What Was Tears for Fears’ Biggest Hit?
Formed as an English pop rock band in Bath, England in 1981 by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, Tears for Fears has been associated with the new wave synthesizer bands of the early 80s. Later on, they’ve turned into more mainstream pop and international fame. They were also part of the MTV-driven Second British Invasion of the US.
Personally, they are one of my favorite pop bands from the 80s, specifically with “Shout” and “Everyone Wants to Rule the World.” I play them as I write these blogs as well as on the way to work in the morning.
Tears for Fears has reached multi-platinum status in both the UK and US, both with their debut album, The Hurting (1983) and second album, Songs from the Big Chair (1985) reaching number one on the US Billboard 200. How about that for fame?
So how about their biggest hits? With so much success from several of their albums, which is their top top song?
What Was Tears for Fears’ Biggest Hit?
“Shout” is considered to be Tears for Fears’ biggest hit, which hit number one throughout numerous countries including the US, Australia, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Germany, Belgium and Canada. This was from their second album, Songs from the Big Chair, released on November 19, 1984. It also became one of the most successful songs in 1985 and is regarded as one of the most recognizable songs from the mid-80s. It’s even recognized by Chris True of AllMusic as a “Tears for Fears signature moment.”
Roland Orzabal commented on how he wrote the song:
“The song was written in my front room on just a small synthesizer and a drum machine. Initially I only had the chorus, which was very repetitive, like a mantra. I played it to Ian Stanley, our keyboardist, and Chris Hughes, the producer. I saw it as a good album track, but they were convinced it would be a hit around the world.”
As far as the meaning, it’s been mistaken as just another song about primal scream theory. But it’s actually a political protest song as people were still worried about the aftermath of the Cold War in 1984 (when it was released) to encourage protesting. Curt Smith noted that “it encourages people not to do things without actually questioning them.”
As for the music video, it was filmed in late 1984 and the second Tears for Fears video was directed by the famous music video producer Nigel Dick. The footage is set at Durdle Door in Dorset, England as well as at a studio with the full band performing in front of a crowd of family and friends. The video had a major influence on establishing Tears for Fears’ presence in the US, because of its heavy rotation on MTV.
2. Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Tears for Fears’ second biggest hit is no doubt, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” It was written by Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley Chris Hughes and produced by Hughes. Released on March 18th, 1985 by Phonogram, Mercury and Vertigo Records as the third single from Tears for Fears’ third album, Songs from the Big Chair (1985), “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” is another synth-pop song about how humans crave power and control and how it ultimately leads to corruption.
This song, along with “Shout”, makes up the bulk of Tears for Fears’ success, peaking internationally at No. 2 in Ireland, Australia and the UK, number 1 in Canada, New Zealand and on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was also certified gold by both British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and Music Canada (MC).
Music Video
As far as the music video, it was also directed by Nigel Dick and placed on heavy rotation on MTV. The video shows the bassist, Curt Smith (also singing lead vocal), driving an antique Austin-Healey 3000 around Southern California while featuring shots of the band performing in the studio. “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” won Best Single at the Brit Awards in 1986 and they re-recorded the song as a charity single for the Sport Aid campaign.
Writing the Song
As for how the song was written, it was a “last-minute” addition whilst recording sessions of Songs from the Big Chair (1985). And thank God they threw it in! The final decision came after Orzabal played two chords on his acoustic guitar for Hughes, and it was recorded in two weeks and finally added to the album. Orzabal stated the final line in the song’s chorus was originally written as “Everybody wants to go to war”.
Curt Smith, said the themes were “quite serious – it’s about everybody wanting power, about warfare and the misery it causes.”
More Successful Songs
3. Head Over Heels
“Head Over Heels” was the fourth single released from Songs from the Big Chair and helped the group to maintain their success on the music charts. It was also the third straight single from the album to break the US Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 at number 2.
There was also a limited edition four-leaf-clover-shaped picture disc that was issued for the single’s release in the United Kingdom.
Along with the song “Broken”, “Head over Heels” was in development about two years prior as part of a segue, which was previously a stand-alone B-side to the 1983 “Pale Shelter” single.
According to Orzabal, “It is basically a romantic love song and one of the most simple tracks that Tears for Fears have ever recorded. It is a romance song that goes a bit perverse at the end.”
4. Woman in Chains
Released as the second single from the 1989 album The Seeds of Love, this song was described as a “feminist anthem.”
“Woman in Chains” was an international success, reaching the Top 40 in the US, UK, Belgium, Ireland, Italy and New Zealand as well as the Top 20 in Canada), France, the Netherlands and in Poland.
The studio cut features Phil Collins on the drums as commented, “Tears for Fears just wanted me to do that big drum thing from ‘In the Air Tonight’. It also features vocals by Oleta Adama, who also took on a successful solo career.
In 1992, “Woman in Chains” was re-released with a different B-side and credited to “Fears For Fears featuring Oleta Adams” – to capitalize on her solo career as well as to promote Tears for Fears’ compilation album Tears Roll Down, which reached number 57 in the UK.
