TEARS FOR FEARS - SONGS FROM THE BIG CHAIR (1985) POLL

Listen

No way is this album any worse than The Hurting. They never made one remotely perfect album, and, anyway, they were made for arena synth-pop, not the miserabilist kind.

Yeah fucking Hurting. I should bloody well listen to that one again. I've got it right here on my iPod.

Also fucking Curtis is right. I still don't have the Chameleons Tony Fletcher CD ripped, but never mind.

The Working Hour has always been a personal favorite. What a great record.

This thread seem to die a little early (and I admit I got pretty off topic, but damn that Timi Yuro didn't help matters :)) so I'm gonna give it a bump to help it out a little.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Still voted for "Head Over Heels" over "Everybody Wants to Rule The World." That chorus! The opening keyboards!

Alfred remains my proxy in all things.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Woohooahh! Head Over Heels nearly in a landslide! I didn't see that one coming at all! Twice as much as Everybody...wow. ILMers have spoken. I love it.

Surprising but nice.

Now I hope "The Hurting" is next up?

SHOUT = so very clearly an influence on ...MASSES era depeche it hurts. especially NEVER LET ME DOWN AGAIN.

yah both are produced by david bascombe. dm used him for "masses" because they loved his worok on "big chair" (i think they said as much in reissue notes)

Which was quite pointless, as Depeche Mode had always been much better than Tears For Fears. Even when Tears For Fears were at their very best, as on "The Hurting" (which is a much better album than "Songs From The Big Chair"). Frankly, Depeche Mode might have benefited musically from continuing to have Daniel Miller as their producer on every album. They have been great afterwards too (partly except for "Songs Of Faith And Devotion" and "Music From The Masses" - their two least synthpop'y albums), but not as great as they were in the Daniel Miller era during the 80s.

http://softporal.ucoz.ru/Music/DepecheMode-Wrong.jpg

in fact 5:07 into 'mother's talk' sounds *just like* the intro to 'never let me down again'. i'm starting to realise how our man Bascombe was much more massively key to the succes of DM The American Arena Years. the drum machines on Big Chair are basically *the same ones* as on Music For The Masses.

How do I know I didn't vote in this poll?
6. Broken – 0

Between the searching and the need to work it out
I stopped believing everything will be alright

I love the crazy fucking siren guitar, too! The whole song sounds like a really polite & clean mental breakdown.

And in that way I see the song as an extension of their stuff on "The Hurting" moreso than any other song on this album though.

This album is fucking great BTW! I love both of them all the way through.

Save The Robot once wrote that Donnie Darko makes Head Over Heels seem like the greatest song of the 80s.

I remember being taunted by a guy on my Little League team when I told him my sister had bought this record for me for my birthday. Can't remember what he said exactly but it was something along the lines of "faggot shit." Mind you, we were twelve...

If I'd voted in this poll when it happened, I more than likely would have voted 'The Working Hour'. Listening to it right this very moment, however, 'I Believe' is really really doing it for me.

"The Working Hour" is a really odd track for a big-selling album, don't you think?

It's always been a huge favourite of mine... the way it introduces itself with the saxophone and keyboards, then the programmed rhythm arrives and that big, powerful sounding piano.

You're kinda right in a way, for a big selling album this really only has three obvious singles on it: 'Shout', 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' and 'Head Over Heels', although I think 'Head Over Heels' loses something when taken in isolation, and it's best heard as part of the 'Broken'/'Head Over Heels'/'Broken (Live)' suite on the album.

'Mothers Talk' and 'I Believe' were both released as singles, and even though I like 'Mothers Talk' (that BIG drum sound) and I *LOVE* 'I Believe', I wouldn't have had either down as contenders to be released as singles. 'Broken' and 'Listen' could never have been singles in a million years.

The best parts of 'The Working Hour' for me are the build in the intro and the sheer power of the "find out... find out..." outro, rather than the actual SONG itself. I feel that editing it down would have proved to be a bit of a headache, and it would have been necessary to do so if they were going to put it out as a single. I definitely think it would lose something if those parts were fucked with in any way!!

In fact, I think I remember a review of a reissue of Songs From The Big Chair which described 'The Working Hour' as "over-inflated rot"... christ, no! Every single part of that song has a purpose!

Agreed. Even better, I had the UK cassette which had a bunch of bonus tracks including this version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4G6XYm8hoc

Thanks for that, I hadn't heard that version before! :D

The part of "The Working Hour" where the band does the Bo Diddley riff/rhythm = wow.

"Working Hour" might seem an outlier, but it underscores the innate proggy-ness of a lot of this stuff. If anything, it's a much better job of prog as pop than anything Genesis did in the '80s, save perhaps bits of "Invisible Touch." ("Broken" is a total "Invisible Touch" song.) I remember reading an interview with the drummer on this, Manny Elias, and he readily admitted copping all sorts of Collins stuff.

