Everybody Wants to Rule the World - wikipedia Everybody Wants to Rule the World `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' Single by Tears for Fears from the album Songs from the Big Chair B - side `` Pharaohs '' Released 1985 Format CD 7 '' 10 '' 12 '' Genre New wave Length 4 : 11 Label Phonogram ( UK ) Mercury ( US ) Vertigo ( Canada ) Songwriter ( s ) Roland Orzabal Ian Stanley Chris Hughes Producer ( s ) Hughes Tears for Fears singles chronology `` Shout '' ( 1984 ) `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' ( 1985 ) `` Head over Heels '' ( 1985 ) Music video `` Everybody Wants To Rule The World '' on YouTube `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' is a song recorded by English band Tears for Fears. It was written by Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley and Chris Hughes with production handled by Hughes. The song was released in 1985 by Phonogram, Mercury and Vertigo Records as the third single from their second album, Songs from the Big Chair ( 1985 ). `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' is a new wave song with frowning guitar chords, descending keyboards and distressed vocals in its production. Its lyrics detail the desire humans have for control and power and centers on themes of corruption. Music critics praised `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' in their retrospective reviews, with some including the song in their respective decade lists. It is regarded as the group 's signature song, along with `` Shout '' ( 1984 ). Commercially, the song garnered success on charts internationally, peaking at number two in Ireland and the United Kingdom and at number one in Canada, New Zealand and on the Billboard Hot 100. `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' was certified gold by both Music Canada ( MC ) and the British Phonographic Industry ( BPI ). Nigel Dick directed the song 's accompanying music video which received promotion from MTV. It shows the group 's lead singer, Curt Smith riding an antique Austin - Healey 3000 sports car around various locations in Southern California intercut with shots of the band performing the song in a studio. In 1986, the song won `` Best Single '' at the Brit Awards. The group re-recorded the song as a charity single for the Sport Aid campaign. New Zealand singer Lorde recorded a cover of the song which was included in the soundtrack for The Hunger Games : Catching Fire ( 2013 ) and Ready Player One. Contents 1 Background and recording 2 Production and release 3 Composition and lyrical interpretation 4 Reception 5 Commercial performance 6 B - side : `` Pharaohs '' 7 Music video 8 Formats and track listings 9 Credits and personnel 10 Charts and certifications 10.1 Weekly charts 10.2 Year - end charts 10.3 Certifications and sales 11 Covers and re-releases 11.1 Everybody Wants to Run the World 11.2 Lorde version 12 See also 13 References 14 External links Background and recording `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' was written by Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley and Chris Hughes with production handled by the latter. It was revealed that the song was a `` last - minute '' addition during recording sessions of Songs from the Big Chair ( 1985 ). The decision to include the song in the album came after Orzabal played two chords on his acoustic guitar for Hughes. It was recorded in two weeks and later added as the final track on the album. According to Orzabal, he initially regarded the song as a lightweight that would not fit with the rest of the album. In an interview with Mix magazine, Hughes admitted that `` as a piece of recording history, ( the song is ) bland as hell. '' The lyrics of the song were originally `` everybody wants to go to war '', which Orzabal felt was lackluster. However, Hughes convinced Orzabal to record it, in a calculated effort to gain American chart success. Orzabal acknowledged that the shuffle beat used in the song was `` alien '' to their way of writing music, stating it was `` jolly rather than square and rigid in the manner of `` Shout '', but it continued the process of becoming more extrovert. '' Curt Smith, the group 's lead singer, mentioned the concept of the song was `` quite serious -- it 's about everybody wanting power, about warfare and the misery it causes. '' Production and release `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' was co-written by Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley and Chris Hughes, with production from the latter. Instrumentation was handled by Orzabal, who played guitar and keyboards, Curt Smith played bass guitar while Stanley played keyboards and used LinnDrum programming. Stanley and Manny Elias utilized the Oberheim DMX drum machine with Elias playing drums. Additional credits includes Hughes, who is credited with MIDI programming, the Oberheim DMX drum machine and drums, Neil Taylor, with the song 's second guitar solo and Dave Bascombe with engineering. `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' was released in 1985 through Phonogram, Mercury and Vertigo Records as the third single from the band 's second album, Songs from the Big Chair. The song was released for sale ( as a 7 - inch, 10 - inch and 12 - inch vinyl set ) which included its B - side, interviews from the band and different versions of the song. To accommodate the vinyl release, a CD video set was also distributed and included the song 's music video along audios of bonus tracks. Composition and lyrical interpretation `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' A sample of `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '', a new wave song with lyrics detailing the human desire for power as well as corruption. Problems playing this file ? See media help. `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' is a new wave song with frowning guitar chords, descending keyboards and distressed vocals in its production. The song is set in the key of D major with a time signature and a tempo of 112 beats per minute. The band stated that the driving shuffle rhythm was influenced by Simple Minds ' 1983 song `` Waterfront ''. Its lyrics detail the desire humans have for control and power. Tal Rosenberg of Pitchfork described the song as having a `` twinkling synth '' along with a `` spider - like guitar '' at the beginning of the track as well as a `` snappy '' instrumental leading to the first verse, a shuffling dream - like beat, a `` galvanizing '' bridge, a moody instrumental passage, a shift in melody in another verse and two guitar solos. Pitchfork stated that the song 's lyrics can be applied in different scenarios such as the environment ( `` Turn your back on mother nature '' ), short - lived financial success ( `` Help me make the most of freedom and of pleasure / Nothing ever lasts forever '' ), dictatorial rule ( `` Even while we sleep / We will find you '' ), and the Cold War ( `` Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down '' ). The group revisited the song and its message in an interview with Yahoo ! Music, stating that the song 's themes were `` just as poignant '' as they were when they first wrote it. They mentioned that they discussed the Cold War with `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' and Songs from the Big Chair but that was the `` U.S. and Russia then, and now the concern is more with the U.S. and ( North ) Korea. '' Marc Ambinder from The Atlantic used the lyrics `` Say that you 'll never, never, never need it / One headline, why believe it ? / Everybody wants to rule the world '' in his article about the United States government 's use of `` original classified authority '' and the abuse of power between the branches of government. Reception Consequence of Sound editor Michael Roffman praised the group for being able to produce a `` timeless and influential composition '' with minimal effort. Roffman also noted that `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' was appropriate when it was first time, calling it a `` meditative commentary on an era that was so corrupt economically and spiritually. '' AllMusic 's Stanton Swihart expressed in his retrospective review that the group `` perfectly captured the zeitgeist of the mid - ' 80s while impossibly managing to also create a dreamy, timeless pop classic. '' Pitchfork called it a song with `` near - universal appeal '', as well as a staple for `` classic - rock radio, pharmacies, bars, and parties. '' In their review for the best albums of the 1980s, Eric Henderson from Slant Magazine stated that the song `` seems like one of the great indictments of the materialism and false triumphalism of the decade. '' `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' was voted voted the 25th best single in The Village Voice 's Pazz & Jop critics ' poll for 1985 with 17 points, sharing the spot with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers ' `` Do n't Come Around Here No More '' ( 1985 ) and Sade 's `` Smooth Operator '' ( 1984 ). Pitchfork placed the song at number 82 on their list for the best songs of the 80s expressing that `` underneath the synth - pop sheen, its vague message '' and its lesson in how power - driven society could be, the song was able to reach `` Reagan and Margaret - era youth fed up with political greed. '' Kevin Korber from Spectrum Culture ranked the song at 24 on his 80s decade list, calling the song a `` testament to how much of a free - for - all the pop landscape was in the 1980s. '' Korber dismissed the song 's vague lyrics but praised its complex melodic structure, saying it was `` both the perfect representation of its time and a timeless composition. '' Treble included the song at number 49 on their decade list. In 1986, the song won `` Best Single '' at the Brit Awards. Band member and co-writer Roland Orzabal argued that the song deserved to win the Ivor Novello International Hit of the Year award, claiming that the winner -- `` 19 '' by Paul Hardcastle -- was not an actual song, but only a `` dialogue collage ''. In 2015, 30 years after its release, the song was honoured at the annual BMI Awards in London for achieving 6 million radio airplays. `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' is regarded as the group 's signature song, along with `` Shout '' ( 1984 ). `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' was banned for broadcast by the BBC during the duration of the first Gulf War ( 2 August 1990 -- 28 February 1991 ) due to the song 's political themes. Commercial performance In the United Kingdom, `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' debuted at number 16 on the UK Singles Chart, in the issue dated 24 March 1985. On the week of 14 April 1985, the song peaked at number two, behind the charity single `` We Are the World '' ( 1985 ) recorded by the supergroup United Support of Artists ( USA ) for Africa. `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' received a gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry ( BPI ) on 13 April 2018 for 500,000 sales. The song peaked at number three in Belgium and at number two in both the Netherlands and Ireland. In Canada, the song reached the number one spot, earning a gold certification from Music Canada ( MC ) for 40,000 sales shipments on 1 May 1985. In Australia, the song reached the number two position. On the report dated 19 May 1985, the song debuted at number four on the New Zealand Top 40 Singles chart ; it would later peak at number one. It was certified Gold by the Recorded Music NZ ( RMNZ ) for sales of 10,000. In the United States, `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' debuted at number 70 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the issue dated 16 March 1985. On the week of 27 April 1985, the song rose to number 18. On the week of 8 June 1985, the song moved 2 - 1, replacing Wham ! 's `` Everything She Wants '' ( 1984 ) as the number one on the chart ; it would spent a total of two weeks in this position. The song was a commercial success in other American markets, peaking at number two on the Adult Contemporary and Top Rock Tracks and charting at number one on the Hot Dance Club Play, Hot Dance Music / Maxi - Singles Sales and Cash Box charts. B - side : `` pharaohs '' `` Pharoahs '' uses a 1984 recording of Brian Perkins reading a shipping forecast on various North Sea locations ( pictured ) `` Pharaohs '' is the B - side to the `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' single. It samples a recording of BBC Radio 4 announcer Brian Perkins reading the Shipping Forecast for the North Sea region of the United Kingdom. The title of the song has an identical enunciation to the Faroe Islands ( `` Faroes '' ), one of the places referenced in the forecast. Orzabal, Ian Stanley, Curt Smith and Hughes share writing credits. `` Pharaohs '' is included on the Groove Armada compilation album Back to Mine ( 2000 ). Chris Hughes wrote about the song in the liner notes of Saturnine Martial & Lunatic, saying : No matter how horrifying the conditions may really be, the voice reading the shipping forecast is deliberately calm and relaxed. Recorded at the Wool Hall for the B - side of ' Everybody ' in a calm and relaxed way. `` Pharaohs '' shipping forecast read by Brian Perkins : There are warnings of gales in