{{Short description|1996 single by The Cure}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}} {{Use British English|date=June 2012}} {{Infobox song | name = Strange Attraction | cover = Strange Attraction (cover).jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = [[The Cure]] | album = [[Wild Mood Swings]] | released = 8 October 1996 | recorded = 1995 | studio = | venue = | genre = *[[Synth pop]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Vaziri |first=Aidin |date=5 May 1996 |title=The Cure Keeps Its Edge |url=http://www.chron.com/entertainment/article/The-Cure-Keeps-Its-Edge-2983730.php |access-date=20 September 2017 |work=[[Houston Chronicle]]}}</ref> | length = 4:20 | label = [[Elektra Records|Elektra]] | composer = [[Perry Bamonte]], [[Simon Gallup]], [[Robert Smith (musician)|Robert Smith]], and [[Jason Cooper]] | lyricist = Robert Smith | producer = Robert Smith<br>[[Steve Lyon]] | prev_title = [[Mint Car]] | prev_year = 1996 | next_title = [[Gone! (The Cure song)|Gone!]] | next_year = 1996 }}
"'''Strange Attraction'''" is the third single released by the English rock band [[the Cure]] on their tenth studio album ''[[Wild Mood Swings]]'' (1996). It was only released on [[Elektra Records]] as a single in the United States and Australia on 8 October 1996.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/Cure-Strange-Attraction/master/32079 |title=The Cure, "Strange Attraction", Master Release |accessdate=3 January 2013}}</ref>
==History== No music video was filmed to promote the single, believed to be because Robert Smith felt the last video for a single release exclusively in the US, "[[Fascination Street]]", was not what the band were aiming for.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}} Because of that "Strange Attraction" remains the only The Cure single (not counting original mix of "Boys Don't Cry") without a music video. Every other single made by the band has received a music video.
== Reception == Chris Gerard of [[Metro Weekly]] dismissed the song as "one of the band’s weaker attempts at a pop hit",<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gerard |first=Chris |date=2013-10-16 |title=The Cure's "Wild Mood Swings" revisited |url=https://www.metroweekly.com/2013/10/the-cures-wild-mood-swings-rev/ |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=Metro Weekly |language=en-US}}</ref> Aidin Vaziri of ''[[Houston Chronicle]]'' called it "light [[Synth-pop|synthesizer pop]]"<ref>{{cite news |last=Vaziri |first=Aidin |date=5 May 1996 |title=The Cure Keeps Its Edge |url=http://www.chron.com/entertainment/article/The-Cure-Keeps-Its-Edge-2983730.php |access-date=20 September 2017 |work=[[Houston Chronicle]]}}</ref>''[[Trouser Press]]'' called the song "a disappointing romance with a letter-writing fan — stands out for sharing subtle and credible emotions in a most attractive setting."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cure |url=https://trouserpress.com/reviews/cure/ |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=Trouser Press |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Track listing== #"Strange Attraction [Adrian Sherwood Album Mix]" #"The 13th" [Feels Good Mix] #"This is a Lie" [Ambient Mix] #"Gone!" [Critter Mix] #"Strange Attraction" [Strange Mix]
==Personnel== '''The Cure''' *[[Robert Smith (musician)|Robert Smith]] – vocals, guitar *[[Simon Gallup]] – bass *[[Perry Bamonte]] – keyboards *[[Roger O'Donnell]] – keyboards *[[Jason Cooper (musician)|Jason Cooper]] – drums
'''Technical''' * Steve Lyon – production, [[Audio engineering|engineering]] * Robert Smith – production * [[Adrian Sherwood|Adrian Maxwell Sherwood]] – mixing * Ian Cooper – [[Audio mastering|mastering]]
==Charts== {| class="wikitable" |- !align="left"|Chart (1996) !align="left"|Peak<br/>position |- |align="left"|Australia ([[ARIA Charts|ARIA]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://i.imgur.com/11R0bwv.gif|title=Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 12 September 2016|accessdate=2016-09-12|publisher=Imgur.com}}</ref> |style="text-align:center;"|145 |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{The Cure}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:The Cure songs]] [[Category:1996 singles]] [[Category:1996 songs]] [[Category:Songs written by Robert Smith (musician)]] [[Category:Songs written by Jason Cooper]] [[Category:Songs written by Roger O'Donnell]] [[Category:Songs written by Simon Gallup]] [[Category:Songs written by Perry Bamonte]] [[Category:Elektra Records singles]]