Day 47: Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair
Album cover courtesy of Mercury Records and Phonogram
Strange day today, music-wise. I almost never plan which album I’m going to choose, but usually I haven’t struggled to find something I’d like to listen to that day. Today, I just couldn’t think of anything. I’ve got a big list of artists and albums on my phone, but nothing felt right. I was watching a music-related YouTube video for inspiration and happened to find one that’s perfect: Songs from the Big Chair by Tears for Fears.
I’ve never in my life heard a Tears for Fears song that I didn’t like. I’ve heard plenty I loved, and yet I’d never actually listened to their albums. In my personal “100 best pop songs”-list that I know I’ll probably make someday, there are at least a few songs by Tears for Fears. Despite this, I didn’t even know anything about them, except that they’re an ‘80s new wave synth-pop duo. Criminal! I had to fix that ASAP.
Tears for Fears were formed in Bath, UK in 1981 by Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal. The pair had met as teenagers and started playing music together in a band in a called Graduate, which Orzabal described as a “really, really bad” mod band. The band got a record deal, but because of differences in value with the other members, Smith and Orzabal left after a year to go forge their own path.
Released in 1985, Songs from the Big Chair was the duo’s second album. Their first release, The Hurting, afforded them a bit of success after their third single “Mad World” became a hit. From the opening track “Shout”, I knew I was in for a treat. I’d obviously heard the song before, but I’d never properly sat down to listen to it with a good pair of headphones. It was an experience. And from there, it kept on getting better.
“Everybody Wants Rule the World” is an absolute top-tier song and almost one of the definitive songs of ‘80s pop, yet it’s not even the best song on the album. The songs are way more sophisticated and intricate than I expected. I just thought they made very high-quality synth pop bangers, but that’s clearly only part of what they’re doing. There’s almost a hodgepodge of influences and styles on it, all of them working together but different enough to leave you wondering what’s coming next.
The aforementioned top pop 100 would probably have “Shout” and “Head Over Heels/Broken” on it. “Listen” is the perfect song to close the record. I’ve been missing out, I love this. It’s a 9.5/10.