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Most Killer Songs: No. 8

'Killing an Arab'
--The Cure (1980)

Victim: A nameless Arab man
Weapon: A brazen blaster
Gory Details: In this scene taken from Albert Camus' existential novel 'The Stranger,' a silver bullet to the head eliminates all traces of life from the randomly selected victim. The creep factor is elevated by the killer's complete indifference and absence of motive as he says, "I'm alive/I'm dead/I'm a stranger/Killing an Arab."

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Christine

This song doesn't bother me in the least. I've never taken the words of any song whether they are mean spirited, nice, sexy, brutal, funny or anything else some "artists" write all that seriously. Anyone who listens to music and thinks it defines any kind of life or lifestyle needs to get educated. It's entertainment. All music is. It's not meant for learning anything.

January 30 2008 at 1:56 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Vince

Cara - Robert Smith publicly stated way back in 1986:

On December 17, Robert Smith released a statement explaining that "Killing an Arab" "was designed to illustrate the utter futility of the actual action of killing" and asserting that "the fact that it was an Arab who was shot seemed, to me, totally immaterial, as I imagine it did to Albert Camus." And on January 20, 1987 details were announced at a press conference. The song would remain on the album and the Cure would continue to perform it. But radio stations would be urged not to broadcast it, and every copy of both Standing on a Beach and a forthcoming concert video would bear a prominent legend written by Smith: "The song KILLING AN ARAB has absolutely no racist tones whatsoever. It is a song which decries the existence of all prejudice and consequent violence. The Cure condemn its use in furthering anti-Arab feelings." In addition, the Cure volunteered to do a benefit for Lebanese, Palestinian, and American orphanages.

December 10 2007 at 5:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
EMackenzie

I'm not sure they're portraying anything but the book, honestly. At least for what the book was (ugh), they did it well -- a complete absence of feeling in this song.

November 28 2007 at 10:31 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Cara

Well since I myself have Arab ancestry I think that this song in particular is not only morbid, but complete waste of time... I mean I LOVE the Cure, but I can also hate racist dumbclucks that have nothing better to do than wear mommy's makeup and sing into a microphone and be so hateful...

November 25 2007 at 4:21 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mik3~

I love the cure and as much as I tried and learn to like this song, it was hard. Its a nifty ballad and it goes well with what it's trying to potray with the arab man but it's not a rememberable tune so to speak.

November 25 2007 at 4:05 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Patrick

I remember when I was in college in the mid-eighties and being forced to read L'Etranger in my French class. A friend of mine discovered this song while we were studying one night and he kept playing the damn thing over and over again as we tried to translate that annoying book. Since then I have hated the song and hated the book.

November 25 2007 at 3:53 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2nd Guest

Woah... this is a terrible song!

November 25 2007 at 1:03 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply