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 22 March 1985
Format
Genre New wave
Length 4:11
Label
Writer(s)
Producer(s) Chris Hughes
Tears for Fears singles chronology
"Shout"
(1984)		 "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"
(1985)		 "Head over Heels"
(1985)
Music sample
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World"

"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a song by the English band Tears for Fears. Originally released in the UK on 22 March 1985[1] it was the band's ninth single release in the United Kingdom and the third from their second LP Songs from the Big Chair. It was their seventh UK Top 30 chart hit, peaking at number two in April 1985. In the US, it was the lead single from the album and gave the band their first Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit on 8 June 1985, remaining there for two weeks. It also reached number one on both the Hot Dance Club Play and Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales charts in the US. The song has since become the pinnacle of Tears for Fears' chart success.

In 1986, the song won "Best Single" at the Brit Awards.

Background and composition

"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was somewhat of an afterthought during the recording of Songs from the Big Chair. According to Roland Orzabal, he initially regarded the song as a lightweight that would not fit with the rest of the album. Originally, the lyrics of the song were "everybody wants to go to war", which Orzabal felt was lacklustre.[2] It was producer Chris Hughes who convinced him to try recording it, in a calculated effort to gain American chart success.

It was written and recorded in two weeks and was the final track to be added to the Songs from the Big Chair album. The shuffle beat was alien to our normal way of doing things. It was jolly rather than square and rigid in the manner of 'Shout', but it continued the process of becoming more extrovert.
— Roland Orzabal
The concept is quite serious – it's about everybody wanting power, about warfare and the misery it causes.
— Curt Smith[3]

"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a new wave song[4] set in the key of D major with a 12
8 time signature and a tempo of 112 beats per minute.[5]

As was the case with the three hit singles from Tears for Fears' debut LP The Hurting, the song featured bassist Curt Smith on lead vocals.

Awards and accolades

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".[6]

In 2015, 30 years after its release, the song was honoured at the annual BMI Awards in London for achieving 6 million radio airplays.[7]

B-side: Pharaohs

"Pharaohs" is the B-side to the "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" single. It is a slower, largely instrumental variation of "Everybody Wants To Rule The World", featuring a recording of BBC Radio 4 announcer Brian Perkins reading the Shipping Forecast for the sea lanes around the United Kingdom (see below). The title of the song is a play on the name of the Faroe Islands ("Faroes"), one of the places referenced in the forecast. This is one of the few songs in the Tears for Fears catalogue on which founding member Curt Smith shares a writing credit. The song has since been included in the band's 1996 B-sides and rarities collection Saturnine Martial & Lunatic, as well as the remastered and deluxe edition reissues of Songs from the Big Chair. "Pharaohs" is also included on the Groove Armada compilation album Back to Mine.

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.
— Chris Hughes

"Pharaohs" shipping forecast read by Brian Perkins (BBC Radio 4, c. 1984):

"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 promotional clip for "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", filmed in early 1985, was the third Tears for Fears clip directed by famed music video producer Nigel Dick. It features Curt Smith driving an antique Austin-Healey 3000 sports car around various Southern California locales, including Salton Sea and Cabazon. Interspersed with these clips are shots of the full band performing the song in a London studio. Along with the clip for "Shout", the "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" video had a big hand in helping establish Tears for Fears in America, due to its heavy amount of play on the music video channel MTV.

Track listings

The single was released on a wide variety of formats in the United Kingdom, including a standard 7", a 7" double pack, two separate 12" versions, and a 10" single.

Seven-inch single
  1. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (4:11)
  2. "Pharaohs" (3:42)
Double seven-inch pack
Disc one
  1. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (4:11)
  2. "Pharaohs" (3:42)
Disc two
  1. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World [Urban Mix]" (6:06)
  2. "Interview Excerpt" (7:30)
Ten-inch single
  1. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (4:11)
  2. "Pharaohs" (3:42)
Twelve-inch single
  1. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World [Extended Version]" (5:43)
  2. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (4:11)
  3. "Pharaohs" (3:42)
Twelve-inch single, Urban Mix
  1. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World [Urban Mix]" (6:06)
  2. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World [Instrumental]" (4:26)

