TEARS FOR FEARS - EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD

Estrena: 22 de març de 1985

Llistes: EUA: #1 (2 setmanes)  Regne Unit: #2

"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" és una cançó de l'àlbum "Songs From The Big Chair" llançat el 1985. Coescrita per Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley i Chris Hughes, i produïda per Hughes, la cançó explora el tema del poder i les seves conseqüències.

Hughes va descriure com la cançó es va desenvolupar sense esforç després que Orzabal toquès dos acords amb la seva guitarra acústica. Malgrat la seva melodia alegre, la lletra explora temes seriosos com el desig de poder, la guerra i la misèria resultant. Curt Smith va explicar que el missatge de la cançó tracta sobre la lluita humana universal pel control i les seves implicacions més fosques.

Inicialment, Tears For Fears volia que "Shout" fos el seu primer single als Estats Units, com ho havia estat a altres llocs, però la seva discogràfica va insistir en llançar "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" en el seu lloc. Mirant enrere, Curt Smith va reconèixer que la decisió de la discogràfica era correcta, assenyalant que "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" va resultar ser un single de debut més adequat per al mercat nord-americà.

La afirmació que "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" va prendre el seu títol de la cançó de The Clash "Charlie Don't Surf" sembla haver sorgit d'una interacció divertida entre Joe Strummer i Roland Orzabal. Strummer va confrontar Orzabal de manera bromista en un restaurant, informant-li que li devia cinc lliures per usar la frase. Orzabal va respondre treient un bitllet de cinc lliures, tornant-li la broma. Aquesta anècdota suggereix un reconeixement jocós més que una acusació seriosa de plagi.

Tears For Fears van passar per un període complicat després de fer una extensa gira el 1985 per promoure el seu àlbum "Songs From The Big Chair". L'experiència els va deixar físicament i emocionalment esgotats, portant-los a un descans fins que van tornar el 1989 amb l’àlbum "The Seeds Of Love". Curt Smith va expressar a la revista Outlook que la gira va destacar la seva insatisfacció amb la dependència de les drum machines i els seqüenciadors. Va destacar que la seva passió residia en fer música en comptes de convertir-se en programadors informàtics, indicant un desig de centrar-se més en l'expressió musical que en els aspectes tecnològics durant les actuacions en directe.

El videoclip dirigit per Nigel Dick es va rodar en diversos llocs de Califòrnia, incloent Los Angeles, Desert Hot Springs, Palm Springs i Cabazon. Segons Curt Smith, el rodatge del vídeo va afrontar grans reptes, amb Dick en estat de desesperació durant la segona nit de filmació. Hi va haver un greu accident durant el rodatge de les escenes amb motos i vehicles tot terreny, amb un nen que va quedar inconscient després de sortir volant d'un vehicle colpejant-se el cap.

El vídeo comença amb Smith conduint un cotxe esportiu vintage Austin-Healey mentre un nen li apunta amb pistoles de joguina. Després, el cotxe es veu travessant un desert i l'Interstate 10, intercalat amb escenes de la banda actuant en un estudi. Smith s'atura al diner Wheel Inn i fa una trucada des d'una cabina telefònica. Després continua conduint pel desert, cantant la cançó. Altres escenes inclouen dos homes amb vestits fent moviments de dansa sincronitzats davant de bombes de gasolina, i joves que monten quads i motos de tres rodes a través de dunes de sorra. També es mostra Smith cantant al desert amb ulleres de sol negres, envoltat pels joves que s'apropen amb les seves motos i quads.

"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" va ser el primer número u de Tears for Fears als Estats Units, arribant al capdavant de les llistes la setmana del 8 de juny de 1985. Va reemplaçar "Everything She Wants" de Wham! i va mantenir el primer lloc durant dues setmanes. Juntament amb "Shout", un altre èxit de la banda, es va convertir en una de les seves cançons més reconegudes. Els crítics van aclamar la cançó, alguns fins i tot la van col·locar entre les millors de la dècada. El 1986, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" va guanyar el Brit Award al Millor single.

