Released: March 15, 1985
Songwriter: Chris Hughes Ian Stanley Roland Orzabal
Producer: Chris Hughes
[Verse 1]
Welcome to your life
There's no turning back
Even while we sleep
We will find you
[Chorus]
Acting on your best behaviour
Turn your back on Mother Nature
Everybody wants to rule the world
[Verse 2]
It's my own design
It's my own remorse
Help me to decide
Help me make the
[Chorus]
Most of freedom and of pleasure
Nothing ever lasts forever
Everybody wants to rule the world
[Bridge]
There's a room where the light won't find you
Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down
When they do, I'll be right behind you
[Chorus]
So glad we've almost made it
So sad they had to fade it
Everybody wants to rule the world
[Instrumental Interlude]
[Chorus]
I can't stand this indecision
Married with a lack of vision
Everybody wants to rule the—
Say that you'll never, never, never, never need it
One headline, why believe it?
Everybody wants to rule the world
All for freedom and for pleasure
Nothing ever lasts forever
Everybody wants to rule the world
Welcome to your life
There's no turning back
Even while we sleep
We will find you
[Chorus]
Acting on your best behaviour
Turn your back on Mother Nature
Everybody wants to rule the world
[Verse 2]
It's my own design
It's my own remorse
Help me to decide
Help me make the
[Chorus]
Most of freedom and of pleasure
Nothing ever lasts forever
Everybody wants to rule the world
[Bridge]
There's a room where the light won't find you
Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down
When they do, I'll be right behind you
[Chorus]
So glad we've almost made it
So sad they had to fade it
Everybody wants to rule the world
[Instrumental Interlude]
[Chorus]
I can't stand this indecision
Married with a lack of vision
Everybody wants to rule the—
Say that you'll never, never, never, never need it
One headline, why believe it?
Everybody wants to rule the world
All for freedom and for pleasure
Nothing ever lasts forever
Everybody wants to rule the world
Edited Songs from the Big Chair
- Everybody Wants to Rule the World
- Listen (Clean Intro)
- Mothers Talk (Video Version)
- Everybody Wants to Run the World (Running Version)
- Everybody Wants to Run the World
- Shout (U.K. 7" Version)
- Shout (U.S. 7" Version)
- Mothers Talk (U.S. Remix)
- Head Over Heels (Dave Bascombe 7" Mix)
- Head Over Heels (Hughes 7" Mix)
- Mothers Talk (7" Version)
- I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording)
- Shout (Short 7" Version)
- The Way You Are
- The Way You Are (Edit)
- Roland & Curt Interviewed
- This Is Rock (1985)
- Real Genius (The Official Soundtrack) (1985)
- Songs from the Big Chair (1985)
- Five Tracks From Songs From The Big Chair (1989)
- Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82–92) (1992)
- Peter’s Friends: The Album (1993)
- Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion: Original Soundtrack (1997)
- 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Tears for Fears (2000)
- The Best of the 80's: 20th Century Masters Millennium Collection (2000)
- Music from Malcolm in the Middle (2000)
- Shout: The Very Best of Tears for Fears (2001)
- NOW That’s What I Call The ’80s [US] (2008)
- Classic (2009)
- Middle Men (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2010)
- Rock Band 3 Setlist (2010)
- Everybody Wants to Rule the World: The Collection (2013)
- White Bird in a Blizzard (Songs From the Film) (2014)
- Edited Songs from the Big Chair (2014)
- Rule the World (2017)
- Ready Player One: Songs From the Motion Picture (2018)
- I Love 80s (2018)
- Le Grand Bain (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2018)
- Bumblebee (Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2018)
- NOW That’s What I Call Gold [UK] (2021)
- NOW That’s What I Call hmv [UK] (2021)
- Everybody Wants to Rule the World
- Mad World
- Head Over Heels / Broken (Reprise)
- Shout
- Sowing the Seeds of Love
- Pale Shelter
- Woman in Chains
- Memories Fade
- I Love You But I’m Lost
- Listen
- Watch Me Bleed
- The Working Hour
- Break It Down Again
- Mothers Talk
- Advice for the Young at Heart
- Head Over Heels
- Change
- I Believe
- The Hurting
- Broken
- Ideas As Opiates
- Badman’s Song
- Suffer the Children
- Goodnight Song