Viking, Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Fisher, Dover, Wight, Portland, Plymouth, Finisterre, Sole, Lundy, Fastnet, Shannon, Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Bailey, Fair Isle, Faroes and Southeast Iceland. The general synopsis at one eight double - O : low just north of Viking, nine double - seven, moving steadily east - northeast. Low 300 miles south of Iceland. Atlantic low forming, moving steadily northeast. A ridge of high pressure has swayed between North and South Utsire. The area forecast for the next twenty - four hours. Viking, Forties, Cromarty, Forth. Music video The roadside attraction Cabazon Dinosaurs ( pictured ) is shown briefly in the video. The promotional clip for `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '', filmed in early 1985, was directed by music video producer Nigel Dick. It was filmed in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, a desert in Southern California, the Salton Sea and Cabazon as well as a London studio. Curt Smith admitted to Pitchfork that video shoot was a `` disaster '' ; director Nigel Dick was `` in tears '' on the second night of shooting. Smith also mentioned that there was an accident while filming the `` dirt bikes and four - wheel off - road vehicles '' scene, with one child flying out of a vehicle and smashing his head, leaving him unconscious. The video begins with Smith driving an antique Austin - Healey 3000 sports car while a toddler shoots an unloaded gun in Smith 's direction. The car is then seen driving through a desert, this scene is intercut with the band performing the song in a studio. Smith parks the car at the Wheel Inn diner while he makes a call from a telephone booth ; the camera pans to show a statue of a man riding a horse nearby. Smith leaves the booth in the car from the previous scene singing the song 's lyrics. The following scene shows two black men in suits performing synchronized dance movements in front of two gas pump stations. An overhead shot of people riding dune buggies through sand dunes is also shown. The video ends with Smith in the same sand dune singing with black sunglasses. The music video promoted the group in America, due to `` heavy rotation '' on the music video channel MTV. HuffPost editor Daryl Deino ranked the video at number three on their year - end list for best music videos of 1985 stating that the video `` represents pure Americana as it was in 1985 ''. Deino also mentioned that the video `` proves that at times, artists were able to do so much with so little. '' Formats and track listings 7 `` : Mercury / IDEA 9 ( UK ) A. `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' -- 4 : 11 B. `` Pharaohs '' -- 3 : 42 Double 7 '' Special Limited Edition : Mercury / IDEA 99 ( UK ) A. `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' -- 4 : 11 B. `` Pharaohs '' -- 3 : 42 A. `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World ( Urban Mix ) '' -- 6 : 06 B. `` Roland & Curt Interviewed '' -- 7 : 30 10 `` : Mercury / IDEA 910 ( UK ) A. `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' -- 4 : 11 B. `` Pharaohs '' -- 3 : 42 12 `` : Mercury / IDEA 912 ( UK ) A. `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World ( Extended Version ) '' -- 5 : 43 B1. `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World ( 7 '' Version ) '' -- 4 : 11 B2. `` Pharaohs '' -- 3 : 42 Urban Mix 12 `` : Mercury / IDEA 912 ( UK ) A. `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World ( Urban Mix ) '' -- 6 : 06 B. `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World ( Instrumental ) '' -- 4 : 26 CD Video : Mercury / 080 032 - 2 ( UK, PAL ) `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' ( Audio ) -- 4 : 10 `` The Marauders '' ( Audio ) -- 4 : 13 `` When In Love With a Blind Man '' ( Audio ) -- 2 : 22 `` Pharaohs '' ( Audio ) -- 3 : 39 `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' ( Video ) -- 4 : 41 CD Video : Mercury / 870 745 - 2 ( US, NTSC ) `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' ( Audio ) -- 4 : 10 `` The Marauders '' ( Audio ) -- 4 : 13 `` When In Love With a Blind Man '' ( Audio ) -- 2 : 22 `` Pharaohs '' ( Audio ) -- 3 : 39 `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' ( Video ) -- 4 : 41 Credits and personnel Credits adapted from the liner notes of Saturnine Martial & Lunatic. Tears for Fears Roland Orzabal -- guitar, keyboards, vocals Curt Smith -- bass guitar, lead vocals Ian Stanley -- keyboards, LinnDrum programming mixed with synth claps / claps and Simmons drums / synth drums, Oberheim DMX Manny Elias -- drums, Oberheim DMX Additional personnel Neil Taylor -- second guitar solo Chris Hughes -- producer, drums, Oberheim DMX, MIDI programming Dave Bascombe -- engineer Charts and certifications Weekly charts Chart ( 1985 - 1986 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) 19 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) Canada ( The Record ) Canada Adult Contemporary ( RPM ) Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) France ( SNEP ) 18 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 11 Ireland ( IRMA ) Italy ( FIMI ) 11 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) South Africa ( Springbok Radio ) 14 Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) 13 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) US Billboard Adult Contemporary US Billboard Hot 100 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play US Billboard Hot Dance Music / Maxi - Singles Sales US Billboard Top Rock Tracks US Cash Box Year - end charts Chart ( 1985 - 1986 ) Rank Australia ( Kent Music Report ) 36 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 31 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) 19 Italy ( FIMI ) 86 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 20 Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 31 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 9 UK Singles ( Official Single Chart ) 24 US Billboard Hot 100 7 US Cash Box Certifications and sales Region Certification Certified units / Sales Canada ( Music Canada ) Gold 50,000 New Zealand ( RMNZ ) Gold 10,000 United Kingdom ( BPI ) Gold 500,000 sales figures based on certification alone shipments figures based on certification alone Covers and re-releases Other artists have recorded or performed versions of `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World ''. American singer Gloria Gaynor recorded a cover of the song for her twelfth studio album, The Power of Gloria Gaynor ( 1986 ). Ken Boothe also released a reggae version of the song that appeared on a compilation album titled The Tide Is High -- ReggaeRocks A Tribute to Rock ' N ' Roll ( 2001 ). American hip hop artist Nas sampled the guitar riff from `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' on his 2001 song `` Rule ''. American jazz trio The Bad Plus recorded a version of the song from their 2007 album, Prog. It was also covered by American singer Patti Smith and released on her tenth studio album, Twelve ( 2007 ). American rock band Ted Leo and the Pharmacists performed a cover of the song on The A.V. Club 's `` Undercover '' series on 16 March 2010. American multi-instrumentalist Mayer Hawthorne released a `` retrofit ' 60s R&B '' cover of the song. Everybody Wants to Run the World `` Everybody Wants to Run the World '' Single by Tears for Fears Released 1986 Format 7 '' 12 '' Length 4 : 30 Label Phonogram Mercury Songwriter ( s ) Roland Orzabal Ian Stanley Chris Hughes Producer ( s ) Tears for Fears Tears for Fears singles chronology `` I Believe ( A Soulful Re-Recording ) '' ( 1985 ) `` Everybody Wants to Run the World '' ( 1986 ) `` Mothers Talk '' ( 1986 ) `` Everybody Wants to Run the World '' is a re-recording of the band 's song `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World ''. The reworked single was released in 1986 as the theme song for the Sport Aid campaign, a charitable event held to raise money for famine relief in Africa. The group did not attend the event, saying, `` Geldof announced we were playing. He did n't ask us. I was pissed off. We went on holiday. '' It was a success in the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band 's sixth top 5 hit, peaking at number 5 in June 1986. The song also reached number 4 in Ireland. Chart ( 1986 ) Peak position Ireland ( IRMA ) UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 5 Lorde version `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' Song by Lorde from the album The Hunger Games : Catching Fire Released 2013 Length 2 : 35 Label Republic Mercury Songwriter ( s ) Roland Orzabal Ian Stanley Chris Hughes The Hunger Games : Catching Fire track listing 12 tracks `` Atlas '' `` Silhouettes '' `` Elastic Heart '' `` Lean '' `` We Remain '' `` Devil May Cry '' `` Who We Are '' `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World `` Gale Song '' `` Mirror '' `` Capitol Letter '' `` Shooting Arrows at the Sky '' New Zealand singer Lorde recorded a cover of the song for