{{Short description|1996 single by The Cure}} {{More citations needed|date=December 2009}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox song | name = Mint Car | cover = TheCureMintCarUKDisc1.jpg | alt = | caption = CD1 single cover | type = single | artist = [[the Cure]] | album = [[Wild Mood Swings]] | B-side = * "Home" * "Waiting" * "A Pink Dream" | released = {{start date|1996|6|17|df=y}} | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = [[Jangle pop]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/galore-the-singles-1987-1997-mw0000596100 | title=The Cure – Galore: The Singles 1987–1997 | website=[[Allmusic]] | access-date=27 December 2015 | author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas | author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine }}</ref> | length = 3:29 | label = * [[Fiction Records|Fiction]] * [[Elektra Records|Elektra]] | composer = * [[Robert Smith (musician)|Robert Smith]] * [[Simon Gallup]] * [[Perry Bamonte]] * [[Jason Cooper]] * [[Roger O'Donnell]] | lyricist = Robert Smith | producer = * Robert Smith * [[Steve Lyon]] | prev_title = [[The 13th]] | prev_year = 1996 | next_title = [[Strange Attraction]] | next_year = 1996 | misc = {{Extra album cover | header = Alternative covers | type = single | cover = TheCureMintCarUKDisc2.jpg | border = | alt = | caption = CD2 single cover }} {{External music video|header=Audio|{{YouTube|FKm1p9WYjEQ|"Mint Car"}}}} }}
"'''Mint Car'''" is a song by English rock band [[the Cure]], released as the second single from their tenth studio album ''[[Wild Mood Swings]]'' in June 1996. It reached the top 20 in Finland and Iceland and peaked at number 31 on the [[UK Singles Chart]].
==Background== [[Robert Smith (musician)|Robert Smith]] has stated in an interview that he thought this song was better than the British top-10 hit "[[Friday I'm in Love]]".<ref name="pete wentz rob smith">{{cite web|url=http://www.stereogum.com/4040/pete_wentz_meets_robert_smith/video/|title=Pete Wentz Meets Robert Smith|website=Stereogum|date=28 November 2006|access-date=11 January 2016}}</ref> Smith said, "it was the single, and I thought it was a better song than 'Friday'. But it did absolutely nothing because we weren't the band at that time. The [[zeitgeist]] wasn't right. It taught me that sometimes there's a tipping point, and if you're the band, you're the band, even if you don't want to be, and there's nothing you can do about it."<ref name="pete wentz rob smith"/>
==Release== Released on 17 June 1996,<ref name="ukrel">{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1996/Music-Week-1996-06-15.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=[[Music Week]]|page=31|date=15 June 1996|access-date=17 August 2021}}</ref> the song reached number 31 on the [[UK Singles Chart]] and number 14 on the [[Alternative Songs|''Billboard'' Modern Rock Tracks]] chart. The single includes two remixes of the song, as well as three songs not available on the album. The "Busker's Mix" includes the acoustic guitar parts but omits electric guitar tracks. The "Electric Mix" contains the electric guitar parts, but leaves out the acoustic guitar. All of the B-sides, except the remixes, would go on to appear in the 2004 box set ''[[Join the Dots: B-Sides & Rarities 1978–2001 (The Fiction Years)|Join the Dots]]''.
==Critical reception== Chris Gerard of [[Metro Weekly]] was unenthusiastic of the song saying it was "utterly inconsequential" and "a pale imitation of far better guitar-based pop songs like "[[In Between Days]]" and [[Friday I'm in Love|“Friday I'm in Love.”]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gerard |first=Chris |date=16 October 2013 |title=The Cure's "Wild Mood Swings" revisited |url=https://www.metroweekly.com/2013/10/the-cures-wild-mood-swings-rev/ |access-date=7 December 2024 |website=Metro Weekly}}</ref>[[Anthony DeCurtis]] of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' dismissed it as "shiny, happy, self-consciously clichéd" <ref>{{Cite web |last=DeCurtis |first=Anthony |date=2 February 1998 |title=Wild Mood Swings |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/wild-mood-swings-116332/ |access-date=7 December 2024 |website=Rolling Stone}}</ref>
==Track listings== All tracks were written by Robert Smith, [[Simon Gallup]], [[Perry Bamonte]], [[Jason Cooper]], and [[Roger O'Donnell]].
