ringtone (the band is referenced later in the film as one of Nick's favorite bands).

Covers

The song was covered by the Sacramento band Oleander. Their version appeared in their 1999 album February Son, and was released as a single in 2000.

Chart positions

Chart (1979)	Peak Position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart	99

"Boys Don't Cry (New Voice · New Mix)"

Chart (1986)	Peak Position
German Singles Chart	19
UK Singles Chart	22
Australian ARIA Singles Chart	26
French Singles Chart	28