The Cure: There is no if Meaning

There is no if Lyrics

Remember the first time I told you I love you -
It was raining hard and you never heard -
You sneezed! and I had to say it over
I said I love you I said... you didn’t say a word
Just held you hands to my shining eyes
And I watched as the...

1. anonymous

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   Nov 25th 2007 !⃝

   Yeah they're not breaking up. He just doesn't believe in an afterlife. He's telling her there is plenty of meaning in the right here and now without it to him. Basically I see it as he realizes how much he loves her, tells her, and she is touched beyond words. But she responds with some words about their relationship going on forever and he's basically saying "I don't believe that there is any forever. Does that make my feelings any less valid? I believe that the here and now is all there is, so let's make it count. It doesn't mean you matter any less to me."
   
   I actually DO believe in an afterlife and I still find this the most wonderful song ever. Because 1) it's sweet, he is trying hard to tell her how much he loves her, cares about her, and wants to communicate with her and 2)even though I do believe in an afterlife I think many people who do forget the value of there here and now. For example some Christians who say that environmentalism doesn't matter because one day it will all be obsolete. Or in the case of this relationship in the song placing importance in something that can't be proven and that they can't share because he doesn't believe in it, rather than the concrete shared experiences of the here and now that they BOTH have. While I put my faith in God and an afterlife I think most of it is a big mystery. I think the experience we have here on earth is important, we don't always know why but the experiences we have are ones we're supposed to learn from and enjoy and we need to value what's here on the earth for what it is. I agree with Robert in the song because he's appreciating the relationship for what it is, the experience they're going through for what it is, and saying it has an intrinsic value of it's own.
2. anonymous

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   Jan 25th 2006 !⃝

   Here's what I think..
   
   He's saying to her "live for right now and give this your everything... The only thing for certain is now." There might not be this glorious afterlife, so make right now great.
   
   It's not exactly a "sad" song perse, eventhough that's how it sounds. Just the realization of the real world, don't live in a dream and depend on the thought of being together -forever-.
   
   -Broken Objexxx-
3. Modlovecat

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   Jul 16th 2005 !⃝

   Robert Smith was the only band member to play on this. He played all the instruments. He didn't want this included on the Bloodflowers album, but gave in when the other four members of the band persisted.
   
   A very great song. Talks about "there is no 'only' forever, just this. there is no if..." about a couple that are in love for the first half of the song, then the second half is them breaking up. The whole song is structured in a quite unique way, and uses a very structured theme.

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