The Hurting

Released: March 7, 1983

14 Tracks

Songs From The Big Chair

Released: February 25, 1985

15 Tracks

The Seeds Of Love

Released: September 25, 1989

8 Tracks

Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82-92)

Released: 1992

12 Tracks

Elemental

Released: June  7, 1993

10 Tracks

Raoul and the Kings of Spain

Released: October 16, 1995

12 Tracks

Tears For Fears – The Universal Masters Collection

Released: January 18, 2001

15 Tracks

Shout: The Very Best Of Tears For Fears

Released: November 7, 2001

Everybody Loves a Happy Ending

Released: September 14, 2004 (US), March 7, 2005 ( UK/Europe)

12 Tracks (US), 14 Tracks  (UK/Europe)

British duo Tears for Fears debuted in the age of New Romantic synth-pop, and while their early output did share some superficial elements with  bands like Simple Minds, OMD, and more, they were for all time master craftsmen first and foremost, in terms of both production and songwriting. SHOUT: THE VERY BEST OF TEARS FOR FEARS starts off with early hits like “Pale Shelter,” “Change,” and “Mad World,” which range the requisite early-1980s layers of synthesizers in such an artful way that one would be forgiven for regarding TFF as the Beach Boys of electro-pop.

It didn’t take long for Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith to rise above the genre, though, and elegant melodic pop gems “Head Over Heels” and “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” are flourishing, undying classics more similar to the contemporary works of, say, Prefab Sprout. Of course, Tears for Fears survived well beyond the Reagan/Thatcher years, turning their attentions to elaborate, particularly Beatlesque efforts, their “comeback” hit, “Sowing the Seeds of Love,” exemplifying the move. Those who assumed the pair had all the stylistic and longevity range of Blancmange will be amiably surprised at the bounty on offer here.

The song was also Tears for Fears’ first UK top 40 hit since the 1995 single “Raoul and the Kings of Spain”. It also reached #12 on the Finland singles chart.

The video for “Closest Thing to Heaven” features the late Hollywood actress Brittany Murphy riding in a hot air balloon.

Everybody Loves a Happy Ending

The albums work started in 2000, after Orzabal and Smith ended their longstanding disagreement.

Track listing

1. “Everybody Loves a Happy Ending” (Orzabal, Pettus, Smith) – 4:21

2. “Closest Thing to Heaven” (Orzabal, Pettus, Smith) – 3:36

3. “Call Me Mellow” (Orzabal, Pettus, Smith) – 3:39

4. “Size of Sorrow” (Orzabal) – 4:43

5. “Who Killed Tangerine?” (Orzabal, Pettus, Smith) – 5:33

6. “Quiet Ones” (Orzabal) – 4:22

7. “Who You Are” (Pettus, Smith) – 3:41

8. “The Devil” (Orzabal) – 3:30

9. “Secret World” (Orzabal) – 5:12

10. “Killing With Kindness” (Orzabal, Pettus, Smith) – 5:25

11. “Ladybird” (Orzabal, Pettus, Smith) – 4:50

12. “Last Days on Earth” (Orzabal, Pettus, Smith) – 5:41

The UK and French releases had two additional tracks:

13. “Pullin’ a Cloud” (Dorsey,MacLeod,Orzabal)– 2:48

14. “Out of Control” (Griffiths,Orzabal, Pettus, Smith)– 5:08

Roland Orzabal, Curt Smith, and Charlton Pettus predominantly played the album. Orzabal performs lead vocal on ten of the twelve tracks (and the two bonus tracks), whilst Smith performs lead vocal on two tracks “Who You Are” and “Size Of Sorrow”.

Fred Eltringham played drums for the album, except on “Size Of Sorrow”.

Additional musicians were recognized as follows:

* Everybody Loves a Happy Ending – Trumpet: Rick Baptist

* Size of Sorrow – Drums: Brian Geltner; Additional guitar: Kenny Siegal

* Who Killed Tangerine? – Background vocals: Kenny Siegal, Gwen Snyder, Alexander Giglio. Crowd vocals: Julian Orzabal, Laura Gray

* Secret World – Orchestra arranged and conducted by Paul Buckmaster. Contractor: Suzie Katayama, Bob Becker – viola, Charlie Bisharat – violin, Denyse Buffman – viola, Eve Butler – violin, Mario de Leon – violin, Joel Derouin – violin, Stefanie Fife – cello, Armen Garabedian – violin, Berj Garabedian – violin, Barry Gold – cello, Gary Grant – trumpet, flugelhorn, Maurice Grants – cello, Julian Hallmark – violin, Vahe Hayrikyan – cello, Norm Hughes – violin, Suzie Katayama – cello, Roland Kato – viola, Peter Kent – violin, Steve Kujala – flute, Gayle Levant – harp, Michael Markman – violin, Miguel Martinez – cello, Robert Matsuda – violin, Carole Mukogawa – viola, Sid Page – violin, Sandra Park – violin, Sara Parkins – violin, Joel Peskin – baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone, Bob Peterson – violin, Karie Prescott – viola, Dan Smith – cello, Rudy Stein – cello, Lesa Terry – violin, Josefina Veraga – violin, David Washburn – trumpet, flugelhorn, Evan Wilson – viola, John Wittenberg – violi

Everybody Loves a Happy Ending – released as a double A-side single from the same title album.It peaked at  #37 on the Italy music charts and #102 on the UK Singles Chart.

