Top 10 Tears For Fears Songs

Photo: Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Our Top 10 Tears For Fears songs list looks back at a band that broke onto the music scene in the mid-1980s with an album that spawned two straight number-one hits, making them one of the world’s biggest rock and roll bands. This band’s lyrics were as powerful as their music and excellent productions. They were and still are a band that has blended the sounds of the new wave era and progressive rock styles that fueled a unique sound crossing over into the pop music world.

Tears For Fears’ debut album was released in 1983. It featured songs like “Mad World” and “Memories Fade.” However, the band’s second album, Songs From The Big Chair, shook everyone out of their own chairs and up in applause as the group ignited around the globe. They followed Songs From The Big Chair with their Seeds Of Love album in 1989.

Led by the duo of Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, Tears For Fears took full advantage of the new musical instrument technology of the 1980s and utilized those tools with brilliant songwriting and playing that was unbelievably captivating and entertaining. The group released five albums from 1983 to 1995. They returned in 2004 with one more complete studio album. Over the years, many compilations and live albums have been released. When one thinks back to the mid-1980s, artists like Prince, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, U2, and of course, Tears For Fears stand out. Our top 10 Tears For Fears song lists offer a small sampling of some of the best Tears For Fears songs of all time.

# 10 – I Love You But I’m Lost

Want to know what Tears For Fears would sound like in the 2010s? Well, here you go. We open our Top 10 Tears For Fears songs list with a song the group released in 2017 entitled “I Love You But I’m Lost.” The song was one of two new songs on a greatest hits package. This is an interesting listen. What do you think?

If you play this for a music fan who is well versed in Tears For Fears music, they probably would not recognize this as Tears For Fears. However, that being said, so many of the traditional Tears For Fears songwriting techniques are still present, including those magnificent big-sounding cinematic choruses. It was great to have some new Tears For Fears music again just a few years ago. This is a great one

# 9 – Pale Shelter

Oh, don’t you love the sound of the early 1980s? Come on, you know you do. The sound of the arpeggiator pulsating through the track is just so distinctive of that sound. This one is a little raw, but it defines the potential these two had to become major stars just a few years later. This is a deep track for those looking to jump a little deeper into the Tears For Fears catalog. The song “Pale Shelter” was released on the group’s first album entitled The Hurting. The album was originally released in 1983. The album was huge in the UK. The band on the first album consisted of Roland Orzabal, Curt Smith, Manny Elias, and Ian Stanley

# 8 – Break It Down Again

Continuing with our list of top 10 Tears For Fear songs, we turn to the song “Break It Down Again.” The song was released on the album Elemental. The record was released in 1993. “Break It Down Again” was a hit around the world. It reached the top 20 in the United Kingdom, it was a top 30 hit in the United States, and it hit number 4 in Italy. Tears For Fears‘ sound has always been loved by people of all nations which says so much about these guys.

# 7 – Raoul And The Kings Of Spain

“Raoul And The Kings Of Spain” is easily one of our favorite Tears For Fears songs. This is a smoking track, The guitar riff at the song’s start lights this one up immediately. Roland Orzabal’s falsetto on the chorus is stunning. “Raoul And The Kings Of Spain” defines one of Roland Orzabal’s most excellent vocal performances. The song was released on Raoul and the Kings of Spain’s album. The record was released in 1995.

# 6 – Woman in Chains

The great Tears For Fears song “Woman in Chains” was released on The Seeds of Love album. The album was released in 1993. “Woman in Chains” was the second single released from the record. The song was a moderate hit worldwide, hovering in most international music charts’ 20s, 30s, and 40s. Despite the song’s failure to hit the top of the charts, this wonderful song also featured the soulful vocals of Oleta Adams.

# 5 – Mad World

As we turn to the second half of our Top 10 Tears For Fears songs list, we return to one of their very special songs. Many people have heard the Gary Jules hit version of “Mad Love” but don’t realize it was initially a Tears For Fears song. Roland Orzabal composed the song, and Curt Smith sang the lead vocals. The song became the band’s first hit single as it peaked at number three on the United Kingdom music charts.

# 4 – Sowing The Seeds Of Love

“Sowing The Seeds of Love” was the title track to their 1989 album The Seeds of Love. This was a massive song for the band on many fronts. First, it was the lead single to the follow-up album to Songs From The Big Chair. Secondly, it became one of the most successful singles of Tears For Fears‘ career. The song hit number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1989. It was a top ten single in the United Kingdom and many other countries worldwide.

# 3 – Head Over Heels

The following three songs on this top 10 Tears For Fears songs list all hail from their 1986 masterpiece Songs From The Big Chair. It was an album that stands as one of the most successful albums of the 1980s. “Head Over Heels” was the fourth single released from the album. On the album, the song was wrapped around by the beautiful track “Broken.” The song “Head Over Heels” continued the group’s incredible success on the music charts. It was the third straight single released from the Songs From The Big Chair album to break the U.S. Billboard Hot 100’s Top 10. After two straight number-one singles, “Head Over Heals” still did phenomenally on the charts, peaking at number 2.

# 2 – Shout

As we close in on the top spot on our top 10 Tears For Fears songs list, we turn to the second single released from the Songs From The Big Chair album. The massive stadium-sounding song “Shout” was the group’s first number-one career single. It stands as Tears For Fears’ most commercially successful song the group has ever released. The song hit number one in many countries worldwide, including the United States, Canada, Australia, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Germany, and Belgium.

# 1 – Everybody Wants To Rule The World

Closing out our top 10 Tears For Fears songs list is our favorite Tears For Fears song. The great song “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” was released on their grand album Songs From The Big Chair. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” was the third single released from the album. It was also the second straight number-one single the band released. The song was written by Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley, and Chris Hughes. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” is one of the defining moments of 80s music. The song is filled with lyrical protest, a soaring melody, and a stadium-sounding hook, encased in brand-new 80s synthesizers and expensive reverb units.