Made up of Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, the band had success overseas with their debut album “The Hurting”. However, in 1984, they really exploded onto the scene, and stayed there with a series of hit singles.
It is Roland Orzabal’s birthday today, offering a good chance to remember a band that occupied the charts and the radio airwaves for much of 1985.
In the beginning
Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith met as teenagers in Bath, Somerset, England, and would form Tears for Fears in 1981.
Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith met as teenagers in Bath, Somerset, England, and would form Tears for Fears in 1981.
Their first single, “Suffer the Children”, was released in 1981 but did not chart. In 1982, they released the song “Pale Shelter (You Don’t Give Me Love)”, which also did not chart in the United Kingdom, but hit number 12 in Canada.
Their fortunes changed later in 1982 with “Mad World”, which peaked at number three in the United Kingdom. In 1983, “Change” peaked at number four in the United Kingdom, number 23 in Canada, and number 73 on the Billboard Hot 100, their first charting single in the United States.
Tears for Fears released another version of “Pale Shelter” in 1983, and this one peaked at number five in the United Kingdom.
These songs were all from their first album “The Hurting”, released in 1983.
They also released a non-album single in 1983, “The Way You Are”, which peaked at number 24 in the United Kingdom, but did not chart anywhere else.
This all set the stage for the release of Tears for Fears’ second album, which would change, if not rule, the musical world.
Songs from the Big Chair
It was in the summer of 1984 that I started getting into music and that Fall, when I started high school, that I really got into it.
It was in the summer of 1984 that I started getting into music and that Fall, when I started high school, that I really got into it.
That coincided, in late November of 1984, with the release of the single “Shout”. It was a few months in advance of Tears for Fears’ second album, “Songs from the Big Chair”.
“Shout” was a driving, kind of haunting song that really sits with me. I recall the video of water crashing on rocky shore as Orzabal and Smith sing.
The song went all the way to number one, for three weeks, on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, and peaked at number one in Canada as well.
Not to be outdone, the band’s next single, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” also went all the way to number in Canada and on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
It is a cleverly written piece with interesting political themes. I just love the lyrics and the music.
At that time in history it was unheard of for a band to have three consecutive number one hits, especially a British one. I recall that being a subject of discussion on “Entertainment Tonight”. Wham! had two with “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” and “Careless Whisper”, and Tears for Fears had two with “Shout” and “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”.
Tears for Fears next released “Head Over Heels”. It was another catchy song with a cool video. It was set in a library inhabited by ghosts, reminiscent of the library scene in “Ghostbusters”. The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, but got no higher, while it reached number eight in Canada. Incidentally, Wham!’s next single “Everything She Wants”, did peak at number one, becoming their third straight chart topper.,
“Songs from the Big Chair” peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart, where it stayed for five weeks in the summer of 1985, and number one in Canada. It has been acclaimed as one of the best albums of the ‘80s.
Interestingly, at the end of the year Tears for Fears released a video collection and documentary called “Scenes from the Big Chair”.
After “Songs from the Big Chair” had run its course, fans were asking, what’s next?
Follow up
It would not be until 1989 that Tears for Fears released their third album, “The Seeds of Love”. The first single was “Sowing the Seeds of Love”, and I remember crowding around a TV in our lounge in res to watch the video on MuchMusic.
It would not be until 1989 that Tears for Fears released their third album, “The Seeds of Love”. The first single was “Sowing the Seeds of Love”, and I remember crowding around a TV in our lounge in res to watch the video on MuchMusic.
“Sowing the Seeds of Love” went all the way to number two on the Billboard Hot 100, and number one in Canada.
The years after
Tears for Fears kept on releasing songs including “Woman in Chains”, which hit number 11 in Canada; “Advice for the Young at Heart”, which peaked at number 25 in Canada; and “Break it Down Again”, which peaked at number four in Canada and number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Tears for Fears kept on releasing songs including “Woman in Chains”, which hit number 11 in Canada; “Advice for the Young at Heart”, which peaked at number 25 in Canada; and “Break it Down Again”, which peaked at number four in Canada and number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith would break up, but get back together, and continue writing, recording and performing to this day.
Parting thoughts
I always thought of artists as so much older than me. When I saw it was Roland Orzabal’s birthday today, I noticed he was born in 1961. That not only makes him the same age as my sister, but also he was 23 when he hit it big.
I always thought of artists as so much older than me. When I saw it was Roland Orzabal’s birthday today, I noticed he was born in 1961. That not only makes him the same age as my sister, but also he was 23 when he hit it big.
And hit it big he did. Tears for Fears’ signature songs “Shout” and “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” are just incredible.
It’s no wonder “Songs from the Big Chair” is acclaimed as one of the best albums of the ‘80s.
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