Tears for Fears

Released: August 6, 1984

Songwriter: Roland Orzabal Ian Stanley Curt Smith

Producer: Chris Hughes

[Vocal Sample]
"It was a conspiracy, it was a consultation"

[Interlude]

[Vocal Sample]
"Everything is wonderful down in South Africa"

[Interlude]

[Vocal Sample]
"Lorraine has sinus after all"

[Interlude]

[Vocal Sample]
"Buried alive, oh-"
"Buried alive, oh-"

[Interlude]

[Vocal Sample]
"Oh freeze, oh freeze"

[Interlude]

[Vocal Sample]
"We like to pass it on"
"We like to pass it on"
"We like to pass it on"

[Interlude]

[Vocal Sample]
"Why don't you let me kill you harder?"

[Interlude]

[Vocal Sample]
"The big house of Empire Building"

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

Songs from the Big Chair

From the albums

Songs from the Big Chair (1985)
Saturnine Martial & Lunatic (1996)

Tears for Fears popular songs

Empire BuildingTears for Fears

Tears for Fears

Songs from the Big Chair