Tears for Fears

Released: September 25, 1989

Songwriter: Roland Orzabal

Producer: Dave Bascombe Tears for Fears

[Verse 1: Roland Orzabal]
Man, I never slept so hard
I never dreamt so well
Dreaming I was safe in life
Like mussels in a shell
Rolling and controlling
All the basements and the back roads of our lives

[Verse 2: Roland Orzabal]
Fill their dreams with big fast cars
Fill their heads with sand
Holy white we'll paint the town
The colour of our flag
Hey there little lady has your baby got the look of some old man?
Standing on the corner of the third world

[Verse 3: Roland Orzabal]
Hungry men will close their minds
Ideas are not their food
Notions fall on stony ground
Where passions are subdued
Colour all the madness for the madness is the thorn that's in our side
Standing on the corner of the third world

[Interlude: Carol Kenyon & Tessa Niles]
Of the third world, of the third world
Of the third world, of the third world
Of the third world, of the third world

[Bridge: Roland Orzabal]
When we gonna learn?
Who we gonna turn to?
The promises they make
The call for our attention
Compassion is the fashion
Free to earn, our pockets burn
We buy for love
Die for love

[Interlude]

[Outro: Roland Orzabal]
Hold me, I'm crying
Hold me, I'm dying

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

The Seeds of Love

From the album

The Seeds of Love (1989)

Tears for Fears popular songs

Standing on the Corner of the Third WorldTears for Fears

Tears for Fears

The Seeds of Love