the soundtrack of The Hunger Games : Catching Fire ( 2013 ). The cover was produced by Peter Shurkin and Natalie Baartz with arrangement by Michael A. Levine and Lucas Cantor. It was later used in the cinematic trailer of Assassin 's Creed Unity at E3 2014, which celebrated the fifteenth anniversary of the Creative Assembly 's Total War video game series, promotional videos for the BBC First network, and the 2015 BBC TV series Banished. It was also used during season 4 of Homeland. Orzabal praised Lorde for reinventing the cover, stating that the group finds it interesting when artists take what they do and reinterpret it. Critics were positively receptive to the cover, some praised it for its darker atmosphere mood although others criticized it for stripping away the song 's original upbeat composition. David Haglund from Slate stated that while the song `` does n't top the great original, it does memorably reinvent it. '' Sam Lansky from Idolator called the cover `` haunting and melodramatic ''. Conversely, Stereogum editor Nate Patrin criticized the chorus and production but praised the `` aloof strangeness '' in Lorde 's vocals for being able to carry the song `` past the usual Dramatic Reenvisionings. '' Paste included the cover at number 8 on their 2013 year - end list for covers. Her cover appeared on the New Zealand Singles Chart at number 14. It reached number 53 in Australia, number 65 in the United Kingdom, number 93 in France, and number 27 on the US Hot Rock Songs chart. Chart ( 2013 -- 2014 ) Peak position Australia ( ARIA ) 53 France ( SNEP ) 93 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 14 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 65 US Hot Rock Songs ( Billboard ) 27 See also List of Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles of 1985 List of Cash Box Top 100 number - one singles of 1985 List of number - one dance singles of 1985 ( U.S. ) List of number - one singles of 1985 ( Canada ) List of number - one singles from the 1980s ( New Zealand ) References ^ Jump up to : Rosenberg, Tal ( 20 August 2017 ). `` Tears for Fears : Songs from the Big Chair Album Review ''. Pitchfork. Retrieved 16 June 2018. Jump up ^ Vigeland, Tess ; Margolis, Jacob ( 26 November 2014 ). `` Tears for Fears reissue `` Songs from the Big Chair, '' 30 years on ``. Scpr.org. Retrieved 22 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` 1985 -- Tears For Fears ' ' Songs From The Big Chair ' Hits # 1 ''. RTTNews. Retrieved 22 June 2014. ^ Jump up to : Saturnine Martial & Lunatic ( Media notes ). Tears for Fears. 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Jump up ^ `` British single certifications -- Tears for Fears -- Everybody Wants to Rule the World ''. British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Enter Everybody Wants to Rule the World in the search field and then press Enter. ^ Jump up to : Patrin, Nate ( 29 March 2017 ). `` Gotcha Covered : `` Everybody Wants To Rule The World '' ``. Stereogum. Retrieved 17 June 2018. Jump up ^ McAleer, Dave ( 2001 ). Hit Singles : Top 20 Charts from 1954 to the Present Day. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 268. ISBN 9780879308087. Jump up ^ Corless, Damian ( 12 July 2015 ). `` Calling out around the world... Remembering Live Aid ''. Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 July 2018. ^ Jump up to : `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 March 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` The Irish Charts -- Search Results -- Everybody Wants to Run the World ''. Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 October 2014. 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Jump up ^ Ragogna, Mike ( 17 December 2013 ). `` From The Hunger Games to Animal Collective, The Hurting and Beyond : Conversations With Tears For Fears ' Roland Orzabal & Curt Smith ''. HuffPost. Retrieved 17 June 2018. Jump up ^ Whitehill, Gaby ( 13 November 2013 ). `` Listen : Lorde Covers ' Everybody Wants to Rule the World ' ''. Gigwise. Retrieved 17 June 2018. Jump up ^ Molloy, Tim ( 12 November 2013 ). `` ' Hunger Games ' : Hear Lorde 's Icy ' Everybody Wants to Rule the World ' Cover ( Audio ) ''. The Wrap. Yahoo !. Retrieved 17 June 2018. Jump up ^ Haglund, David ( 12 November 2013 ). `` Lorde Sings `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' for The Hunger Games ``. Slate. Retrieved 17 June 2018. Jump up ^ Lansky, Sam ( 12 November 2013 ). `` Lorde Covers Tears For Fears ' `` Everybody Wants To Rule The World '' : Listen ``. Idolator. Retrieved 17 June 2018. Jump up ^ Kane, Tyler ( 18 December 2013 ). `` The 15 Best Cover Songs of 2013 ''. Paste. 