Everybody Wants To Rule The World is one of the greatest singles of all time

'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' is such a great single, it got to #2 in the UK chart. Then, a year later, it was re-released as 'Everybody Wants To Run The World' as a charity single and got to #5. Both versions of the song re-entered the UK chart for a second time after they'd dropped out. Of course, 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' was also an American #1.

During the early summer of '85 a brief window in the American charts allowed this and Paul Young's take on "Every Time You Go Away" to both hit #1; it was a flash of something ruminative and self-evaluating done at a Sirk-esque devotion to surfaces and decor.

The album itself had EXACTLY the same highest chart positions as 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World', funnily enough. #1 in the US, #2 in the UK. Both The Hurting and The Seeds Of Love made it to #1 in the UK, whereas Songs From The Big Chair didn't.

and neither of those albums hit #1 in the States. C'est la guerre...

It was held off the UK #1 spot by No Jacket Required, so I've just discovered. Ah well...

http://gs1.wac.edgecastcdn.net/8019B6/data.tumblr.com/9da1aac3899034701b5f117e08b2c172/tumblr_n0uo6szY3R1rjggr6o1_500.png

Jeez, no votes for "Mothers Talk"? At one point that was just barely behind "Shout" for me.

Nothing screams "this is a record made in 1984-1985" quite like the production job on 'Mother's Talk'.

Nothing screams 80s Genesis like "Mother's Talk."

Be that as it may, I still dig it. There's a at least half a dozen versions, too:

LP version
7" version
12" extended version
Beat Of The Drum mix
US remix
Alt US remix

I like this song and Genesis!

so did TFF lose fans for recording such a brazen arena move? It could've gone so wrong – it could have been Once Upon a Time.

Good question. I was a fan of "The Hurting" and loved SFTBC. I don't think fans felt it was as blatant a stadium move as Simple Minds. I was rather shocked at TFF's success in America. It's much more complex and lyrically daring than the top 40 of the time.

That "Everybody Rules the World" took off doesn't surprise me. Even now the band mixed the thing so that it jumps out of the speakers AND sounds nothing like ruled the charts in spring and summer '85.

In interviews, Roland has made it clear they aspired to chart success but not at the cost of their artistic souls.

Everybody Wants To Rule The World is one of the greatest singles of all time

― Master of Treacle, Monday, September 17, 2012 5:48 PM (1 year ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

the first four songs even

instrumental of Everybody Wants to Rule the World is a balearic jam for the ages:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1dH5DUiZhg

BOX!

http://media.spincds.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/265x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/t/e/tears.jpg

DISC 1: Songs From The Big Chair
1. “Shout”
2. “The Working Hour”
3. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”
4. “Mothers Talk”
5. “I Believe”
6. “Broken”
7. “Head Over Heels”
8. “Listen”
Bonus tracks:
9. “The Big Chair”
10. “Empire Building”
11. “The Marauders”
12. “Broken Revisited”
13. “The Conflict”
14. “The Working Hour” (Piano Version)
15. “Pharaohs”
16. “When In Love With A Blind Man”
17. “Sea Song”

DISC 2: Edited Songs From The Big Chair
1. “The Way You Are”
2. “Mothers Talk” (Single Version)
3. “Shout” (Single Version)
4. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Single Version)
5. “Head Over Heels” (Remix)
6. “I Believe” (A Soulful Re-Recording)
7. “Everybody Wants To Run The World”
8. “The Way You Are” (Short Version)
9. “Mothers Talk: (U.S. Remix)
10. “Shout” (U.S. Single Version)
11. “Everybody Wants To Run The World” (Running Version)
12. “Head Over Heels” (Radio Version)
13. “Mothers Talk” (Video Version)
14. “Shout” (Short Version)
15. “Listen” (Clean Intro)
15. Interview With Curt & Roland

DISC 3: Remixed Songs From The Big Chair
1. “The Way You Are: (Extended Version)
2. “Mothers Talk” (Extended Version)
3. “Shout” (Extended Remix Version)
4. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Extended Version)
5. “Broken/Head Over Heels/Broken” (Preacher Mix)
6. “Mothers Talk” (Beat Of The Drum Mix)
7. “Shout” (U.S. Remix)
8. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Urban Mix)
9. “Mothers Talk” (U.S. Remix Alternate)
10. “Shout” (Dub)
11. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Instrumental)
12. “Shout” (A cappella)

DISC 4: Unreleased Songs From The Big Chair
1. “Head Over Heels” (Richard Skinner Session)
2. “The Working Hour” (Richard Skinner Session)
3. “Broken” (Richard Skinner Session)
4. “Mothers Talk” (Live At Massey Hall)
5. “Broken/Head Over Heels” (Live At Massey Hall)
6. “Memories Fade” (Live At Massey Hall)
7. “The Working Hour” (Live At Massey Hall)
8. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Live At Massey Hall)
9. “Shout” (Live At Massey Hall)
10. “Mothers Talk” (Early Mix/Instrumental)
11. “The Way You Are” (Early Mix)
12. “Broken” (Early Mix)
13. “Shout” (Early Mix)
14. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Alternate Single Version)

DISC 5: DVD-A
5.1 and Stereo Mix
1. “Shout”
2. “The Working Hour”
3. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”
4. “Mothers Talk”
5. “I Believe”
6. “Broken”
7. “Head Over Heels”
8. “Listen”

DISC 6: DVD
Documentary:
1. Scenes From The Big Chair – Documentary
2. Interview With Producer Chris Hughes
Promos:
3. “The Way You Are” (Music Video)
4. “Mothers Talk” (Alternative UK Video)
5. “Mothers Talk” (Music Video)
6. “Shout” (Music Video)
7. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Music Video)
8. “Head Over Heels” (Music Video)
9. “I Believe” (Music Video)
10. “Mothers Talk” (Music Video)
11. “Everybody Wants To Run The World” (Music Video)
BBC TV appearances:
12. “The Way You Are” (Top of the Pops)
13. “Mothers Talk” (Top of the Pops)
14. “Mothers Talk” (Top of the Pops)
15. “Shout” (Top of the Pops)
16. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Wogan)
17. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Top of the Pops)
18. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Top of the Pops)
19. “The Working Hour” (Wogan)

lol
listening to the “Urban Mix” of EWTRTW wondering what is so different and then at about 2:36 someone starts going crazy on the drum presets

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfIZivD4n_w

An awful example of mid-00s remixes. At least it had a name other than "12 inch mix".

But you're right about the singles, they really transcend the trappings of the times.

― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, February 25, 2026 9:18 AM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

they transcend the trappings of the times but are also the ur-example of what the best of what the trends of that time could produce, if you know what i mean

that's exactly right

An awful example of mid-00s remixes. At least it had a name other than "12 inch mix".

it’s from 1985!

I find it kind of sad.

anyways the B sides from big chair are great. some of them sound like they inspired Disco Inferno (the band)

Apologies, I mistyped.

I know the basic 7 track album is just about perfect as is but I had the extended cassette with this tracklisting on side 2:

B1 The Big Chair
B2 Empire Building
B3 The Marauders
B4 Broken Revisited
B5 The Conflict
B6 The Working Hour (Piano Version)

It's almost like an experimental ambient alternate reality TFF.

No doubt discussed (linked?) above, but the Classic Albums/making-of doc was revelatory. Might have been on BBC?

A friend of mine was talking about EWTRTW recently and said that he realised, after decades, that near the end when RO sings 'say that you never never never never need it' that he's mimicking the opening riff, which is pretty cool, intentional or otherwise.

holy shit, yes!

although it's Smith who sings most of the song, right? I know he and Orzabal double it up for the chorus and middle eight.

I never noticed that Curt only gets one co-writing credit on the album, but he is no Andrew Ridgeley. FWIW he only gets one on "Seeds of Love," too, but it's the title track. And he gets solo writing credit on several on the first album, including "Mad World," "Pale Shelter" and "Change," the ones I hear the most.

i think they double-up that part too

xp

Orzabal wrote the entirety of The Hurting solo, Josh. You're looking at vocal credits.

Whoops! So that means lyrics, then.

No, just who sung them. RO was sole writer.

Ah, I see now. The Wikipedia credit chart is labeled differently for that album.

https://reverbmachine.com/blog/tears-for-fears-everybody-wants-to-rule-the-world-synths/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJti5XA0MGg

Read a cool story about how RO's original lyrics for "EWTRTW" were more obviously about nuclear war (a major cultural fixation in the mid-80s) but the band didn't like them for some reason and we went in a more ambiguous and fecund direction. That was a close call for music history!

brb, gonna work on a mashup with “Ronnie, Talk To Russia” by Prince

"Roland, Talk to Russia"

Echoes of "Under Pressure," which iirc was originally titled "People on the Streets" before Bowie took over and focused what they had.

once you start getting into 80s music its really striking how many of the lyrics were about nuclear war, most of them were a bit more subtle than Sting was however

Read a cool story about how RO's original lyrics for "EWTRTW" were more obviously about nuclear war (a major cultural fixation in the mid-80s) but the band didn't like them for some reason and we went in a more ambiguous and fecund direction.

Huh, I always figured it was about that anyway. "Say that you'll never never never need it," etc., to me at the time I seemed clear enough.

IT seemed clear enough. I was as clear as mud as any other 14 year old.

most of them were a bit more subtle than Sting was however

"Love Is The Seventh (Shock) Wave (Ripping The Meat From Our Bones)"

I dunno, speaking for myself I need a nuclear war

That's because you're about as easy as one!

I don't subscribe to your point of view