Boys Don't Cry

Robert Smith, the original sensitive thug

The Cure, "Boys Don't Cry (studio demo)"

The Cure, "Boys Don't Cry (acoustic)"

Samantha Ronson, "Boys Don't Cry"

This is not quite a bringingsensitiveback post, although it's damn close. Hell, I may actually do a similar hiphop-based version of this shortly, I'll try to put together ASAP. Anyway, it was a shitty weekend and I was feeling down for my entire trip to NYC and back and I thought of this song and figured that it would be worth a look.

If you don't know this song, I assume that you were raised by wolves or James Dobson. It's one of The Cure's most famous songs, a classic, perfect pop song to my ears. G-d damn, I love that early Cure sound, the jangly rock stuff, pre-Disintegration and less goth. Here are a few odds and ends, as I'm assuming that everyone already owns the album of the same name. The first one is the demo version, which comes on the deluxe CD editions. The other version is an acoustic one, which makes the original even more fragile and broken-hearted. Finally, Samantha Ronson, Mark's sister, did a cover version on her album Red, an inspired choice and impressive version. It's wonderful hearing a female voice singing this, it sounds just as good.

Beyond the music, I want to say that we need to realize that it is alright for boys to cry. Don't try to toughen them up, don't turn them into little men. Fellas, it ain't alright to just give in to all of these expectations. It's time to do away with the stereotypes about men being the strong, silent types. It isn't bad to be emotional and express them. To further this, I am going to organize a men's crying retreat, a chance for thugs and hipsters to come together and get those pent-up emotions out. I'm not talking any "Let's hug it out" shit, I'm talking some Field of Dreams-watching, Edith Piaf-listening, baller's bawling shit. The real deal. To help everyone with this transition, our first few sessions will take place in a strip club, as the boobies will hopefully take all back to being children. Let's do this, fellas!

-It looks like the folks at MSNBC.com are reading Pound for Pound, as they have this article on how 'real men' stereotypes keep men from getting depression treated

-DJ Steven Bloodbath is spinning in Brooklyn tonight at Royal Oak

-I miss my bike. My French girl, Peugeot, is in the shop for the night, all by herself for the first time. She had a tough week with the fall and all, wish we didn't have to be apart, but it's all for the best as she'll be all fixed up and ready-to-ride tomorrow. Yeah!