Classic Rock Bottom

ALBUM OF THE WEEK # 397 TEARS FOR FEARS - SONGS FROM THE BIG CHAIR (1985)

Disclaimer: All info that does not reside in my brain is gathered from wikipedia.com (mostly because Jon can't stand it) unless otherwise noted.

Tears For Fears takes center stage in the Album of the Week forum this week as we take a look at their sophomore release from 1985, Songs From The Big Chair.  Now, if you don't remember this one, then you were either to stoned to remember anything or you weren't around back then.  I mean, this album was huge.  And in case you are wondering, it is not the first Tears For Fears album to be featured on CRB.  Jon has featured both Everybody Loves A Happy Ending and Raoul And The Kings Of Spain in the LFAOTW forum.

But Songs From The Big Chair was easily the biggest of the band's six studio albums.  A couple of stats here for those (like me) that like to keep up with this stuff, the album was number one overall in the United States (the band's only number one album).  It was also the band's only multi-platinum album, topping out at 5 X Platinum in the US.  And for anyone that cares, it was also number one in The Netherlands, Germany and Canada.

Three massive singles were released.  All three were Top 10 hits in the US, with Shout and Everybody Wants To Rule The World reaching the number one position while my personal favorite, Head Over Heals, climbed as high as number three. Of course, as you probably remember, the videos for all three songs were heavily featured on MTV. 

The album is certainly still available.  The version I own is the 2014 Deluxe version, which contains a bunch of extra tracks.  I paid 13.99 for it when I bought it, but now this particular version is running around 23 dollars.

Side A:

1. Shout

2. The Working Hour

3. Everybody Wants To Rule The World

4. Mother's Talk

Side B:

5. I Believe

6. Broken

7. Head Over Heels/Broken

8. Listen

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I have three versions of this on CD, the original, the 1999 release which came with seven extra tracks and the Deluxe Version as well as the vinyl when it came out and probably have it on cassette. I had no interest in TFF before this album but there was a HUGE push for this while I was in England and after seeing a video (or two) I was completely hooked. There was also something that you could access on the TV, sort of like the internet where you could read breaking news, upcoming albums and movies and there was this album advertised with a big chair designed out of letter and numbers. Looked pretty cool back then, but now it's just quaint. 

What's amazing is the difference between this album and their debut as well as the followup. Quite different which makes it really mind-blowing. It's hard for me to pick my favorite TFF album between this one and The Seeds Of Love, but I like them all.

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