As winter begins its dramatically slow close, and the sun sets later in the day, it is time to say goodbye to the dreary dark weather. Unless Georgia has more in store for us. For now, while we wait to spend more hours outside when it is not below freezing, we can reminisce memories of the outdoors during our lighter days. However, there is a darker side to nature as explored in “A Forest” by The Cure.
“A Forest” is the seventh song on The Cure’s “Seventeen Seconds” album, released in 1980. The album takes a darker turn in their discography, following their upbeat debut album, “Three Imaginary Boys.”
The introduction begins with an eerie humming, setting the stage for the rest of the song, with slow strums of the guitar layering on top of the humming that continue to allow space for silence. After some upbeat notes enter the scene, lead vocalist, Robert Smith, bellows, “Come closer and see / See into the trees / Find the girl / While you can.”
The song details Smith’s reflections on the idea of being lost and alone while exploring the protagonist’s feelings throughout the song as he attempts to figure out his destination. Through the psychedelic beats, Smith’s voice echoes about his desperation for something just out of reach.
In many cultures, the forest is used as a reference to danger and darkness, as well as representing the challenges humans face when going through the unknown. The lyrics mirror this and describe the uncertainty that the protagonist feels as he sings, “I’m running towards nothing / Again and again and again and again…”
The Cure is an English rock band formed in 1978. Led by Robert Smith the band would go on to add more members throughout the years. The band toured North America during mid-2023 and later announced their South America tour dates, taking place during late-2023. They have also been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.
“Seventeen Seconds” helped steer the band in the direction of the music they wanted to make, as the band adopted the darker tones and slowly began to expand the then-tiny genre of gothic rock, as well as the subcultures surrounding the genre. Although the group has been labeled as one of the more traditional goth bands, Smith believes this judgment is incorrect, as it focuses on their looks rather than their sounds.
The Cure has released over 28 albums and 46 singles, all under the same record label, Fiction Records. With over 119,000,00 streams, “A Forest” continues to be one of the most well-known songs in the gothic music genre.
You can listen to this song as you walk through the forest on all streaming platforms.