Tears for Fears

Released: November 10, 2017

Songwriter: Charlton Pettus Curt Smith

Producer: Florian Reutter Tears for Fears Sacha Skarbek Charlton Pettus

[Verse 1]
Speak, don't speak
Go, don't go
Damned if I do, damned if I know
Wait. don't linger
Wait, down, slow
Stay for the open hand
Or let it all go

[Pre-Chorus]
Young enough
To play the game
Old enough to know
It's all or nothing

[Chorus]
Stay. don't stay
Go, don't go
Stay. don't stay
Go, don't go

[Verse 2]
Dust to dust
We all fall down
Runfor the hills
Until we're safe and sound

[Pre-Chorus - Variation]
Are we young enough
To play the game?
Old enough to know
It's all or nothing?

[Chorus - Extended]
Stay. don't stay
Go, don't go
Stay. don't stay
Go, don't go
Stay. don't stay
Go, don't go

[Instrumental Interlude]

[Bridge]
It's all or nothing

[Chorus - Variation]
Stay. don't stay
(All or nothing, all or nothing)
Go, don't go
(All or nothing, all or nothing)
Stay. don't stay
(All or nothing, all or nothing)
Go, don't go

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

Rule the World

From the albums

Rule the World (2017)
The Tipping Point (2022)

Tears for Fears popular songs

StayTears for Fears

Tears for Fears

Rule the World