Music Video
The music video for “Woman in Chains” was directed by Andy Morahan and filmed in black and white. It focuses on the abusive relationship between a man (a boxer) and a woman (a pole-dancer, played by Angela Alvarado). It also had shots of the band and Oleta Adams as well as Chris Hughes playing the drums.
5. Mad World
Written in 1982 by Orzabal and Smith, “Mad World” was the third single release of The Hurting (1983) and first chart hit, reaching number 3 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1982. This song was also Tears for Fears first international success, reaching the Top 40 in several countries in 1982-83.
Since then, “Mad World” has been covered by numerous artists, including a version recorded by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules in 2001 for the Donnie Darko film soundtrack. There was also a 2003 single release of the song that reached number one in the UK for three weeks and won Orzabal his second Ivor Novello Award. Finally, another rendition of the song was included on Demi Lovato’s 2021 album Dancing with the Devil…the Art of Starting Over.
“Mad World” was influenced by Arthur Janov’s theories, who is the author of The Primal Scream. The lyric in the song “the dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had” also suggest that intense experience dreams like death will be the best when it comes to releasing tension. How about that for being a bit much?
Music Video
The music video for this song is quite unique. It was filmed in late summer 1982 in the Knebworth House. It was also the band’s first video, which features a sad Curt Smith staring out of a window while Orzabal dances outside on a dock. There was also a brief scene with a family birthday party, which featured Smith’s mother and wife at the time, Lynne.
Smith said, “When we made the video in a country estate on the cheap, we bussed all our friends and family up from Bath and had a fun day. The woman who’s having the birthday party in the video is my mum.”
6. Sowing the Seeds of Love
“Sowing the Seeds of Love” was released as the first single from Tears for Fears’ third studio album, The Seeds of Love (1989) and became an international success that topped the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart. It also reached the top 10 in Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden and the UK. It reached number 2 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Cash Box Top 100.
“Sowing the Seeds of Love” was written in June 1987 when Margaret Thatcher and the Conservative Party won a third consecutive term in office. Orzabal took an interest in politics during the election with a specific interest in socialism. During the time it was released, he considered “Sowing the Seeds of Love” to be the most overtly political song the band had recorded. The lyrics refer to Thatcher’s election win with “Politician granny with your high ideals, have you no idea how the majority feels?”
The title of the song was inspired by a radio program that Orzabal heard at the time about a man who put together a collection of traditional English fold songs. One of the more obscure songs in the list was “The Seeds of Love,” which he learned from a gardener by the name of Mr. England (shown in the lyric “Mr. England sowing the seeds of love”).
The music video was animated with pencil on paper and transferred to punched acetate sheets and painted with Cel Vinyl acrylic paints. The video won two awards at the MTV Music Video Awards: Best Breakthrough Video and Best Special Effects. It was also nominated in the “Best Group Video” and “Best Postmodern Video” categories.
7. Raoul and the Kings of Spain
Released as the first single from their 1995 album of the same name, it reached number 31 in the UK and would be the band’s last Top 40 hit there for ten years. It also reached number 39 in Belgium and number 26 in Poland.
Orzabal explained in a 1995 interview that “Raoul is a name that has been in my family for many generations, […] I was actually born Raoul, and my mother […] decided that after two weeks she would change it to Roland to make it easier for English people to pronounce. So it became my nickname, and then when I had my first son […] we decided to hand it on to him.
He further explained “The Kings of Spain” is a reference to his family history and lineage from his father’s side. He also stated, “that my great great grandmother was the cousin of the president of Argentina, so really the album should have been called Raoul and the Presidents of Argentina, but not a lot of things rhyme with Argentina.” Good thinking there!
The music video was filmed at The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in Riverside, CA. As the Inn is a listed historic landmark and was where Bette Davis was married in 1945. The video featured Orzabal with his full band including Alan Griffiths and Gail Ann Dorsey.
8. Break It Down Again
“Break It Down Again” was released as the first single from their fourth album, Elemental (1993) and was another international success; it reached number 20 in the UK, number 25 in the US and top 40 in various other countries. It topped the US Billboard Modern Rock tracks chart and was especially successful in Canada and Iceland, reaching numbers four and two respectively. “Break It Down Again” is one of Tears for Fears later songs with the typical late 1980s sound that uses synthesizers.
Although this was the second single released after Curt Smith left the band. “Break It Down Again” features Orzabal with Alan Griffiths and Tim Balmer as well as back vocals by ex-Graduate bandmate John Baker. Although this was the only song that has regularly remained in live setlist after Smith’s return to the band.
The music video features Orzabal, Griffiths, and Gail Ann Dorsey performing the song on the desert El Mirage Lake, CA were the “Break It Down” single and Elemental album covers were taken.
What Do You Think of Tears for Fears?
Tears for Fears is one of my favorite 80s pop-synth bands from the 80s. As I’m writing this, I have “Woman in Chains” stuck in my hand and can’t stop playing it! But of course, the best songs came from founding members Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal. Personally I found their music videos are particularly entertaining as they all feature the the duo telling a story and playing in the studio at the same time.
So what do you think of Tears for Fears? What was your favorite song of theirs? Favorite music video? They certainly had a lot of international success as they’re widely recognized as a signature 80s band. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
