Boys Don't Cry is the Cure's first compilation album. Released in February 1980, this album is composed of several tracks from the band's May 1979 debut album Three Imaginary Boys (which had yet to see a US release) with material from the band's 1978–1979 era.
Behind the scenes of these albums, Bill Smith was the mastermind behind the concepts for both covers, while Chris Parry assumed the role of producer for both projects. Additionally, Tim Pope played a crucial role in directing the music videos for "Killing an Arab" and "Jumping Someone Else's Train", which were later featured in the 1986 video compilation. These behind-the-scenes efforts contributed significantly to the albums' artistic vision.