TEARS FOR FEARS - EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD

Released: March 22, 1985

Charted: US: #1 (2 weeks) UK: #2

"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a track from Tears for Fears' album "Songs From The Big Chair," released in 1985. Co-written by Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley, and Chris Hughes, and produced by Hughes, the song delves into the theme of power and its consequences. 

Hughes described how the song came together effortlessly after Orzabal played two chords on his acoustic guitar. Despite its upbeat melody, the lyrics explore serious themes such as the desire for power, warfare, and the resulting misery. Curt Smith elaborated that the song's message is about the universal human longing for control and its darker implications.

Tears For Fears initially wanted "Shout" to be their debut single in the US as it had been elsewhere, but their record label insisted on releasing "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" instead. In hindsight, Curt Smith acknowledged the label's decision was correct, noting that "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" turned out to be a more suitable debut single for the American market.

The claim that "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" lifted its title from The Clash's song "Charlie Don't Surf" seems to have originated from a playful interaction between Joe Strummer and Roland Orzabal. Strummer jokingly confronted Orzabal in a restaurant, informing him that he owed him a fiver for using the line. Orzabal responded by pulling out a five pound note, playing along with the joke. This anecdote suggests a light-hearted acknowledgment rather than a serious accusation of plagiarism.

Tears For Fears underwent a challenging period after touring extensively in 1985 to promote their album "Songs From The Big Chair." The experience left them physically and emotionally drained, prompting a hiatus from work until they returned in 1989 with their album "The Seeds Of Love." Curt Smith expressed in Outlook magazine that the tour highlighted their dissatisfaction with relying heavily on drum machines and sequencers. He emphasized that their passion lay in making music rather than becoming computer programmers, indicating a desire to focus more on musical expression than on the technological aspects during live performances.

The music video directed by Nigel Dick, was shot across various locations in California including Los Angeles, Desert Hot Springs, Palm Springs, and Cabazon. According to Curt Smith, the video shoot encountered significant challenges, leading to Dick being distraught on the second night of filming. There was a serious accident during the filming of the scenes involving dirt bikes and off-road vehicles, resulting in a child becoming unconscious after flying out of a vehicle and hitting his head.

The video starts with Smith driving a vintage Austin-Healey 3000 sports car while a toddler points toy guns at him. The car is then seen traversing through a desert and on Interstate 10, interspersed with shots of the band performing in a studio setting. Smith stops at the Wheel Inn diner and makes a phone call from a telephone booth, with a statue of a prospector and his donkey visible in the foreground. He later continues driving through the desert, singing the song's lyrics. Other scenes include two men in suits performing synchronized dance moves in front of gas pumps, and young people riding three-wheeled ATVs and dirt bikes through sand dunes. Smith is also depicted singing in the desert wearing black sunglasses, surrounded by the approaching riders on bikes and ATVs.

"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" marked Tears for Fears' first number one hit in the United States, reaching the top of the charts on the week of June 8, 1985. It replaced Wham!'s "Everything She Wants" and remained at the number one spot for two weeks. Alongside "Shout," another hit by the band, it became one of their signature songs. Critics acclaimed the song, some even placing it among the best of the decade. In 1986, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" won the Brit Award for Best Single.

NENA - NUR GETRÄUMT

Estrenada: Maig de 1982

Llistes: Alemanya: #2 

“Nur geträumt” va ser escrita pels membres de la banda Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen, Rolf Brendel i Nena. La cançó prové del primer àlbum "Nena" i es va llançar com a senzill al maig de 1982. El single va arribar al número dos a les llistes d’Alemanya i va significar l'inici de l’èxit de Nena. La cantant va llançar altres versions de la cançó al llarg de la seva carrera.

El disc va passar inicialment desapercebut fins que Nena va fer una aparició llegendaria a la televisió en una botiga de música l’agost de 1982. Llavors, el disc va ser rellançat amb una nova portada, assolint vendes diàries, fins ara desconegudes, d'unes 40.000 còpies per dia per CBS Records Alemanya.

