What's Spinning, Vol. 36
Shout!! Yes, I'm talking to you.
Everybody wants to rule the world? You don't say..
The sophomore effort from 80s synth-pop/new wave group, Tears For Fears, is one hell of an album. Plus, I'm partial to it because of Curt Smith and his connection to one of my favorite TV shows, Psych.
One thing that changed with this album was the shift from dark wave and dark elements in their first album to the more upbeat sound.
This album contains hit after hit; Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels, and Mothers Talk. Just so damn good.
Shout, is not about the often thought, primal scream theory, it is actually about political protest. About standing up for what you believe in.
The last minute song addition that some say caused the album to have even more success was, Everybody Wants to Rule the World. This came from Roland Orzbal, playing a few chords on this guitar, shortly after the song was written and placed on the album.
Mothers Talk, is actually a really interesting case of music composition. The song was supposed to resemble that style of, Talking Heads. Ironically enough the opening strings were pulled from a Barry Manilow album. The drum pattern was similar to the band, Weather Report, and their song, Teen Town. This also was the song that reunited the band with their former producer, Chris Hughes, after the record label fired, Jeremy Green.
This album really put the band on the world map not just the UK. They had a lot of success with this album as it sold 9 millon copies worldwide. It reached number 2 in the UK and number 1 in the US.
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Tears for Fears - Songs From the Big Chair
Mercury Records, 1985
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Love this! One of my favorite albums, and a couple of other newsletters have mentioned it recently.
My youngest went through a phase where he was playing Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Head Over Heels as his choice for on the way to school (he heard them on Fortnite). When I got out my record player in July, and found my vinyl copy of this, I have played it many times - several per his request and several because I just love the whole thing! Every song is so great! Every time I go through my albums I have to play it.
I recently saw Brigette Calls Me Baby and was watching some of their interviews, and the lead singer named this as one of his three desert island albums (along with the 1975s and Black Celebration). It would definitely be in my top 50.