Songs from the Big Chair
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2008-07-15T09:45:18Z
Sgeureka
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/* Additional personnel */ + {{dn}}
{{Infobox Album <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Albums -->
| Name = Songs from the Big Chair
| Type = Studio
| Artist = [[Tears for Fears]]
| Cover = Tears for Fears Songs from the Big Chair.jpg
| Released = [[27 February]] [[1985]]
| Recorded = 1983-1984
| Genre = [[Rock music|Rock]]
| Length = 41:19
| Label = [[Mercury Records]]
| Producer = [[Chris Hughes(producer)|Chris Hughes]]
| Reviews =
*[[Allmusic]] {{rating-5|4.5}} [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:16ge4j570wal link]
*[[Robert Christgau]] (B) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=3895&name=Tears+for+Fears link]
*''[[Rolling Stone]]'' (favorable) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/tearsforfears/albums/album/104567/review/6067723/songs_from_the_big_chair link]
| Last album = ''[[The Hurting]]''<br/>(1983)
| This album = '''''Songs from the Big Chair'''''<br/>(1985)
| Next album = ''[[The Seeds of Love]]''<br/>(1989)
| Misc = {{Singles
| Name = Songs from the Big Chair
| Type = Studio
| single 1 = [[Mothers Talk]]
| single 1 date = August 1984
| single 2 = [[Shout (Tears for Fears song)|Shout]]
| single 2 date = November 1984
| single 3 = [[Everybody Wants to Rule the World]]
| single 3 date = March 1985
| single 4 = [[Head over Heels (Tears for Fears song)|Head Over Heels]]
| single 4 date = June 1985
| single 5 = [[I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording)]]
| single 5 date = September 1985
}}
}}
'''''Songs from the Big Chair''''' is the second [[album]] by the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[pop music|pop]] band [[Tears for Fears]]. It was released in 1985, and remains their highest selling album to date. The album peaked at no.2 in the UK (where it remained in the top 30 for almost a year) and reached no.1 (for five weeks) in the US. It contained a string of international hit singles, including: "[[Mothers Talk]]", "[[Shout (Tears for Fears song)|Shout]]", "[[Everybody Wants to Rule the World]]" and "[[Head over Heels (Tears for Fears song)|Head Over Heels]]".
The album title was derived from the 1976 television film ''[[Sybil (film)|Sybil]]''.
The record remains highly regarded:
<blockquote>
In the loping, percolating "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," Tears for Fears perfectly captured the zeitgeist of the mid-'80s while impossibly managing to also create a dreamy, timeless pop classic. Songs From the Big Chair is one of the finest statements of the decade. [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:16ge4j570wal]
</blockquote>
Once the band had finished a lengthy touring and promotion schedule for the album, they took an extended hiatus from the music industry. In 1989, their third album, ''[[The Seeds of Love]]'', marked their return.
==Re-issues==
The album was [[Remaster|remastered]] and re-issued on CD in 1999 with bonus tracks, including b-sides and remixes. Three of the tracks ("The Conflict", "The Marauders" and "Broken Revisited") are actually from the [[The Hurting]] period.
The album was re-released again in a Deluxe Edition 2-disc format in 2006 with the full collection of B-sides and many alternate versions and remixes of the album's tracks.
==Track listing==
===Original release===
# "[[Shout (Tears for Fears song)|Shout]]" <small>([[Roland Orzabal]], [[Ian Stanley]])</small> – 6:33
# "The Working Hour" <small>(Orzabal, Stanley, [[Manny Elias]])</small> – 6:31
# "[[Everybody Wants to Rule the World]]" <small>(Orzabal, Stanley, [[Chris Hughes]])</small> – 4:11
# "[[Mothers Talk]]" <small>(Orzabal, Stanley)</small> – 5:06
# "[[I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording)|I Believe]]" <small>(Orzabal)</small> – 4:54
# "Broken" <small>(Orzabal)</small> – 2:38
# "[[Head over Heels (Tears for Fears song)|Head over Heels]]/Broken (Live)" <small>(Orzabal, [[Curt Smith]])</small> – 4:32
# "Listen" <small>(Orzabal, Stanley)</small> – 6:54
'''1999 remastered CD bonus tracks:'''
<OL START=9>
<LI>"The Big Chair" <small>(Orzabal, Smith, Stanley, Hughes)</small> – 3:21
<LI>"Empire Building" <small>(Smith, Orzabal, Stanley)</small> – 2:52
<LI>"The Marauders" <small>(Orzabal, Stanley)</small> – 4:16
<LI>"Broken Revisited" <small>(Orzabal)</small> – 5:16
<LI>"The Conflict" <small>(Orzabal, Smith, Stanley)</small> – 4:05
<LI>"Mothers Talk ([[United States|U.S.]] Remix)" – 4:13
<LI>"Shout (U.S. Remix)" – 8:02
</OL>
*"Head over Heels/Broken (Live)" is erroneously listed as "Head over Heals/Broken (Live)" on the remastered CD.