Personnel

Tears for Fears

Additional personnel

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (1985) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] 2
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[9] 19
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[10] 3
Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[11] 2
Canada (CHUM)[12] 1
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[13] 1
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[14] 1
France (SNEP)[15] 18
Germany (Official German Charts)[16] 11
Ireland (IRMA)[17] 2
Italy (FIMI)[18] 11
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[19] 2
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[20] 2
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[21] 1
Poland (LP3)[22] 7
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[23] 14
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[24] 13
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[25] 2
US Billboard Adult Contemporary[26] 2
US Billboard Hot 100[26] 1
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[26] 1
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[26] 1
US Billboard Top Rock Tracks[26] 2
US Cash Box[27] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1985) Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[28] 36
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[29] 31
Canada (RPM Top 100 Singles)[30] 19
Italy (FIMI)[18] 86
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[31] 20
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[32] 31
US Billboard Hot 100[33] 7
US Cash Box[34] 3

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Canada (Music Canada)[35] Gold 50,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)[36] Gold 10,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[37] Silver 250,000

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Order of precedence
Preceded by
"Crazy for You" by Madonna		 Canadian CHUM number-one single
18 May 1985 – 25 May 1985 (2 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Everything She Wants" by Wham!
Preceded by
"Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds		 Canadian RPM Top Singles number-one single
8 June 1985 (1 week)
Preceded by
"Axel F" by Harold Faltermeyer		 Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary number-one single
6 July 1985 – 13 July 1985 (2 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Never Surrender" by Corey Hart
Preceded by
"We Are the World" by USA for Africa		 New Zealand number-one single
9 June 1985 (1 week) 		Succeeded by
"That Ole Devil Called Love" by Alison Moyet
Preceded by
"Fresh" by Kool & the Gang		 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single
11 May 1985 – 18 May 1985 (2 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Do You Wanna Get Away" by Shannon
Preceded by
"Everything She Wants" by Wham!		 US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
8 June 1985 – 15 June 1985 (2 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Heaven" by Bryan Adams
US Cash Box number-one single
8 June 1985 – 15 June 1985 (2 weeks)

Everybody Wants to Run the World

"Everybody Wants to Run the World"
Single by Tears for Fears
Released 19 May 1986
Format
Recorded 1985
Genre New wave
Length 4:30
Label
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"
(US Remix)
(1986)

"Everybody Wants to Run the World" is a re-recording of the song "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", originally written by Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley and Chris Hughes of the British band Tears for Fears and featured on the band's 1985 second LP Songs from the Big Chair.

The re-jigged single was released in 1986 to promote the Sport Aid campaign, a charitable event held to raise money for famine relief in Africa. It was a success in the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's sixth top 5 hit, peaking at number 5 in June 1986.[38] The song also reached number 4 in Ireland.[39]

"...to get Bob Geldof off our backs! He gave us so much gip for not turning up at Live Aid. All those millions of people dying, it was our fault. I felt terrible. I tell you, I know how Hitler must have felt."
— Roland Orzabal, on why the song was re-recorded

The new song was meant to be included on the 2006 remaster of Songs from the Big Chair, but was mistakenly replaced by a repetition of the album version (incorrectly labelled as the '7" version'.

Charts

Chart (1986) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[39] 4
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[38] 5

Remixes

"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" has seen relatively few remixes. Extended, instrumental, and "urban mix" versions were done by producer Chris Hughes for inclusion on the single's various 7" and 12" releases. The only other remix of note was one done by electronica act The Chosen Few, included on the 2004 reissue of the greatest hits compilation Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82–92). A version labelled as the 7" version is included on the 2006 remaster of Songs from the Big Chair, but is actually the album version.

Cover versions

Lorde version

"Everybody Wants to Rule the World"
Song by Lorde from the album The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Released 2013
Length 2:35
Label
Writer

New Zealand singer Lorde recorded a cover of the song for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack in addition to the Epix promo for the premiere of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.[40] 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,[41] promotional videos for the new network BBC First[42] and 2015 BBC TV series Banished, the 2014 ABC show How to Get Away with Murder, season 4 of Homeland, season 1 finale of The Royals, and in the trailer for the 2014 film Dracula Untold.[43] Her cover appeared on the New Zealand Singles Chart at number 14.[44] It reached number 53 in Australia,[42] number 65 in the UK,[45] number 93 in France,[46] and number 27 on the US Hot Rock Songs.[47]

