Let's Do It All Again

Lore & Background

In the broader narrative of The Cure's 1983 output, "Let's Do It All Again" occupies a curious little space. The band had just delivered the brooding, multi-part "A Forest" on the A-side, a track steeped in gothic atmosphere and layered guitar textures. Flipping the record over, listeners were greeted instead by a compact, rhythm-driven number that bounces along with a distinctly offbeat, almost ska-inflected pulse. The contrast is jarring in the best way, a reminder that Robert Smith's songwriting could pivot from cathedral-dark to pub-garden-bright within the span of a single 45 rpm disc.

The song's thematic core is one of cyclical joy: the idea that there is no shame in repeating a gesture, a feeling, a small rebellion, simply because it felt good the first time. In a period when The Cure's public image was increasingly locked into a gothic archetype, this track functioned as a small act of creative mischievousness, a reminder to the audience that the band still found room for playfulness inside their architecture of shadow.

Among fans, the song is often described as a "secret smile" in an otherwise somber era. It appears on B-side compilations and is a frequent request at live shows in the decades that followed, where it tends to land as a crowd-pleaser precisely because it breaks the expected emotional register. Its compact structure and infectious rhythmic hook make it one of the most immediately accessible B-sides in the Cure's back catalogue.

In Their Own Story

The rehearsal room in Camden still smelled of stale tea and rosin. Robert had just strummed out the last, dissonant chord of "A Forest" and set his guitar against the amp. The band stood in the grey November light filtering through the single window, waiting for the next instruction. He didn't give one. Instead he picked up a different guitar, the one with the dented headstock, and started a rhythm. Not a strum. A chop. A little off-beat thump-thump-skank that made Porcelain tilt his head and Bob start tapping his boot against the concrete floor. Within four bars the whole room was nodding, shoulders loose, the usual tension in their jaw-lines softening into something almost like a grin. Robert looked up, eyeliner smudged, and said, "Right. Let's do it all again." And they did. Three times. Four. Until the take sounded like a party they'd been having in their heads for weeks and could finally let out into the room.

Reader's Guide

Year: 1983. Parent release: B-side to the single "A Forest." Lyrical theme: The song centres on the idea of joyful repetition — the desire to relive a moment, a feeling, or a small act of defiance simply because it was good the first time. There is a lightness and a self-aware winking quality to the words, a refusal to be solemn. Musical structure: The arrangement is compact and rhythm-forward, built around a distinctive off-beat, ska-influenced guitar chop that gives the track its bounce. The tempo sits noticeably higher than the band's typical 1983 material, and the vocal delivery leans into a half-sung, half-spoken playful delivery. A short, punchy bridge provides a brief dynamic lift before the final chorus repeats. Cultural impact: As a B-side, it never charted in the way A-sides did, but it has accrued a devoted following among fans who appreciate it as a counterpoint to the band's darker reputation. It is frequently cited in fan discussions as proof of The Cure's range. Live-performance history: The song has appeared as an occasional live set piece in the decades since its release, often slotting in as a lighter moment in a predominantly atmospheric set. Notable remixes or covers: The track has not been the subject of a widely documented official remix or a prominent cover by another major artist, remaining primarily a fan-collected B-side gem.

The song's legacy is that of a small, sunnier thread in an otherwise shadow-draped tapestry, remembered for the smile it puts on a listener's face in the middle of a darker record.

Did You Know?

• The song was released as the B-side to "A Forest" in 1983, meaning it was never the lead single on any 45 rpm disc.
• Its rhythmic, off-beat guitar chop gives it a distinctly ska-tinged feel that is unusual in The Cure's catalogue and sets it apart from the gothic textures of the same era.
• The track is a compact, single-idea number — a deliberate contrast to the multi-section, atmospheric structures that dominate much of the band's 1983 material.
• Among fans, it is often described as the band's most openly playful B-side, a small act of musical mischief tucked behind a much darker A-side.