# Mint Car

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1996 single by The Cure

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"Mint Car" CD1 single cover Single by the Cure from the album Wild Mood Swings B-side "Home" "Waiting" "A Pink Dream" Released 17 June 1996 (1996-06-17) Genre Jangle pop[1] Length 3:29 Label Fiction Elektra Composers Robert Smith Simon Gallup Perry Bamonte Jason Cooper Roger O'Donnell Lyricist Robert Smith Producers Robert Smith Steve Lyon The Cure singles chronology "The 13th" (1996) "Mint Car" (1996) "Strange Attraction" (1996) Alternative covers CD2 single cover Audio "Mint Car" on YouTube

"**Mint Car**" is a song by English rock band [the Cure](/source/The_Cure), released as the second single from their tenth studio album *[Wild Mood Swings](/source/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](/source/UK_Singles_Chart).

## Background

[Robert Smith](/source/Robert_Smith_(musician)) has stated in an interview that he thought this song was better than the British top-10 hit "[Friday I'm in Love](/source/Friday_I'm_in_Love)".[2] 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](/source/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."[2]

## Release

Released on 17 June 1996,[3] the song reached number 31 on the [UK Singles Chart](/source/UK_Singles_Chart) and number 14 on the [*Billboard* Modern Rock Tracks](/source/Alternative_Songs) 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](/source/Join_the_Dots%3A_B-Sides_%26_Rarities_1978%E2%80%932001_(The_Fiction_Years))*.

## Critical reception

Chris Gerard of [Metro Weekly](/source/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](/source/In_Between_Days)" and [“Friday I'm in Love.”](/source/Friday_I'm_in_Love)[4][Anthony DeCurtis](/source/Anthony_DeCurtis) of *[Rolling Stone](/source/Rolling_Stone)* dismissed it as "shiny, happy, self-consciously clichéd" [5]

## Track listings

All tracks were written by Robert Smith, [Simon Gallup](/source/Simon_Gallup), [Perry Bamonte](/source/Perry_Bamonte), [Jason Cooper](/source/Jason_Cooper), and [Roger O'Donnell](/source/Roger_O'Donnell).

**UK CD1**[6]

1. "Mint Car"

1. "Home"

1. "Mint Car" (Buskers mix)

**UK CD2**[7]

1. "Mint Car" (Electric mix)

1. "Waiting"

1. "A Pink Dream"

**European CD1 and Australian CD single**[8][9]

1. "Mint Car" (radio mix)

1. "Home"

1. "Waiting"

1. "A Pink Dream"

**European CD2 and US CD1**[10][11]

1. "Mint Car" (radio mix)

1. "Home"

**US CD2 and Canadian CD single**[12][13]

1. "Mint Car" (Electric mix)

1. "Waiting"

1. "A Pink Dream"

1. "Mint Car" (Buskers Mix)

## Personnel

- Robert Smith – writing, vocals, guitar, production, [mixing](/source/Audio_mixing_(recorded_music))

- 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

Weekly charts Chart (1996) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[14] 100 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[15] 17 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[16] 20 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[17] 3 Scotland Singles (OCC)[18] 47 UK Singles (OCC)[19] 31 US Billboard Hot 100[20] 58 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[21] 14 Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[22] 13 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[23] 75

## Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref. United States 27 May 1996 Alternative radio Fiction Elektra [24] United Kingdom 17 June 1996 CD cassette Fiction [3] United States 18 June 1996 Contemporary hit radio Fiction Elektra [25]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Erlewine, Stephen Thomas](/source/Stephen_Thomas_Erlewine). ["The Cure – Galore: The Singles 1987–1997"](http://www.allmusic.com/album/galore-the-singles-1987-1997-mw0000596100). *[Allmusic](/source/Allmusic)*. Retrieved 27 December 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-pete_wentz_rob_smith_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-pete_wentz_rob_smith_2-1) ["Pete Wentz Meets Robert Smith"](http://www.stereogum.com/4040/pete_wentz_meets_robert_smith/video/). *Stereogum*. 28 November 2006. Retrieved 11 January 2016.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ukrel_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ukrel_3-1) ["New Releases: Singles"](https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1996/Music-Week-1996-06-15.pdf) (PDF). *[Music Week](/source/Music_Week)*. 15 June 1996. p. 31. Retrieved 17 August 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Gerard, Chris (16 October 2013). ["The Cure's "Wild Mood Swings" revisited"](https://www.metroweekly.com/2013/10/the-cures-wild-mood-swings-rev/). *Metro Weekly*. Retrieved 7 December 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** DeCurtis, Anthony (2 February 1998). ["Wild Mood Swings"](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/wild-mood-swings-116332/). *Rolling Stone*. Retrieved 7 December 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** *Mint Car* (UK CD1 liner notes). [Fiction Records](/source/Fiction_Records). 1996. FICCD 52, 576 967–2.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** *Mint Car* (UK CD2 liner notes). Fiction Records. 1996. FISCD 52, 576 969–2.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** *Mint Car* (European CD1 liner notes). Fiction Records. 1996. 576 971-2.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** *Mint Car* (Australian CD single liner notes). Fiction Records. 1996. 0630151022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** *Mint Car* (European CD2 liner notes). Fiction Records. 1996. 576 966-2.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** *Mint Car* (US CD1 liner notes). Fiction Records, [Elektra Records](/source/Elektra_Records). 1996. 64275-2.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** *Mint Car* (US CD2 liner notes). Fiction Records, Elektra Records. 1996. 66012-2.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** *Mint Car* (Canadian CD single liner notes). Fiction Records, Elektra Records. 1996. CD 66012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 04 Aug 1996"](https://i.imgur.com/X4rewZD.jpg). [ARIA](/source/Australian_Recording_Industry_Association). Retrieved 16 April 2020 – via [Imgur](/source/Imgur). N.B. The HP column indicates the single's highest position.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-sc_Canadarock_15-0)** "[Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Image 3046](https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.3046&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.3046.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.3046)". *[RPM](/source/RPM_(magazine))*. [Library and Archives Canada](/source/Library_and_Archives_Canada). Retrieved 23 February 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-sc_Finland_The_Cure_Mint_Car_16-0)** "[The Cure: Mint Car](https://www.ifpi.fi/lista/artistit/the-cure/kappale/mint-car)" (in Finnish). [Musiikkituottajat](/source/Musiikkituottajat).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (24.8. – 30.8. '96)"](https://timarit.is/page/2944287#page/n33/mode/2up). *[Dagblaðið Vísir](/source/DV_(newspaper))* (in Icelandic). 24 August 1996. p. 42. Retrieved 2 October 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-sc_Scotland_18-0)** "[Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart on 29/6/1996 – Top 100](https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-singles-chart/19960629/41/)". [Official Charts Company](/source/Official_Charts_Company). Retrieved 14 March 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-sc_UK_19-0)** "[Official Singles Chart on 29/6/1996 – Top 100](https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19960629/7501/)". [Official Charts Company](/source/Official_Charts_Company). Retrieved 23 February 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-sc_Billboardhot100_The_Cure_20-0)** "[The Cure Chart History (Hot 100)](https://www.billboard.com/artist/The-Cure/chart-history/HSI)". *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-sc_Billboardalternativesongs_The_Cure_21-0)** "[The Cure Chart History (Alternative Airplay)](https://www.billboard.com/artist/The-Cure/chart-history/MRT)". *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))*. Retrieved 14 March 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** ["Árslistinn 1996"](https://timarit.is/page/2949469#page/n15/mode/2up). *Dagblaðið Vísir* (in Icelandic). 2 January 1997. p. 25. Retrieved 30 May 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** "Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Modern Rock Tracks". *[Airplay Monitor](/source/Airplay_Monitor)*. Vol. 4, no. 53. 27 December 1996. p. 24.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-24)** "Be on the Lookout". *[Gavin Report](/source/Gavin_Report)*. No. 2105. 17 May 1996. p. 22.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** ["Selected New Releases"](https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1996/R&R-1996-06-14.pdf) (PDF). *[Radio & Records](/source/Radio_%26_Records)*. No. 1150. 14 June 1996. p. 37. Retrieved 17 August 2021.

## External links

- *[Mint Car](https://www.discogs.com/master/32060)* at [Discogs](/source/Discogs) (list of releases)

v t e The Cure Robert Smith Simon Gallup Roger O'Donnell Jason Cooper Reeves Gabrels Andy Anderson Perry Bamonte Michael Dempsey Matthieu Hartley Pearl Thompson Phil Thornalley Lol Tolhurst Boris Williams Studio albums Three Imaginary Boys Seventeen Seconds Faith Pornography The Top The Head on the Door Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me Disintegration Wish Wild Mood Swings Bloodflowers The Cure 4:13 Dream Songs of a Lost World Live albums Concert: The Cure Live Entreat Show Paris Bestival Live 2011 Compilations Boys Don't Cry Japanese Whispers Standing on a Beach/Staring at the Sea Galore Greatest Hits Join the Dots Remix albums Mixed Up Torn Down Mixes of a Lost World Extended plays The Peel Sessions Festival 2005 Hypnagogic States EP Video releases The Cure in Orange Trilogy Festival 2005 Tours The Cure: 'Reflections' Shows of a Lost World Related articles Discography Songs Band members Perfect as Cats: A Tribute to the Cure Babacar COGASM Fools Dance The Glove Levinhurst The Magazine Spies Presence Shelleyan Orphan Siouxsie and the Banshees Nocturne Hyæna Category

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mint Car](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mint_Car) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mint_Car?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.