Behind The Tracks: Andrew Thomases - Cure Me (Single) (2021)

With respect to the writing process, for any given song, I almost always write and record the music first and then write the vocals and vocal melody. For “Cure Me,” I specifically set out to write a song that would be an homage to The Cure, one of my favorite bands from the ‘80s and ‘90s. I started with a driving bass line that came to me while just messing around on my bass. I laid down drums in Logic Pro, and thus had the bones of the song.

I then started layering guitars, purposefully going for the ‘80s sound with delay and a hint of chorus. I threw in some distorted guitar chords for good measure. On top of that I added some keys, synths, and other effects. Voila! A retro sound that reminded me of some Cure songs.

For lyrics, I wanted to have a lot of references to Cure songs sprinkled in, but I also wanted to include a message. I knew I would title the song “Cure Me,” which has a double meaning: first, hit me with some Cure and, second, I was yearning for a cure to everything that was going on in the country.

I wrote the lyrics at the height of the pandemic and before the 2020 election, and I was really frustrated with the state of our society. We couldn’t beat the pandemic because people were politicizing it. The country was being divided by our politicians and the media. There was racial and economic injustice, and just plain corruption.

Words just started flowing, and I tried to express my feelings while also referencing Cure songs like “Pictures Of You,” “Fascination Street,” “Disintegration,” “Close To Me,” “Catch,” and “Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me.” The song is written in the voice of our country: “Picture me, our country, building walls that surround me.” It describes how media and politicians are trying to distract the country, disintegrate us, and divide us. The chorus is an expression of my personal frustration and that of the country, as well as a cry for help: “Someone surely can cure me of this insanity.”

I didn’t intend to write a political song, but it is obviously resonating with some listeners. Thanks for giving it a listen!