Més tard, Nena va comentar sobre la minifalda de cuir vermella que portava durant la actuació, que se li va atribuir com a part del seu èxit: "Sempre he tingut idees molt coherents per a mi mateixa i llavors se'm va acudir la minifalda vermella i els nois de la banda van pensar que era bona idea i a mi també em va semblar bona de totes maneres".

Tot i que l’èxit mundial de Nena es deu a la seva cançó "99 Luftballons", "Nur geträumt" va ser la cançó que realment li va obrir les portes de l'estrellatge al seu país i a gran part d'Europa. L'àlbum també inclou l'exitós senzill "Leuchtturm".

NENA - NUR GETRÄUMT

Released: May 1982

Charted: Germany: #2 

“Nur geträumt” was wrote by the band members Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen, Rolf Brendel and Nena. The song comes from the debut album “Nena” and was released as a single in May 1982. The single reached number two in the German single charts and marked Nena's commercial breakthrough. The singer released other versions of the song throughout her career.

The record initially went unnoticed until Nena made a legendary TV appearance in a music store in August 1982. Then the record was re-released with a new cover, achieving sales figures, until now unknown, of about 40,000 copies daily for CBS Records Germany. 

Nena later said about the red leather miniskirt at the performance, which was attributed to part of the success: “I always had very coherent ideas for myself and then I came up with the red miniskirt and the boys (note: the band) thought that was good and I thought it was good anyway”. 

Although Nena's worldwide success is due to her song “99 Luftballons”, “Nur geträumt” was the song that really opened the door to stardom in her country and in much of Europe. The album also includes the boombastic succed single “Leuchtturm”.

 

TEARS FOR FEARS - SUFFER THE CHILDREN

Released: October 23, 1981

Charted:  UK: #52 

"Suffer the Children" was Tears for Fears' debut single, released in October 1981. This song marks the beginning of Tears For Fears' journey after leaving previous band Graduate. The original single was produced by David Lord at Crescent Studios in Bath, England. Later, the song was re-recorded for inclusion on Tears for Fears' debut album "The Hurting" (1983), this time produced by Chris Hughes and Ross Cullum.

Roland Orzabal write the song, and was his first exploration into using sequencers and drum machines. The track showcases essential Tears For Fears elements such as a slowly building introduction, nostalgic synth sounds, and a notable guitar solo. This song set the stage for their distinctive sound and style as Tears For Fears.

"Suffer the Children" serves as a critique aimed at parents who neglect their children emotionally. Orzabal and Curt Smith, proponents of primal therapy developed by psychologist Arthur Janov, emphasized the nurture side of the nature vs. nurture debate. They believed that children are born innocent and their upbringing heavily influences their development, including their fears and behaviors. Orzabal expressed this sentiment in the liner notes of the 1999 remastered album, reflecting on the complexities of parenting and urging parents to reconsider their actions towards their children.

"Suffer the Children" was initially released as a single exclusively in the United Kingdom in 1981, available in both 7" and 12" formats. The 7" version featured the original recording of the song, while the 12" included remix and instrumental versions. Despite receiving airplay from influential Radio 1 DJs like John Peel and Peter Powell, the single did not chart. In 1985, following the success of Tears for Fears' second album "Songs from the Big Chair," Phonogram Records reissued the single with a new variation of the original picture sleeve. The reissue maintained the same formats and track listings as the 1981 release but achieved moderate success, narrowly missing the UK top 50. Notably, no music video was produced for "Suffer the Children."