Chart Positions:

2004

#28 – US Adult Top 40 – “Call Me Mellow”

#46 – US Charts

2005

#28 – FRA Charts

#35 – GER Charts

#40 – UK Charts – “Closest Thing to Heaven”

#48 – SWI Charts

#86 – NL Charts

#45 – UK Charts

As Curt Smith had already left the band by this time, Laid So Low was successfully the first release of the Roland Orzabal “solo” era of Tears For Fears, which would cover most of the 1990s.

Chart Positions

#8 Italian Singles Chart

#10 US Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks

#17 UK Singles Chart

#15 French SNEP Singles Chart

#27 Dutch Singles Chart

#40 German Singles Chart

The collection of videos was reissued on DVD in 2003 with a different cover featuring a still from the “Sowing The Seeds Of Love” promo video under Universal Music’s “Classic Clips” imprint. After the “Tears Roll Down” album made a return to the UK top 10 in 2004 (twelve years after its first release), the DVD was then reissued with the original white “sunflower” cover. The video and DVD releases also have the same track listing though the DVD includes a 5.1 surround sound audio option as well as 2.0 stereos.

Track Listing

“Sowing The Seeds Of Love” (directed by Jim Blashfield)

“Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (directed by Nigel Dick)

“Woman in Chains” (directed by Andy Morahan)

“Shout” (directed by Nigel Dick)

“Head Over Heels” (directed by Nigel Dick)

“Mad World” (directed by Clive Richardson)

“Pale Shelter” (directed by Steve Barron)

“I Believe” (directed by Nigel Dick)

“Laid So Low (Tears Roll Down)” (directed by Commanding Images)

“Mothers Talk” (directed by Nigel Dick)

“Change” (directed by Clive Richardson)

“Advice for the Young at Heart” (directed by Andy Morahan)

Music produced by Chris Hughes, Ross Cullum, Tears For Fears, Dave Bascombe, Tim Palmer.

“God’s Mistake” is a song featured on the British band Tears for Fears 1995 album Raoul and the Kings of Spain. The song was the first single taken from the album in the United States, but the second to be taken from the album in the UK (following the release of the title track).

The song reached the spot at #61 in the UK and #102 in the US.

“Secrets” is the second single released from the album Raoul and the Kings of Spain in the U.S by Tears for Fears.

The song was also originally planned for release as a single in the UK, but was withdrawn.

“Falling Down” is a single released from the 1995 album Raoul and the Kings of Spain by Tears for Fears. It was released as a single in the US, Brazil, Mexico, and some European countries, but not the UK.

Tears for Fears performing the song Live in 1996

Raoul and the Kings of Spain was Tears for Fears fifth album. Like the previous album, Elemental, it is fundamentally a solo effort by Roland Orzabal. The album was initially scheduled to be released by Mercury records but the project was cancelled after Tears For Fears left the label to sign with Sony/Epic Records. Sony released a new version of the album featuring a different track listing and new cover art in 1995.

The album reached the spot of  #41 in the UK charts and #79 in the US charts.

The album features a return by Oleta Adams, who duets with Orzabal on the track “Me and My Big Ideas”

The album was re-released in August 2009 by Cherry Pop Records, complete with seven bonus tracks

Mercury version (only available as a promotional CD)

1. “Raoul and the Kings of Spain” – 5:16

2. “Falling Down” – 4:55

3. “Secrets” – 4:42

4. “God’s Mistake” – 3:47

5. “Sketches of Pain” – 4:21

6. “Los Reyes Católicos” – 1:48

7. “Sorry” – 4:48

8. “Queen of Compromise” – 3:52

9. “Don’t Drink the Water” – 4:56

10. “Me and My Big Ideas” – 4:33

11. “Los Reyes Católicos” (Reprise) – 3:43

Sony/Epic version

1. “Raoul and the Kings of Spain” – 5:15

2. “Falling Down” – 4:55

3. “Secrets” – 4:41

4. “God’s Mistake” – 3:47

5. “Sketches of Pain” – 4:20

6. “Los Reyes Católicos” – 1:44

7. “Sorry” – 4:48

8. “Humdrum and Humble” – 4:10

9. “I Choose You” – 3:25

10. “Don’t Drink the Water” – 4:50

11. “Me and My Big Ideas” – 4:32

12. “Los Reyes Católicos” (Reprise) – 3:43

Raoul and the Kings of Pain –

is first single from the album. At the time it was released, the single reached #31 in the UK and became the band’s last Top 40 hit there for ten years (until 2005′s “Closest Thing to Heaven”). The single was not released in the United States.

The track was first performed two years before its release, on the band’s 1993 “Elemental” World Tour.

B-sides/Non-album tracks

* “All of the Angels”

* “The Madness of Roland”

* “Until I Drown”

* “Queen of Compromise”

* “War of Attrition”

* “Raoul and the Kings of Spain (acoustic)”

* “Break It Down Again (acoustic)”

As a consequence of the bands label switch to Sony in 1995, none of these tracks are featured on the Tears For Fears B-sides collection Saturnine Martial & Lunatic, which was released by Polygram  in 1996, the band’s old record company. However, the seven tracks were included on the 2009 re-release of the “Raoul” album by Cherry Pop Records.