Chart (2013–14) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[42] 53
France (SNEP)[46] 93
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[44] 14
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[45] 65
US Billboard Hot Rock Songs[47] 27

Other cover versions

References

  1. ↑ Melody Maker (London, England): 3. 16 March 1985. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ↑ 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.
  3. ↑ "1985 – Tears For Fears' 'Songs From The Big Chair' Hits #1". RTTNews. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  4. ↑ Matheson, Whitney (24 April 2014). "My favorite '80s New Wave song is ...". USA Today. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  5. ↑ "Everybody Wants To Rule the World By Tears for Fears – Digital Sheet Music". BMG Rights Management. Musicnotes.com. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  6. ↑ Egan, Sean. Tears for Fears Songs From the Big Chair CD insert, 1999
  7. ↑ "Graham Gouldman and Top Songwriters Honored at 2015 BMI London Awards". Broadcast Music, Inc. 19 October 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  8. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 306. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  10. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  11. ↑ "Radio 2 Top 30 : 25 mei 1985" (in Dutch). Top 30. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  12. ↑ CHART NUMBER 1483 – Saturday, May 25, 1985 at the Wayback Machine (archived 7 November 2006). CHUM. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  13. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 9378." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  14. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0533." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  15. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  16. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants to Rule the World". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  17. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Everybody Wants to Rule the World". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  18. 1 2 "I singoli più venduti del 1985" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  19. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Tears For Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  20. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  21. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants to Rule the World". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  22. ↑ "EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD – Tears For Fears" (in Polish). LP3. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  23. ↑ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (T)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  24. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants to Rule the World". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  25. ↑ "Archive Chart: 1985-04-20" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 "Tears for Fears – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  27. ↑ CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending JUNE 8, 1985 at the Wayback Machine (archived 17 September 2012). Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  28. ↑ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  29. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1985" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  30. ↑ "Top Singles – Volume 43, No. 16, December 28, 1985". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  31. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1985" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  32. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1985" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  33. ↑ "Top 100 Hits for 1985". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  34. ↑ The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1985 at the Wayback Machine (archived 1 October 2012). Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  35. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Tears for Fears – Everybody Wants to Rule the World". Music Canada.
  36. ↑ Scapolo, Dean (2007). The Complete New Zealand Music Charts: 1966–2006. Wellington: Dean Scapolo and Maurienne House. ISBN 978-1877443-00-8.
  37. ↑ "British single certifications – Tears for Fears – Everybody Wants to Rule the World". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Everybody Wants to Rule the World in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
  38. 1 2 "Archive Chart: 1986-06-01" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  39. 1 2 "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Everybody Wants to Run the World". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  40. ↑ Ehrlich, Brenna (30 September 2013). "Is Lorde's 'Catching Fire' Track An 80's Cover?". MTV News. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  41. ↑ "Assassin's Creed Unity trailer". 3 News (MediaWorks New Zealand). 12 June 2014. Archived from the original on 14 June 2014.
  42. 1 2 3 "The ARIA Report" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Pandora Archive. 29 July 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
  43. ↑ Ellwood, Gregory (27 June 2014). "'Dracula Untold's new trailer needs a Lorde cover to rule the world". HitFix. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
  44. 1 2 "Charts.org.nz – Lorde – Everybody Wants To Rule The World". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  45. 1 2 "Lorde: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  46. 1 2 "Lescharts.com – Lorde – Everybody Wants To Rule The World" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  47. 1 2 "Various Artists – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  48. ↑ Blistein, Jon (21 January 2016). "Hear Miley Cyrus, Kanye West's 'Black Skinhead' Remix". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  49. ↑ Dw. Dunphy (30 October 2014). "CD Review: Various Artists, "Here Comes The Reign Again: The Second British Invasion"". Popdose.com. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  50. ↑ Watercutter, Angela (24 July 2015). "So, Here Are the Most Ridiculous Bits in Pixels". Wired. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  51. ↑ Kraus, Brian (6 November 2015). "Lower Than Atlantis cover Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles"". Alternative Press. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  52. ↑ "New Releases: Royal Tusk, Heather Rankin and Margaret Glaspy". MapleMusic Recordings. Retrieved 24 January 2016.

External links

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