Tears for Fears

Released: June 7, 1993

Songwriter: Alan Griffiths Roland Orzabal

Producer: Tim Palmer Alan Griffiths Roland Orzabal

[Verse 1]
Time will swallow
Your precious time
Like magic create the future

[Chorus 1]
What makes a man so fickle?
Who put the daggers in those eyes?
Was it to learn through dark days of struggle?
Was it to burn, to burst all our bubbles?
Thunder and rain
Well the cynical flame, will it heat, stick and blister?
Thunder and rain

[Verse 2]
Evangelistic brother
Should be banging a tambourine
Go wash your hands and fingers
'Til your mind is clean

[Chorus 2]
Was it your fate
To sleep like a normal?
Time and decay
No man is immortal
Thunder and rain, boredom and pain lit the cynical flame
Will it heat stick and blister?
Thunder and rain
Still try to resist the pessimist, the pessimist, no, no

[Interlude]

[Verse 3]
And these things I find
In the back of my mind
Where time lasts forever
I get all mixed up, think I'm all mankind

[Chorus 3]
Listen, Mr. Pessimister
With your Catholic taste
Oh, listen, Mr. Pessimister, Pessimister
We do not relate
Listen, Mr. Pessimister, Pessimister, Pessimister
Mr. Pessimister

Tears for Fears are an English pop band formed in 1981 by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith.

The group rose to fame in 1982 with single “Mad World”, which made it to number 3 in the UK charts and paved the way for the huge success of debut album The Hurting, released in 1983. However, it wasn’t until Songs from the Big Chair in 1985, a change in musical direction towards pop, that the band made it internationally. The record proved to be hit, reaching #2 in the UK and #1 in the US charts, and contains their most well-known singles, “Shout” and “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”. Third album The Seeds of Love, released in 1989, performed similarly, entering the UK Albums charts at #1.

In 1991, the band broke up. Curt Smith went on as a solo artist while Roland Orzabal continued as Tears for Fears, releasing Elemental in 1993 to much success in the UK (though significantly less in the US) and Raoul and the Kings of Spain in 1995, which did poorly in the charts, only reaching #41 in the UK but with some acclaim in continental Europe. In 2000, Curt and Roland reunited and recorded what became Everybody Loves a Happy Ending, released in 2004 to positive reviews and moderate success. The band currently continues to tour.

more tracks from the album

Elemental

From the album

Elemental (1993)

Tears for Fears popular songs

Mr. PessimistTears for Fears

Tears for Fears

Elemental