So What by The Cure

Album: Three Imaginary Boys (1979)

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A track from The Cure's first album, Three Imaginary Boys, "So What" was the only song for which they didn't have lyrics assembled when they entered the studio. Their drummer Lol Tolhurst supplied Robert Smith with a sheet of lyrics he had been working on, and Smith augmented it with a bag of sugar.

This particular sugar bag had an offer printed on it for a cake icing and decorating set, which he lifted directly:

Give your cakes and pies a professional look
With this superb decorating set
...
Each set includes a turntable
A nine-inch icing bag
With six high definition nozzles and adaptor
With a 15-inch food decorating bag

Tolhurst described the song as "very Dadaesque."
Vocalist Robert Smith has said that the song is an example of writing whilst intoxicated. He also described the track as "a sort of scream: after four days shut in a studio, we just had to do something." (Blank Space, 1979).
The album peaked at #44 in the UK.

Comments: 2

Anonymous@ Ali. I also knew the song for a long time yet couldn't understand what it was about until much later in my life. The ending of the song stood out the most, was when I thought Robert said:"Please send a decorating set. I include a chicken poster but so what?"
Ali from Wine, Cawow....goodness!!! talk about something different. that meanings amazing. this song actually, makes me laugh every time i hear it. he SOUNDS a bit drunk, or else something a bit different, and with all of the background noises, its absolutly brilliant.
i find the meaning to this song pretty inspiring, considering i grew up with this song (my older sister loved it) and because a lot of their songs, are actually really inspiring.

if youve never heard it, i really encourage you to. the whole time youll be thinking, "what on earth...was robert diong when he wrote this." i know thats what i always thought. and now i know...he was drunk!

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