Every time I listen to the song (and I listen to it quite a bit), I come up with different possibilites as to what it could possibly mean. The only 'help' I've come across in looking for information on it's meaning is Robert Smith's own comment that he was "never quite sure about" the song...and I am not even sure if he meant lyrically, what the meaning is, or musically.
Personally, although I can see how this song could be about a relationship being distant or growing apart--and since that is a recurring theme in a lot of Smith's songs, it is quite plausible--I have always garnered a different feeling from "Wrong Number," one of the reasons perhaps being because the song itself is quite different in several ways than other Cure songs.
I keep getting the feeling that "Wrong Number" has something to do with the feeling of a foreigner being Americanized...that is where the "red and blue soul with a snow-white smile" factors in. The voice that answers Robert on the phone at the end of the song is American as well...and I think the garishness of the colors has tie-ins with the loud rudeness of American pop culture.
The music video also gives me this impression. He's underground, part of this world of dark beauty, where he looks like he wants to be, then he's dragged into this world of brashness and bright colors, where he seems to want to get away.
That's all I've been able to get my head around thus far....
Every time I listen to the song (and I listen to it quite a bit), I come up with different possibilites as to what it could possibly mean. The only 'help' I've come across in looking for information on it's meaning is Robert Smith's own comment that he was "never quite sure about" the song...and I am not even sure if he meant lyrically, what the meaning is, or musically. Personally, although I can see how this song could be about a relationship being distant or growing apart--and since that is a recurring theme in a lot of Smith's songs, it is quite plausible--I have always garnered a different feeling from "Wrong Number," one of the reasons perhaps being because the song itself is quite different in several ways than other Cure songs. I keep getting the feeling that "Wrong Number" has something to do with the feeling of a foreigner being Americanized...that is where the "red and blue soul with a snow-white smile" factors in. The voice that answers Robert on the phone at the end of the song is American as well...and I think the garishness of the colors has tie-ins with the loud rudeness of American pop culture. The music video also gives me this impression. He's underground, part of this world of dark beauty, where he looks like he wants to be, then he's dragged into this world of brashness and bright colors, where he seems to want to get away. That's all I've been able to get my head around thus far....