===Deluxe Edition (2006)===
====Disc one====
# "Shout" – 6:33
# "The Working Hour" – 6:31
# "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" – 4:11
# "Mothers Talk" – 5:06
# "I Believe" – 4:54
# "Broken" – 2:38
# "Head over Heels/Broken (Live)" – 5:02
# "Listen" – 6:54
# "The Working Hour (Piano Version)" – 2:08
# "The Marauders" – 4:16
# "Empire Building" – 2:52
# "The Big Chair" – 3:21
# "Pharaohs (Single Version)" <small>(Orzabal, Smith, Stanley, Hughes)</small> – 3:43
# "When in Love with a Blind Man" <small>(Orzabal, Stanley)</small> – 2:22
# "Sea Song" <small>([[Robert Wyatt]])</small> – 3:51
# "Broken Revisited" – 5:16
====Disc two====
# "The Way You Are (7" Version)" <small>(Orzabal, Smith, Stanley ,Elias)</small> – 4:49
# "Mothers Talk (Short Version)" – 3:53
# "Shout (Edit)" – 4:03
# "Everybody Wants to Rule the World (7" Version)" – 4:08
# "Head over Heels (Dave Bascombe 7" Mix)" – 4:15
# "I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording)" – 4:41
# "Mothers Talk (U.S. Remix)" – 4:13
# "Shout (U.S. Remix)" – 8:02
# "Shout (Dub Remix)" – 6:49
# "Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Urban Mix)" – 6:06
# "Mothers Talk (Beat of the Drum Mix)" – 8:54
# "Broken/Head over Heels/Broken (Preacher Mix)" – 8:00
== Singles (released during this period) ==
# "Mothers Talk" 1984 (IDEA7)
# "Shout" 1984 (IDEA8)
# "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" 1985 (IDEA9)
# "Head Over Heels" 1985 (IDEA10)
# "I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording)" 1985 (IDEA11)
# "Mothers Talk (US Remixed Single)" 1986
# "Everybody Wants to Run the World (Theme for Sport-Aid Week)" 1986 (RACE1)
==Personnel==
*[[Roland Orzabal]] – [[guitar]], [[keyboard instrument|keyboards]], vocals, [[grand piano]] on 5, vocal styling on 8
*[[Curt Smith]] – [[bass guitar]], [[vocals]]
*[[Ian Stanley]] – keyboards, vocal arrangements on 8
*[[Manny Elias]] – [[drum kit|drums]]
===Additional personnel===
[[Dave Bascombe]] - Engineer
* Shout : Sandy McLelland – [[backing vocals]], Chris Hughes - drums
* The Working Hour: [[Jerry Marotta]] – drums, [[Will Gregory|William Gregory]] – saxophone solos, [[Mel Collins]] – saxophone, [[Andy Davis]]{{dn}} – grand piano
* Everybody Wants to Rule the World : [[Neil Taylor (guitarist)|Neil Taylor]] – 2nd guitar solo
* Mother's Talk : [[Stevie Lange]] – backing vocals
* I Believe : William Gregory - saxophone
* Broken : Neil Taylor - guitar solo
* Head over Heels : Sandy McLelland - backing vocals, Andy Davis - grand piano, Annie McCaig – backing vocals, Marilyn Davis – backing vocals
* Listen : Marilyn Davis – operatic vocal
==Charts==
'''Album'''
{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2"
!align="left"|Year
!align="left"|Chart
!align="left"|Position
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|UK
|align="left"|2
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|U.S.
