{{Short description|1996 single by The Cure}} {{About|the 1996 rock single by the Cure|other uses|13 (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox song | name = The 13th | cover = The Cure - The 13th album cover.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = [[the Cure]] | album = [[Wild Mood Swings]] | B-side = * "It Used to Be Me" * "Ocean" * "Adonais" | released = {{start date|1996|4|22|df=y}} | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = [[Mariachi]]<ref>{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r315457|pure_url=yes}}|title=Galore: The Singles 1987–1997 – The Cure|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|publisher=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> | length = 4:16 | label = [[Fiction Records|Fiction]] | composer = * [[Perry Bamonte]] * [[Jason Cooper (musician)|Jason Cooper]] * [[Simon Gallup]] * [[Roger O'Donnell]] * [[Robert Smith (musician)|Robert Smith]] | lyricist = Robert Smith | producer = * Robert Smith * Steve Lyon | prev_title = [[A Letter to Elise]] | prev_year = 1992 | next_title = [[Mint Car]] | next_year = 1996 }} "'''The 13th'''" is a song by English rock band [[the Cure]], released as the first single from the band's 10th studio album, ''[[Wild Mood Swings]]'' (1996), on 22 April 1996. The song reached the top 20 in several territories, including Finland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and [[Wallonia]]. It charted the highest in Hungary, where it reached number two, and in Italy, where it peaked at number five.
== Background == Bassist [[Simon Gallup]] discussed the creation of the track in a contemporary interview, "That was one of [[Robert Smith (musician)|Robert's]] songs, initially called ''Two Chord Cool.'' because it was just two chords strummed on a guitar. It was one of the songs we had recorded; we kept adding bits of percussion and then we'd put it away and then add more to it." he also viewed the song as "tacky" and "tongue-in-cheek".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Interview: The Cure's Wild Mood Swings |url=https://www.musicfanclubs.org/cure/press/I77.html |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=www.musicfanclubs.org}}</ref>
==Release== The song reached number 15 on the [[UK Singles Chart]] and number 44 on the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]. The song was played very few times during the Swing Tour and never again since the tour.
== Reception == Writing for [[AllMusic]], Ned Raggett rated the single four stars out of five and noted the unexpected tone of the song: "There's no question that 'The 13th' was probably one of the Cure's most unexpected singles -- though horns had appeared on the single mix of '[[Close to Me (The Cure song)|Close to Me]]' back in 1985, the distinctly [[Latin music (genre)|Latin]] percussion and brass on the song here was something else entirely!"<ref>{{cite web|last1=Raggett|first1=Ned|title=AllMusic Review by Ned Raggett|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-13th-mw0000187685|website=AllMusic|access-date=25 February 2017}}</ref>
''[[Clash (magazine)|Clash]]'' magazine said that, alongside "[[Gone! (The Cure song)|Gone!]]", "The 13th" has become known for dividing fans, describing them as "love/hate affairs", but noted they "still [show] a band happy to experiment and play with conventions."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Walker-Smart|first1=Sam|title=Complete Guide: The Cure|url=http://www.clashmusic.com/features/complete-guide-the-cure|website=Clash|date=6 September 2016 |access-date=25 February 2017}}</ref> Peter Parrish described "The 13th" as "a pseudo-latin number with a not-especially-hidden message about giving in to your lust."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Parrish|first1=Peter|title=Playing God: The Cure - Wild Mood Swings|url=http://stylusmagazine.com/articles/playing_god/the-cure-wild-mood-swings.htm|website=Stylus|access-date=25 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330023100/http://stylusmagazine.com/articles/playing_god/the-cure-wild-mood-swings.htm|archive-date=30 March 2014|date=9 November 2004}}</ref>
==Music video== The music video of the song shows [[Robert Smith (musician)|Robert Smith]], dressed in ripped velvet dress, lying on his bed and watching a TV broadcast where he performs with the Cure. Comedian [[Sean Hughes (comedian)|Sean Hughes]] also appears in the video.<ref name="SeanH">{{cite news |url=http://www.musicfanclubs.org/cure/press/I53.html |title=Making Wild Mood Swings pay off |publisher=Music Fan Club |date=22 April 1996 |access-date=16 October 2017}}</ref>
==Track listings== All tracks were written by Smith, Gallup, Bamonte, Cooper, and O'Donnell. {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} '''UK CD1 and Australian CD single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The 13th|author=[[The Cure]]|year=1996|type=UK CD1 liner notes|publisher=[[Fiction Records]]|id=576 469-2}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The 13th|author=The Cure|year=1996|type=Australian CD single liner notes|publisher=Fiction Records|id=0630148512}}</ref> # "The 13th" (swing radio mix) # "It Used to Be Me" # "The 13th" (Killer Bee mix)
'''UK CD2'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The 13th|author=The Cure|year=1996|type=UK CD2 liner notes|publisher=Fiction Records|id=576 493-2}}</ref> # "The 13th" (Two Chord Cool mix) # "Ocean" # "Adonais"