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External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Tears for Fears Roland Orzabal Curt Smith Manny Elias Ian Stanley Studio albums The Hurting Songs from the Big Chair The Seeds of Love Elemental Raoul and the Kings of Spain Everybody Loves a Happy Ending Live albums Secret World Live in Paris Compilations Tears Roll Down ( Greatest Hits 82 -- 92 ) Saturnine Martial & Lunatic Shout : The Very Best of Tears for Fears Rule the World -- The Greatest Hits Singles `` Suffer the Children '' `` Pale Shelter '' `` Mad World '' `` Change '' `` The Way You Are '' `` Mothers Talk '' `` Shout '' `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' `` Everybody Wants to Run the World '' `` Head over Heels '' `` I Believe ( A Soulful Re-Recording ) '' `` Mothers Talk ( US Remix ) '' `` Sowing the Seeds of Love '' `` Woman in Chains '' `` Advice for the Young at Heart '' `` Famous Last Words '' `` Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams '' `` Laid So Low ( Tears Roll Down ) '' `` Break It Down Again '' `` Cold '' `` Goodnight Song '' `` Elemental '' `` Raoul and the Kings of Spain '' `` God 's Mistake '' `` Secrets '' `` Falling Down '' `` Closest Thing to Heaven '' `` Everybody Loves a Happy Ending / Call Me Mellow '' `` Secret World '' `` I Love You But I 'm Lost '' Video / DVD releases The Videosingles In My Mind 's Eye Scenes from the Big Chair Sowing the Seeds Going to California Tears Roll Down ( Greatest Hits 82 -- 92 ) Secret World ( Live in Paris ) Related articles Discography Graduate Lorde Awards and nominations Discography Songs Studio albums Pure Heroine Melodrama Extended plays The Love Club EP Tennis Court EP Soundtracks The Hunger Games : Mockingjay, Part 1 Singles `` Royals '' `` Tennis Court '' `` Team '' `` Glory and Gore '' `` Yellow Flicker Beat '' `` Magnets '' `` Green Light '' `` Perfect Places '' `` Homemade Dynamite '' Other songs `` Bravado '' `` The Love Club '' `` Swingin Party '' `` Buzzcut Season '' `` Ribs '' `` No Better '' `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' `` Meltdown '' `` Liability '' `` Sober '' `` The Louvre '' `` Supercut '' `` Hard Feelings / Loveless '' `` Writer in the Dark '' Tours Pure Heroine Tour Melodrama World Tour Related articles Joel Little `` The Cissy '' `` Heartlines '' `` Foil '' `` All My Love '' `` Do n't Take the Money '' Book Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Everybody_Wants_to_Rule_the_World&oldid=856716162 '' Categories : 1985 songs 1985 singles 1986 singles Tears for Fears songs Lorde songs Patti Smith songs Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles Billboard Dance Club Songs number - one singles Number - one singles in New Zealand RPM Adult Contemporary number - one singles RPM Top Singles number - one singles Brit Award for British Single Music videos directed by Nigel Dick Phonogram Records singles Mercury Records singles Vertigo Records singles Republic Records singles Songs written by Ian Stanley Songs written by Roland Orzabal The Hunger Games music Song recordings produced by Chris Hughes ( record producer ) Hidden categories : CS1 Italian - language sources ( it ) CS1 Dutch - language sources ( nl ) Good articles Use dmy dates from June 2012 Use British English from June 2012 Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart usages for Flanders Singlechart making named ref Singlechart usages for Canadaadultcontemporary Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Canadatopsingles Singlechart usages for France Singlechart usages for Germany2 Singlechart usages for Ireland2 Singlechart usages for Dutch40 Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Switzerland Singlechart usages for UK Certification Table Entry usages for Canada Certification Table Entry usages for New Zealand Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom Singlechart usages for United Kingdom Singlechart usages for Billboardrocksongs Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Español Français Italiano Nederlands Polski Português Русский Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 27 August 2018, at 03 : 37 ( UTC ). 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Question: who sang everybody wants to rule the world in 1985
Answer: Tears for Fears