Everybody Loves a Happy Ending is Tears for Fears sixth studio album. It was released some nine years after the release of the earlier studio album Raoul and the Kings of Spain (which was basically a solo record by Orzabal). Happy Ending was released on March 7, 2005 in the UK and Europe and September 14, 2004 in the US. This was the first album featuring Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith together since 1989′s The Seeds of Love.
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
Also another fantastic album. Saw the concert in Orange Cty, California w/o even buying the album…immediately went out to purchase based on the live performance. TFF is still very creative with deep lyrics and music to match!
This is my fav TFF album and I am a long time fan. Itsa better album than any of the othres because it fits together well. The songs too are every bit as strong as the big hits
this cover blew me away, whoa. that doesn’t happen too often, I’m jaded. Heh.