Tears for Fears is one of the ultimate 80s bands. The two boys from the UK, Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, formed the band in 1981 and by 1982 they were starting their rise to fame. The name Tears for Fears comes from a form of therapy called Primal therapy that the band was interested in at the time. Their first two singles didn't connect with record buyers, but the their third did. Mad World hit #3 on the UK charts in late 1982, and subsequently their first album, The Hurting, became a huge success in the UK. Their interest in Primal therapy was a central theme of the first album. The Hurting stayed on the charts in the UK for 65 weeks and #1, garnering platinum status. The release of their second album, 1984's Songs from the Big Chair (#1 US, #2 UK), is when Tears for Fears REALLY blew up. The singles from that album, namely Everybody Wants to Rule the World (#1 US, #2 UK), Shout (#1 US, #4 UK) and Head Over Heels (US #3, UK #12), made the band international superstars. Then there was a rather lengthy period of time in between albums. It wasn't until 1989 that their third album, The Seeds of Love (#8 US, #1 UK), was released. The first single, Sowing the Seeds of Love, was a massive success hitting #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #5 in the UK. The Beatles inspired tune was an anthem about society and politics written in a sort of protest after Margaret Thatcher won her third term in office and featured lyrics like, "Politician grannie with your high ideals. Have you no idea how the majority feels?". Two more singles made it into the US Top 40 from The Seeds of Love, Woman in Chains (#26) and Advise for the Young at Heart (#36). Following The Seeds of Love, Orzabal and Smith had a falling out and Smith left the group, leaving the name Tears for Fears with Roland Orzabal. Orzabal went on to record under the name on his own and managed to produce several US Top 40 singles during the early 90s. The band reunited in 2004 and recorded the album Everybody Loves a Happy Ending. They have continued to tour and record together since. While their legacy on the charts was only a few years, the songs they produced are some of the most lush and memorable of the era. Here are some songs to take you back today. Enjoy Tears for Fears.
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