Complete List Of Tears For Fears Songs From A to Z

Feature Photo: Andy Sturmey / Shutterstock.com

Tears for Fears formed in Bath, Somerset, in 1981, when Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal, who had previously played together in the mod-influenced band Graduate, launched a new project rooted in the ideas of primal therapy. Influenced by synth-pop and artists including Talking Heads, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, and Soft Cell, they quickly attracted attention by combining introspective, psychology-inspired lyrics with a sophisticated electronic sound. They signed with Mercury Records and released their first singles, “Suffer the Children” and “Pale Shelter,” in 1981 and 1982, establishing the foundation of their distinctive style.

Their debut album, The Hurting (1983), topped the UK Albums Chart and remained on the chart for more than a year. It produced three UK top-five singles, “Mad World,” “Change,” and “Pale Shelter,” and earned platinum certification. Drawing its emotional force from themes of childhood trauma and psychological struggle, the album established Tears for Fears as one of the defining new acts of the era.

In 1985, Tears for Fears released Songs from the Big Chair, a stylistic leap into polished pop-rock and synth-pop with broader sonic appeal. The album reached number two in the United Kingdom and number one in the United States, achieving multi-platinum success. It produced international hits including “Shout,” “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” and “Head over Heels.” “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” also received the 1986 Brit Award for Best British Single. The album remains the band’s commercial peak and a major touchstone of 1980s popular music.

The band’s third studio album, The Seeds of Love (1989), reached number one in the United Kingdom and the top ten in the United States. Featuring songs including “Sowing the Seeds of Love” and “Woman in Chains,” with Oleta Adams on vocals and Phil Collins on drums, the album incorporated jazz, blues, Beatles-inspired arrangements, and elaborate production. Its extended recording sessions also created financial pressure and contributed to growing tension within the group.

After the 1990 tour, Smith and Orzabal went their separate ways. Orzabal continued recording under the Tears for Fears name, releasing Elemental (1993), which included “Break It Down Again,” and Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995). These albums reflected Orzabal’s creative control and introspective focus, although neither matched the commercial impact of the band’s earlier work.

Smith and Orzabal reconciled in 2000 and released Everybody Loves a Happy Ending in 2004. The album marked a return to collaborative songwriting and produced the single “Closest Thing to Heaven.” Tears for Fears resumed touring and later issued the concert album Secret World – Live in Paris in 2006.

Following years of touring and archival reissues, Tears for Fears released The Tipping Point in 2022, their first studio album in eighteen years. Written and recorded over an extended period marked by personal and creative challenges, the album received strong reviews and reached number two on the UK Albums Chart, becoming their highest-charting studio release there since The Seeds of Love.

In 2024, Tears for Fears released Songs for a Nervous Planet, a live album built around recordings from the 2023 Tipping Point Tour and four new studio songs: “Say Goodbye to Mum and Dad,” “The Girl That I Call Home,” “Emily Said,” and “Astronaut.” The album reached number six in the United Kingdom. Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith had also received the Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Collection in 2021, honoring a songwriting partnership that produced some of the most enduring songs of their generation. With seven studio albums and decades of continued activity, Tears for Fears remain one of the most distinctive and influential acts to emerge from the 1980s.

