Bananafishbones is 9th track on The Cure’s 1984 album The Top. This track was based on “A Perfect Day For Bananafish” by J D Salinger – a short story. Many of his earlier songs are written via inspiration from (primarily) books, but include poems and others too.
[Verse 1]
Curl into a ball like you have more fun
Oh, that would make it faster
Why do you do it, do you do it, do you act like you?
Why do you do it, do you act like you?
[Verse 2]
Don't fight, go red and blue and black and white
And sell this, sell this or leave it senseless like a suck on a gun
Put a piece of metal in your head, you said
And make you dead, make you hippa, hippa, hippa, hippa
[Verse 3]
A palace of stones of your bananafish bones
I'll buy you a hundred years old
To celebrate our difference, theorise and talk yourself
Until you're tired and old
[Verse 4]
Disappear everywhere and watch me
Pull my lips apart
Exploit, inspire, encourage
Be responsible for this, ha ha
[Chorus]
I don't think, I don't think
I make use of all this time
Oh, kill me, kiss me once, and then we'll throw it away
And then we'll throw it away
[Verse 1]
Curl into a ball like you have more fun
Oh, that would make it faster
Why do you do it, do you do it, do you act like you?
Why do you do it, do you act like you?
[Verse 2]
Don't fight, go red and blue and black and white
And sell this, sell this or leave it senseless like a suck on a gun
Put a piece of metal in your head, you said
And make you dead, make you hippa, hippa, hippa, hippa
[Chorus]
I don't think, I don't think
I make use of all this time
Oh, kill me, kiss me once, and then we'll throw it away
And then we'll throw it away
[Outro]
And tell me about the games you play
Oh, turn off the lights
And tell me about the games you play
Bananafishbones was written by Robert Smith.
Bananafishbones was produced by Chris Parry & Dave Allen.
The Cure released Bananafishbones on Mon Apr 30 1984.
In a fanzine, Robert Smith shared the following about “Bananafishbones”:
the title, for some no-reason, from “a perfect day for bananafish” – a short story by j d salinger .. again me hating myself…