'''UK CD1'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Mint Car|year=1996|type=UK CD1 liner notes|publisher=[[Fiction Records]]|id=FICCD 52, 576 967–2}}</ref> # "Mint Car" # "Home" # "Mint Car" (Buskers mix)
'''UK CD2'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Mint Car|year=1996|type=UK CD2 liner notes|publisher=Fiction Records|id=FISCD 52, 576 969–2}}</ref> # "Mint Car" (Electric mix) # "Waiting" # "A Pink Dream"
'''European CD1 and Australian CD single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Mint Car|year=1996|type=European CD1 liner notes|publisher=Fiction Records|id=576 971-2}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Mint Car|year=1996|type=Australian CD single liner notes|publisher=Fiction Records|id=0630151022}}</ref> # "Mint Car" (radio mix) # "Home" # "Waiting" # "A Pink Dream"
'''European CD2 and US CD1'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Mint Car|year=1996|type=European CD2 liner notes|publisher=Fiction Records|id=576 966-2}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Mint Car|year=1996|type=US CD1 liner notes|publisher=Fiction Records, [[Elektra Records]]|id=64275-2}}</ref> # "Mint Car" (radio mix) # "Home"
'''US CD2 and Canadian CD single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Mint Car|year=1996|type=US CD2 liner notes|publisher=Fiction Records, Elektra Records|id=66012-2}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Mint Car|year=1996|type=Canadian CD single liner notes|publisher=Fiction Records, Elektra Records|id=CD 66012}}</ref> # "Mint Car" (Electric mix) # "Waiting" # "A Pink Dream" # "Mint Car" (Buskers Mix)
==Personnel== * Robert Smith – writing, vocals, guitar, production, [[Audio mixing (recorded music)|mixing]] * Simon Gallup – writing, bass * Perry Bamonte – writing, guitar * Jason Cooper – writing * Roger O'Donnell – writing, keyboards * Mark Price – drums * Bob Thompson – drums on "Waiting" * Steve Lyon – production, mixing on all tracks except "A Pink Dream" * Steve Whitfield – mixing on "A Pink Dream"
==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1996) !Peak<br/>position |- !scope="row"|Australia ([[ARIA Charts|ARIA]])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://i.imgur.com/X4rewZD.jpg|title=The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 04 Aug 1996|publisher=[[Australian Recording Industry Association|ARIA]]|via=[[Imgur]]|access-date=16 April 2020}} N.B. The HP column indicates the single's highest position.</ref> |100 |- {{single chart|Canadarock|17|chartid=3046|rowheader=true|access-date=23 February 2019}} |- {{single chart|Finland|20|artist=The Cure|song=Mint Car|rowheader=true}} |- !scope="row"|Iceland ([[Íslenski listinn|Íslenski Listinn Topp 40]])<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timarit.is/page/2944287#page/n33/mode/2up|title=Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (24.8. – 30.8. '96)|newspaper=[[DV (newspaper)|Dagblaðið Vísir]]|language=is|page=42|date=24 August 1996|access-date=2 October 2019}}</ref> |3 |- {{single chart|Scotland|47|date=19960629|rowheader=true|access-date=14 March 2018}} |- {{single chart|UK|31|date=19960629|rowheader=true|access-date=23 February 2019}} |- {{single chart|Billboardhot100|58|artist=The Cure|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|14|artist=The Cure|rowheader=true|access-date=14 March 2018}} |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1996) !Position |- !scope="row"|Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timarit.is/page/2949469#page/n15/mode/2up|title=Árslistinn 1996|newspaper=Dagblaðið Vísir|language=is|page=25|date=2 January 1997|access-date=30 May 2020}}</ref> |13 |- !scope="row"|US Modern Rock Tracks (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Modern Rock Tracks|magazine=[[Airplay Monitor]]|volume=4|issue=53|page=24|date=27 December 1996}}</ref> |75 |} {{col-end}}
==Release history== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" !scope="col"|Region !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Format(s) !scope="col"|Label(s) !scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- !scope="row"|United States |27 May 1996 |[[Alternative radio]] |{{hlist|[[Fiction Records|Fiction]]|[[Elektra Records|Elektra]]}} |<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Be on the Lookout|magazine=[[Gavin Report]]|issue=2105|page=22|date=17 May 1996}}</ref> |- !scope="row"|United Kingdom |17 June 1996 |{{hlist|CD|cassette}} |Fiction |<ref name="ukrel"/> |- !scope="row"|United States |18 June 1996 |[[Contemporary hit radio]] |{{hlist|Fiction|Elektra}} |<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1996/R&R-1996-06-14.pdf|title=Selected New Releases|magazine=[[Radio & Records]]|issue=1150|page=37|date=14 June 1996|access-date=17 August 2021}}</ref> |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Discogs master|32060}}
{{The Cure}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1995 songs]] [[Category:1996 singles]] [[Category:The Cure songs]] [[Category:Elektra Records singles]] [[Category:Fiction Records singles]] [[Category:Jangle pop songs]] [[Category:Songs written by Jason Cooper]] [[Category:Songs written by Perry Bamonte]] [[Category:Songs written by Robert Smith (musician)]] [[Category:Songs written by Roger O'Donnell]] [[Category:Songs written by Simon Gallup]]