Complete List Of Tears For Fears Songs From A to Z

“Advice for the Young at Heart” – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Advice for the Young at Heart” (7″ version) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Advice for the Young at Heart” (demo) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Advice for the Young at Heart” (instrumental) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Advice for the Young at Heart” (Italian radio edit) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“All of the Angels” – Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
“Always in the Past” – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“And I Was a Boy from School” (Hot Chip cover) – Ready Boy & Girls? (2014)
“Astronaut” – Songs for a Nervous Planet (2024)
“Badman’s Song” – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Badman’s Song” (early mix) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Badman’s Song” (Langer/Winstanley version – instrumental) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Badman’s Song” (reprise – Townhouse Jam) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Badman’s Song” (Townhouse Jam) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Break It Down Again” – Elemental (1993)
“Break It Down Again” (acoustic) – Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
“Break the Man” – The Tipping Point (2022)
“Brian Wilson Said” – Elemental (1993)
“Broken” – Songs from the Big Chair (1985)
“Broken” (Townhouse Jam) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Call Me Mellow” – Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (2004)
“Change” – The Hurting (1983)
“Change” (Extended Version) – The Hurting (1983)
“Change” (New Version) – The Hurting (1983)
“Change” (Radio Edit) – The Hurting (1983)
“Closest Thing to Heaven” – Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (2004)
“Cold” – Elemental (1993)
“Dog’s a Best Friend’s Dog” – Elemental (1993)
“Don’t Drink the Water” – Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
“Elemental” – Elemental (1993)
“Emily Said” – Songs for a Nervous Planet (2024)
“End of Night” – The Tipping Point (2022)
“Everybody Loves a Happy Ending” – Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (2004)
“Everybody Wants to Rule the World” – Songs from the Big Chair (1985)
“Everybody Wants to Run the World” – Non-album single (1986)
“Falling Down” – Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
“Famous Last Words” – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Famous Last Words” (demo) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Famous Last Words” (French radio edit) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Fish out of Water” – Elemental (1993)
“Gas Giants” – Elemental (1993)
“God’s Mistake” – Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
“Goodnight Song” – Elemental (1993)
“Head over Heels” – Songs from the Big Chair (1985)
“Head over Heels / Broken (live)” (reprise) – Songs from the Big Chair (1985)
“Humdrum and Humble” – Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
“I Believe” – Songs from the Big Chair (1985)
“I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording)” – Songs from the Big Chair (1985)
“I Choose You” – Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
“I Love You but I’m Lost” – Rule the World: The Greatest Hits (2017)
“Ideas as Opiates” – The Hurting (1983)
“Ideas as Opiates” (Alternate Version) – The Hurting (1983)
“Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams” – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams” (instrumental) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams” (mix one) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams” (mix one edit) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams” (mix two) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Killing with Kindness” – Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (2004)
“Ladybird” – Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (2004)
“Laid So Low (Tears Roll Down)” – Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82–92) (1992)
“Last Days on Earth” – Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (2004)
“Let It All Evolve” – The Tipping Point (2022)
“Listen” – Songs from the Big Chair (1985)
“Long, Long, Long Time” – The Tipping Point (2022)
“Los Reyes Católicos” – Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
“Los Reyes Católicos (Reprise)” – Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
“Mad World” – The Hurting (1983)
“Mad World” (World Remix) – The Hurting (1983)
“Master Plan” – The Tipping Point (2022)
“Me and My Big Ideas” – Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
“Memories Fade” – The Hurting (1983)
“Mothers Talk” – Songs from the Big Chair (1985)
“Mothers Talk” (US remix) – Songs from the Big Chair (1986)
“Mr. Pessimist” – Elemental (1993)
“Music for Tables” – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“My Demons” – The Tipping Point (2022)
“My Girls” (Animal Collective cover) – Ready Boy & Girls? (2014)
“My Life in the Suicide Ranks” – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“No Small Thing” – The Tipping Point (2022)
“Out of Control” – Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (2004)
“Pale Shelter” – The Hurting (1983)
“Pale Shelter” (Long Version) – The Hurting (1983)
“Pale Shelter” (New Extended Version) – The Hurting (1983)
“Pale Shelter” (Original Version) – The Hurting (1983)
“Pale Shelter (You Don’t Give Me Love)” – Non-album single (1982)
“Please Be Happy” – The Tipping Point (2022)
“Power” – Elemental (1993)
“Pullin’ a Cloud” – Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (2004)
“Queen of Compromise” – Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
“Quiet Ones” – Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (2004)
“Raoul and the Kings of Spain” – Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
“Raoul and the Kings of Spain” (acoustic) – Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
“Ready to Start” (Arcade Fire cover) – Ready Boy & Girls? (2014)
“Rhythm of Life” (demo) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Rhythm of Life” (Townhouse Jam) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Rivers of Mercy” – The Tipping Point (2022)
“Say Goodbye to Mum and Dad” – Songs for a Nervous Planet (2024)
“Secret Location” – The Tipping Point (2022)
“Secret World” – Secret World – Live in Paris (2006)
“Secret World” – Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (2004)
“Secrets” – Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
“Shame (Cry Heaven)” – The Tipping Point (2022)
“Shout” – Songs from the Big Chair (1985)
“Size of Sorrow” – Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (2004)
“Sketches of Pain” – Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
“Sorry” – Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
“Sowing the Seeds of Love” – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Sowing the Seeds of Love” (7″ version) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Sowing the Seeds of Love” (alternate mix) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Sowing the Seeds of Love” (demo – instrumental) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Sowing the Seeds of Love” (early mix – instrumental) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Sowing the Seeds of Love” (US radio edit) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Standing on the Corner of the Third World” – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Standing on the Corner of the Third World” (Townhouse Jam) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Start of the Breakdown” – The Hurting (1983)
“Stay” – The Tipping Point (2022)
“Suffer the Children” – The Hurting (1983)
“Suffer the Children” (Demo) – The Hurting (1983)
“Suffer the Children” (Instrumental) – The Hurting (1983)
“Suffer the Children” (Original Version) – The Hurting (1983)
“Suffer the Children” (Remix) – The Hurting (1983)
“Swords and Knives” – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Swords and Knives” (demo) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Tears Roll Down” – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Tears Roll Down” (alternate mix) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“The Conflict” – The Hurting (1983)
“The Devil” – Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (2004)
“The Girl That I Call Home” – Songs for a Nervous Planet (2024)
“The Hurting” – The Hurting (1983)
“The Madness of Roland” – Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
“The Prisoner” – The Hurting (1983)
“The Prisoner” (Original 7″ Version) – The Hurting (1983)
“The Tipping Point” – The Tipping Point (2022)
“The Way You Are” – Non-album single (1983)
“The Working Hour” – Songs from the Big Chair (1985)
“Until I Drown” – Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
“War of Attrition” – Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
“Watch Me Bleed” – The Hurting (1983)
“We Are Broken” – The Hurting (1983)
“Who Killed Tangerine?” – Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (2004)
“Who You Are” – Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (2004)
“Wino” – The Hurting (1983)
“Woman in Chains” (featuring Oleta Adams) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Woman in Chains” (7″ version) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Woman in Chains” (instrumental) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Woman in Chains” (reprise – electric piano only) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Woman in Chains” (Townhouse Jam) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Woman in Chains” (US radio edit 1) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Woman in Chains” (US radio edit 2) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Year of the Knife” – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Year of the Knife” (Canadian single version) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Year of the Knife” (Canadian single version – instrumental) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Year of the Knife” (early mix – instrumental) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Year of the Knife” (overture) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Year of the Knife” (Steve Chase 7″ remix) – The Seeds of Love (1989)
“Year of the Knife” (“the mix”) – The Seeds of Love (1989)