 

TEARS FOR FEARS - CHANGE

Estrenada: 28 de gener de 1983

Llistes: Regne Unit: #4   EUA: #73

"Change" és una cançó escrita per Roland Orzabal i cantada pel baixista Curt Smith. Inicialment llançada com el quart single de la banda, es va convertir en el segon èxit del seu àlbum debut "The Hurting" i en el segon èxit dins del Top 5 del Regne Unit després de "Mad World". També va ser el primer single de Tears for Fears que va entrar a les llistes dels Estats Units, debutant al Billboard Hot 100 l’agost de 1983. "Change" va aconseguir un èxit internacional significatiu, arribant al Top 40 en diversos països arreu del món.

La versió single replica la mescla que es troba a l'àlbum "The Hurting", tot i que en una forma lleugerament editada. En el maxi-single, una remescla estesa de la cançó ocupa un lloc destacat com a pista principal. Mentre que moltes còpies del maxi-single inclouen la mescla del single com una de les cares B, algunes presenten una gravació completament diferent. Aquesta mescla alternativa, etiquetada com la "Nova Versió", apareix a la versió en casset del Regne Unit de "The Hurting" com a pista extra.

L'àlbum debut de Tears for Fears és sovint destacat pel seu estil indie de synth-rock nou-romàntic, tot i que algunes pistes poden ser vistes com menys accessibles. "Change" es distingeix com la pista més enganxosa i orientada al pop de l'àlbum. La cançó es nota per la part hipnòtica de marimba que persisteix durant tota la cançó, contrastant amb el treball anterior de la banda a "The Hurting". Aquesta pista va marcar un gir cap a un so més enèrgic en comparació amb el seu material anterior. La seva tornada irresistible va contribuir al seu èxit al Regne Unit després de llançaments anteriors menys exitosos.

La lletra, que es centra en el comportament destructiu d'una persona estimada, es veu com menys absorvent en comparació amb altres cançons de "The Hurting" com "Mad World" o "Pale Shelter". "Change" explora temes de transformació personal, autoconeixement i les complexitats de les relacions. Les frases dibuixen la imatge d'una persona que ha canviat significativament, inicialment retractada com freda i distant, gairebé com una imatge estàtica. La repetició de "Quan ja és massa tard, ja és massa tard" suggereix una sensació d'oportunitats perdudes o de penediment, destacant com el narrador s’adona que el temps ha passat sense abordar qüestions o sentiments importants.

TEARS FOR FEARS - CHANGE

Released: January 28, 1983

Charted:  UK: #4   US: #73 

"Change" is a song written by Roland Orzabal and sung by bassist Curt Smith. Initially released as the band's fourth single, it became the second hit from their debut album “The Hurting” and their second UK Top 5 chart success after "Mad World". It also marked Tears for Fears' first charting single in the United States, entering the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1983. "Change" achieved significant international success, reaching the Top 40 in multiple countries around the world.

The 7" version mirrors the mix found on Tears for Fears' debut album, "The Hurting," albeit in a slightly edited form. On the 12" single, an extended remix of the song takes center stage as the lead track. While many copies of the 12" single include the 7" mix of the song as one of the B-sides, some feature an entirely different recording. This alternative mix, labeled the "New Version," appears on the UK cassette release of "The Hurting" as a bonus track. 

Tears for Fears' debut album is often noted for its indie new romantic synth-rock style, though some tracks may be seen as less accessible. "Change" stands out as the most immediately catchy and pop-oriented track on the album. The song is noted for its hypnotic marimba part that persists throughout, contrasting with the band's earlier work on "The Hurting." This track marked a shift towards a more driving sound compared to their previous material. Its memorable chorus contributed to its success as Tears for Fears' first UK hit after earlier less successful releases. 

The lyrics, focusing on the destructive behavior of a loved one, are seen as less self-absorbed compared to other songs on "The Hurting" like "Mad World" or "Pale Shelter." "Change" explores themes of personal transformation, self-awareness, and the complexities of relationships. The lyrics paint a picture of a person who has undergone significant change, portrayed initially as cool and distant, almost like a static image. The repetition of "When it's all too late, it's all too late" in the pre-chorus suggests a sense of missed opportunities or regrets, highlighting the narrator's realization that time has passed without addressing important questions or feelings.