Mint Car Explained

"Mint Car" is a song by English rock band the Cure, released as the second single from their tenth studio album Wild Mood Swings in June 1996. It reached the top 20 in Finland and Iceland and peaked at number 31 on the UK Singles Chart.

Background

Robert Smith has stated in an interview that he thought this song was better than the British top-10 hit "Friday I'm in Love".^[2] Smith said, "it was the single, and I thought it was a better song than 'Friday'. But it did absolutely nothing because we weren't the band at that time. The zeitgeist wasn't right. It taught me that sometimes there's a tipping point, and if you're the band, you're the band, even if you don't want to be, and there's nothing you can do about it."^[2]

Release

Released on 17 June 1996,^[3] the song reached number 31 on the UK Singles Chart and number 14 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The single includes two remixes of the song, as well as three songs not available on the album. The "Busker's Mix" includes the acoustic guitar parts but omits electric guitar tracks. The "Electric Mix" contains the electric guitar parts, but leaves out the acoustic guitar. All of the B-sides, except the remixes, would go on to appear in the 2004 box set Join the Dots.

Track listings

All tracks were written by Robert Smith, Simon Gallup, Perry Bamonte, Jason Cooper, and Roger O'Donnell.UK CD1^[4]

1. "Mint Car"
2. "Home"
3. "Mint Car" (Buskers mix)

UK CD2^[5]

1. "Mint Car" (Electric mix)
2. "Waiting"
3. "A Pink Dream"

European CD1 and Australian CD single^{[6] [7]}

1. "Mint Car" (radio mix)
2. "Home"
3. "Waiting"
4. "A Pink Dream"

European CD2 and US CD1^{[8] [9]}

1. "Mint Car" (radio mix)
2. "Home"

US CD2 and Canadian CD single^{[10] [11]}

1. "Mint Car" (Electric mix)
2. "Waiting"
3. "A Pink Dream"
4. "Mint Car" (Buskers Mix)

Personnel

• Robert Smith – writing, vocals, guitar, production, mixing
• Simon Gallup – writing, bass
• Perry Bamonte – writing, guitar
• Jason Cooper – writing
• Roger O'Donnell – writing, keyboards
• Mark Price – drums
• Bob Thompson – drums on "Waiting"
• Steve Lyon – production, mixing on all tracks except "A Pink Dream"
• Steve Whitfield – mixing on "A Pink Dream"

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1996)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[12]	100
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[13]	3

Year-end charts

Chart (1996)	Position
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[14]	13
US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[15]	75

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)
United States	27 May 1996	Alternative radio		[16]
United Kingdom	17 June 1996		Fiction
United States	18 June 1996	Contemporary hit radio		[17]

Notes and References

1. Web site: The Cure – Galore: The Singles 1987–1997 . . 27 December 2015 . Erlewine, Stephen Thomas . Stephen Thomas Erlewine .
2. Web site: Pete Wentz Meets Robert Smith. Stereogum. 28 November 2006. 11 January 2016.
3. New Releases: Singles. Music Week. 31. 15 June 1996. 17 August 2021.
4. Mint Car. The Cure. 1996. UK CD1 liner notes. Fiction Records. FICCD 52, 576 967–2.
5. Mint Car. The Cure. 1996. UK CD2 liner notes. Fiction Records. FISCD 52, 576 969–2.
6. Mint Car. The Cure. 1996. European CD1 liner notes. Fiction Records. 576 971-2.
7. Mint Car. The Cure. 1996. Australian CD single liner notes. Fiction Records. 0630151022.
8. Mint Car. The Cure. 1996. European CD2 liner notes. Fiction Records. 576 966-2.
9. Mint Car. The Cure. 1996. US CD1 liner notes. Fiction Records, Elektra Records. 64275-2.
10. Mint Car. The Cure. 1996. US CD2 liner notes. Fiction Records, Elektra Records. 66012-2.
11. Mint Car. The Cure. 1996. Canadian CD single liner notes. Fiction Records, Elektra Records. CD 66012.
12. Web site: The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 04 Aug 1996. ARIA. Imgur. 16 April 2020. N.B. The HP column indicates the single's highest position.
13. News: Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (24.8. – 30.8. '96). Dagblaðið Vísir. is. 42. 24 August 1996. 2 October 2019.
14. News: Árslistinn 1996. Dagblaðið Vísir. is. 25. 2 January 1997. 30 May 2020.
15. Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Modern Rock Tracks. Airplay Monitor. 4. 53. 24. 27 December 1996.
16. Be on the Lookout. Gavin Report. 2105. 22. 17 May 1996.
17. Selected New Releases. Radio & Records. 1150. 37. 14 June 1996. 17 August 2021.