'''European CD and cassette single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The 13th|author=The Cure|year=1996|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=Fiction Records|id=576692-2}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The 13th|author=The Cure|year=1996|type=European cassette single sleeve|publisher=Fiction Records|id=576 468-4}}</ref> # "The 13th" (swing radio mix) # "It Used to Be Me" {{col-2}} '''US CD1 and cassette single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The 13th|author=The Cure|year=1996|type=US CD1 liner notes|publisher=[[Elektra Records]], Fiction Records|id=64292-2}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The 13th|author=The Cure|year=1996|type=US cassette single sleeve|publisher=Elektra Records, Fiction Records|id=4-64292}}</ref> # "The 13th" (swing radio mix) # "Adonais"
'''US CD2 and Canadian CD single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The 13th|author=The Cure|year=1996|type=US CD2 liner notes|publisher=Elektra Records, Fiction Records|id=66036-2}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The 13th|author=The Cure|year=1996|type=Canadian CD single liner notes|publisher=Elektra Records, Fiction Records|id=CD 66036}}</ref> # "The 13th" (Two Chord Cool mix) # "Ocean" # "It Used to Be Me" # "The 13th" (Killer Bee mix)
'''Japanese CD single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The 13th|author=The Cure|year=1996|type=Japanese CD single liner notes|publisher=[[Polydor Records]], Fiction Records|id=POCP-7141}}</ref> # "The 13th" (swing radio mix) # "It Used to Be Me" # "Ocean" # "Adonais" {{col-end}}
==Personnel== '''The Cure''' * [[Robert Smith (musician)|Robert Smith]] – vocals, guitar, trumpet arrangements * [[Simon Gallup]] – bass * [[Perry Bamonte]] – guitar * [[Roger O'Donnell]] – keyboards * [[Jason Cooper (musician)|Jason Cooper]] – drums, percussion
'''Additional musicians''' *Jesus Alemany – trumpet *Steve Dawson – trumpet *Sid Gauld – trumpet arrangements
'''Technical''' * Steve Lyon – production, [[Audio engineering|engineering]] * Robert Smith – production * Spike Drake – mixing * Ian Cooper – [[Audio mastering|mastering]]
==Charts== {|class="wikitable sortable" !Chart (1996) !Peak<br/>position |- {{single chart|Australia|31|artist=The Cure|song=The 13th}} |- {{single chart|Flanders|43|artist=The Cure|song=The 13th}} |- {{single chart|Wallonia|12|artist=The Cure|song=The 13th}} |- {{single chart|Canadarock|17|chartid=2989|access-date=23 February 2019}} |- |Europe ([[European Hot 100 Singles|Eurochart Hot 100]])<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1996/MM-1996-05-25.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=[[Music & Media]]|volume=13|issue=21|page=16|date=25 May 1996|access-date=21 November 2019}}</ref> |align="center"|30 |- {{single chart|Finland|11|artist=The Cure|song=The 13th}} |- {{single chart|Germany|55|songid=3213|artist=Cure|song=The 13th}} |- |Hungary ([[Association of Hungarian Record Companies|Mahasz]])<ref name="m&m">{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1996/MM-1996-05-25.pdf|title=Top National Sellers|magazine=[[Music & Media]]|volume=13|issue=21|page=18|date=25 May 1996|access-date=16 February 2020}}</ref> |align="center"|2 |- {{single chart|Ireland2|22|song=The 13 th|access-date=14 January 2020}} |- |Italy (''[[Musica e dischi]]'')<ref name="m&m"/> |align="center"|5 |- {{single chart|New Zealand|37|artist=The Cure|song=The 13th}} |- {{single chart|Scotland|23|date=19960504|artist=The Cure|song=The 13th|access-date=13 March 2018}} |- {{single chart|Sweden|20|artist=The Cure|song=The 13th}} |- {{single chart|Switzerland|29|artist=The Cure|song=The 13th}} |- {{single chart|UK|15|artist=The Cure|song=The 13th|date=19960428}} |- {{single chart|Billboardhot100|44|artist=The Cure|song=The 13th|}} |- {{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|15|artist=The Cure|access-date=13 March 2018}} |- {{single chart|Billboarddancesales|11|artist=The Cure|access-date=17 August 2021}} |}
==Release history== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" !scope="col"|Region !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Format(s) !scope="col"|Label(s) !scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref(s).|Reference(s)}} |- !scope="row"|United States |8 April 1996 |{{hlist|[[Adult album alternative|Triple A]]|[[College radio|college]]|[[alternative radio]]}} |{{hlist|[[Elektra Records|Elektra]]|[[Fiction Records|Fiction]]}} |align="center"|<ref name="usrel">{{cite magazine|title=Cure Captures 'Wild Mood Swings'|last=Sexton|first=Paul|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|volume=108|issue=13|pages=18, 41|date=30 March 1996}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Be on the Lookout|magazine=[[Gavin Report]]|issue=2099|page=28|date=5 April 1996}}</ref> |- !scope="row"|United Kingdom |22 April 1996 |rowspan="2"|{{hlist|CD|cassette}} |Fiction |align="center"|<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1996/Music-Week-1996-04-20.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=[[Music Week]]|page=27|date=20 April 1996|access-date=17 August 2021}}</ref> |- !scope="row" rowspan="2"|United States |23 April 1996 |rowspan="2"|{{hlist|Elektra|Fiction}} |rowspan="2" align="center"|<ref name="usrel"/> |- |29 April 1996 |[[Top 40 radio]] |- !scope="row"|Japan |1 June 1996 |CD |{{hlist|[[Polydor Records|Polydor]]|Fiction}} |align="center"|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.polygram.co.jp/music/intl/cure/disco.html|title=Cure Discography|publisher=[[PolyGram]]|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990224125215/http://www.polygram.co.jp/music/intl/cure/disco.html|archive-date=24 February 1999|access-date=27 August 2023}}</ref> |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Discogs master|32083}}
{{The Cure}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:13th, The}} [[Category:1996 singles]] [[Category:1996 songs]] [[Category:The Cure songs]] [[Category:Elektra Records singles]] [[Category:Fiction Records singles]] [[Category:Music videos directed by Sophie Muller]] [[Category:Polydor Records singles]] [[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]] [[Category:Mariachi]]