Songs From The Big Chair

**Songs From the Big Chair** is the title of the second studio album by British group Tears For Fears. It was released in the UK on 25 February 1985 on Mercury records. The album consolidated the group's initial success with their debut album *The Hurting* and also allowed them to penetrate overseas markets, including the USA. It reached no.2 in the UK album charts (held off the top position by Phil Collins' *No Jacket Required*), spending a total of 65 weeks in the Top 40. It also spawned six hit singles *(see Singles* section below)*.*

In the USA *Songs from the Big Chair* reached no.1 in July 1985 and spent 82 weeks in the Billboard 200 [1] and gave the group two no.1 singles in the Hot 100.[2]

## Personnel

* Roland Orzabal - lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, piano
* Curt Smith - bass guitar, lead vocals, backing vocals
* Ian Stanley - keyboards, LinnDrumm
* Many Elias - drums

Produced by Chris Hughes.

## Tracklisting

Original UK LP release
Side One

1. Shout
2. The Working Hour
3. Everybody Wants To World the World
4. Mothers Talk

Side Two

1. I Believe
2. Broken
3. Head over Heels
4. Broken (Live)\*
5. Listen

* not listed on sleeve, only on label. On CD editions Head over Heels/Broken (Live) is a single track.

   ltd. edition cassette
Side One - tracks as above (with Broken (live) listed)

Side Two

1. The Big Chair
2. Empire Building
3. The Marauders
4. Broken Revisited
5. The Conflict
6. The Working Hour (Piano Version)

## Singles

UK rel. date 06 August 1984 , UK chart peak 14
7" Mothers Talk / Empire Building
12" Mothers Talk (Beat Of The Drum Mix) / Empire Building
*NB US remix rel. April 1986*
UK rel. date 23 November 1984 , UK chart peak 04
7" Shout / The Big Chair
10" (ltd.) Shout (Full version) / The Big Chair
12" Shout (remix version) / Shout (7" version) / The Big Chair
UK rel. date 18 March 1985 , UK chart peak 02
7"/10" (ltd.) Everybody Wants To Rule The World / Pharaohs
2x7" (ltd.) Everybody Wants To Rule The World / Pharaohs / Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (Urban Mix) / Roland & Curt Interviewed
12" Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (Extended Version) / Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (7" version) / Pharaohs
UK rel. date June 1985 , UK chart peak 12
*tenth single release*
7"/10" Head Over Heels (Remix) / When In Love With A Blind Man
12" Broken - Head Over Heels - Broken (Preacher Mix) / Head Over Heels (Re-mix) (7" Version) / When In Love With A Blind Man
UK rel. date 30 September 1985 , UK chart peak 23
7"
2x7" (ltd.) I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording) / Sea Song / I Believe / Shout (Dub Version)
10" (ltd.) I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording) / I Believe / Sea Song
12" I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording) / Shout (Dub Version) / Sea Song / Shout (U.S. Re-Mix)

*song derived from Everybody Wants To Rule The World, theme song for the Sport Aid campaign*

UK rel. date May 1986, UK chart peak 05
7"/12" Everybody Wants To Run the World / Everybody Wants To Run the World (Running)

## Re-releases

1999 remastered CD [9]
8 tracks as original LP plus bonus tracks:

1. The Big Chair
2. Empire Building
3. The Marauders
4. Broken Revisited
5. The Conflict
6. Mothers Talk (U.S. Remix)
7. Shout (U.S. Remix)

    Deluxe Edition (2006)
Disc One. Tracks 1-8 per original album, plus:

* The Working Hour (Piano Version)
* The Marauders
* Empire Building
* The Big Chair
* Pharaohs
* When in Love with a Blind Man
* Sea Song
* Broken Revisited

Disc Two. "Rarities 1983 - 1985"
1-7 The 7" Singles, 8-12 The 12" Singles

1. The Way You Are (7" Version)
2. Mothers Talk (Short Version)
3. Shout (edit)
4. Everybody Wants To Rule The World (7" Version)\*
5. Head Over Heels (Dave Bascombe 7" N. Mix)
6. I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording)
7. Mothers Talk (U.S. Mix)
8. Shout (U.S. Remix)
9. Shout (U.S. Dub Version)
10. Everybody Wants To Rule The World (Urban Mix)
11. Mothers Talk (Beat Of The Drum Mix)
12. Broken / Head Over Heels / Broken (Preacher Mix)

Deluxe edition (2014)
(also on digital - see External links - Spotify)

* Disc One - 17 tracks as per 2006 Deluxe
* Disc Two - different tracklisting to 2006 edition. See tracklisting here

30th Anniversary Edition (2020)
Box set, 5xCD + 2xDVD. Incl. B-sides, edits, remixes, previously unreleased tracks. Promo videos, documentary, interviews and BBC Tv apperances.
Full tracklisting here.

## Scrapbook

*Smash Hits* cover and feature, 17 Jan. 1985 - feature and interview during mixing of album in Munich. (click for pages)*Smash Hits* album ad, 28 Feb. 1985
## External links

* Discogs
* Musicbrainz
* Wikipedia
* Spotify - Original album - Deluxe - Super Deluxe