|align="left"|1
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|AUT
|align="left"|22
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|CAN
|align="left"|1
|-
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|FRA
|align="left"|12
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|GER
|align="left"|1
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|NL
|align="left"|2
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|SWI
|align="left"|5
|-
|}
'''Singles'''
{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2"
!align="left"|Year
!align="left"|Single
!align="left"|Chart
!align="left"|Position
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|"Everybody Wants to Rule the World"
|align="left"|Billboard Adult Contemporary
|align="left"|2
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|"Everybody Wants to Rule the World"
|align="left"|Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play
|align="left"|1
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|"Everybody Wants to Rule the World"
|align="left"|Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Single Singles
|align="left"|1
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|"Everybody Wants to Rule the World"
|align="left"|Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks
|align="left"|2
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|"Everybody Wants to Rule the World"
|align="left"|The Billboard Hot 100
|align="left"|1
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|"Head Over Heels"
|align="left"|Billboard Adult Contemporary
|align="left"|5
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|"Head Over Heels"
|align="left"|Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Single Singles
|align="left"|49
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|"Head Over Heels"
|align="left"|Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks
|align="left"|7
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|"Head Over Heels"
|align="left"|The Billboard Hot 100
|align="left"|3
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|"Shout"
|align="left"|Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play
|align="left"|1
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|"Shout"
|align="left"|Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Single Singles
|align="left"|1
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|"Shout"
|align="left"|Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks
|align="left"|56
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|"Shout"
|align="left"|Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks
|align="left"|6
|-
|align="left"|1985
|align="left"|"Shout"
|align="left"|The Billboard Hot 100
|align="left"|1
|-
|align="left"|1986
|align="left"|"Mothers Talk"
|align="left"|The Billboard Hot 100
|align="left"|27
|-
|}
==Certifications==
{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2"
!align="left"|Organization
!align="left"|Level
!align="left"|Date
|-
|align="left"|BPI – UK
|align="left"|Gold
|align="left"|[[March 4]] [[1985]]
|-
|align="left"|BPI – UK
|align="left"|Platinum
|align="left"|[[April 24]] [[1985]]
|-
|align="left"|CRIA – Canada
|align="left"|Gold
|align="left"|[[May 1]] [[1985]]
|-
|align="left"|CRIA – Canada
|align="left"|Platinum
|align="left"|[[May 1]] [[1985]]
|-
|align="left"|CRIA – Canada
|align="left"|Double Platinum
|align="left"|[[May 1]] [[1985]]
|-
|align="left"|CRIA – Canada
|align="left"|Triple Platinum
|align="left"|[[May 1]] [[1985]]
|-
|align="left"|RIAA – United States
|align="left"|Gold
|align="left"|[[May 16]] [[1985]]
|-
|align="left"|RIAA – United States
|align="left"|Platinum
|align="left"|[[June 25]] [[1985]]
|-
|align="left"|CRIA – Canada
|align="left"|4X Platinum
|align="left"|[[July 1]] [[1985]]
|-
|align="left"|BPI – UK
|align="left"|Double Platinum
|align="left"|[[July 29]] [[1985]]
|-
|align="left"|CRIA – Canada
|align="left"|5X Platinum
|align="left"|[[August 19]] [[1985]]
|-
|align="left"|RIAA – United States
|align="left"|Double Platinum
|align="left"|[[August 29]] [[1985]]
|-
|align="left"|RIAA – United States
|align="left"|Triple Platinum
|align="left"|[[October 24]] [[1985]]
|-
|align="left"|CRIA – Canada
|align="left"|6X Platinum
|align="left"|[[November 12]] [[1985]]
|-
|align="left"|RIAA – United States
|align="left"|4X Platinum
|align="left"|[[January 27]] [[1986]]
|-
|align="left"|BPI – UK
|align="left"|Triple Platinum
|align="left"|[[February 18]] [[1986]]
|-
|align="left"|CRIA – Canada
|align="left"|7X Platinum
|align="left"|[[March 29]] [[1990]]
|-
|align="left"|RIAA – United States
|align="left"|5X Platinum
|align="left"|[[March 15]] [[1995]]
|-
|}
{{Unreferenced|date=January 2008}}
{{start box}}
{{succession box
| before = ''[[Beverly Hills Cop#Soundtrack|Beverly Hills Cop (soundtrack)]]'' by [[Various artists]]
| title = [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] [[Number-one albums of 1985 (U.S.)|number-one album]]
| years = [[July 13]] [[1985]] - [[August 9]] [[1985]]<br>[[August 24]] - [[August 30]] [[1985]]
| after = ''[[Reckless (album)|Reckless]]'' by [[Bryan Adams]]
}}
{{end box}}
{{Tears for Fears}}
[[Category:Tears for Fears albums]]
[[Category:Universal Deluxe Editions]]
[[Category:Concept albums]]
[[Category:1985 albums]]
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