The Cure “The Love Cats” 1983. 12″ single, Fiction Records/Sire Records. I’m spinning this ode to loving cats on today, August 8th, which I guess is International Cat Day (established by the International Fund for Animal Welfare in 2002) – though any cat would tell you, if they could, that EVERY day is cat day. The jazzy extended version of “The Love Cats” appears on this 12″single, the single version was released as a stand-alone in ‘83 and it reached #7 in the UK; The Cure included it first on their comp LP Japanese Whispers released later that year and then again in ‘86 on Standing on the Beach: The Singles. Side B has “Speak My Language” (also included on Japanese Whispers) is, like “Love Cats,” a swinging, vaguely noir jazzy number, and “Mr. Pink Eyes,” which only shows up on later comps of rarities and b-sides and is a frantically upbeat cacophony of free-jazz piano and post-punk experimentation. I think our copy of this 12″ has a messed-up B-side: on 45 rpm Robert Smith sounds just wrong, way too high in the vocals as compared to the links provided here but at 33 rpm the music is way too slow and low. Anyway, I’ll be celebrating International Cat Day by listening to “The Love Cats” and giving these boys (Mr. Pocket in the foreground, Mr. Pants in back) my love.