Understanding Everybody Wants To Rule The World

Some additional thoughts/corrections: 1) For reasons I don't fully understand, the stems I found for this song seem to be slightly sped up relative to the actual recording? Which is weird, 'cause it's typically the other way around. Anyway it seems to be only a couple BPM, so I'm not sure anyone would notice if I didn't say anything, but it does make the notes fairly sharp compared to the things I'm saying, to the point where it'd probably be slightly more accurate to round up to the next half-step. I decided to go with the note names based on the original recording instead of the thing I was actually playing for consistency, but in case anyone out there has perfect pitch and was confused, this is why. 2) One could argue that the intro riff is in groups of 2, and it's meant to be a polyrhythm against the main groove. That fits with what's on the paper, but it doesn't match my hearing. The lack of dynamic accents means that, when the drum beat is played, the riff naturally organizes itself (for me) in groups of 3. It's only when that beat is missing that I hear groups of 2. 3) All the information on specific synth tones comes from this incredible article reconstructing the entire song: reverbmachine.com/blog/tears-for-fears-everybody-w… 4) A minor clarification: I said Smith drags his chest voice up instead of using his mixed voice, but mixed voice includes elements of chest voice. I think it's clear enough that I meant he drags up his full chest voice, but if you want to be pedantic, here's your pedantic correction. 5) I said Smith and Orzabal adopted similar techniques, and I stand by that, but there are some differences. In general, I think Smith's delivery is more relaxed, while Orzabal's is more percussive, and he's also more likely to flip up into head voice, like in Head Over Heels. But when singing through this middle range, they both share that same approach to registration, which was my main point. Listening to this song and Shout, it is not immediately obvious to me that the two songs have different singers. (Also to be clear I don't know why they chose to do this, or whether it was in fact a conscious choice at all. When I said that it meant you could always tell you were listening to Tears For Fears, I was discussing effect, not intention.) 6) I didn't get into this in the video because it's not relevant to this specific song, but when talking about how the explosion of affordable synth technology in the 80s changed music, it's hard not to think of the legacy of the Roland TR-808. This was technically an analogue synth, not a digital one, but its relatively low price made it a staple of the evolving hip-hop scene, and the sounds and techniques it introduced can still be heard in hip-hop today.

This has been one of my go-to karaoke songs for awhile now. Definitely gonna use "loose intonation" as an excuse the next time I drunkenly botch a verse 😅

Anyone who hasn’t listened to the entire Songs from the Big Chair album needs to…it’s TFF’s magnum opus, imo. This tune, the entire head over heels suite, mothers talk, listen, the working hour, shout…it’s just a front to back masterpiece. On top of that, it’s a really good representation of what was happening in the mid-80s. Lots of reverb, Linn drum machine, clean strats, thick bass, tight playing and massive vocals.

I grew up listening to to Tears for Fears and Genesis. Always knew it was good music but it wasn’t until fairly recently that I realized exactly how complex some of these songs are. I love it.

7:00 - Something else about Curt Smith's voice: His singing voice is VERY different from his speaking voice. This isn't particularly uncommon, but the differences between his two voices are VERY noticeable. Accent, timbre, everything. The whole "pulling his chest into his head" thing that you discuss is likely a big part of this.

To be honest, I'm a little surprised you didn't recognize the intro as triplets right away. The hi-hat does disorient a little bit, but it's just 6 hits against the 12 triplets in the synth. But I love your analysis. This is one of my top 5 favorite 80's pop song.

One other thing — Orzabal’s guitar solo was low-key killer. It gives you that sense of hope, because it injects something organic into all those layered synths.

“Going home is giving up and we can’t give up yet” - musical advice explained so nice

Personally, I have always heard the opening rhythm as triplets. If I'd never listened to the song before I might not, but knowing what's about to come next it's much easier for me to hear it that way than hear the transition as a tempo change.

I just tried singing that main lick without going falsetto on “to” and it’s absolutely impossible. I just naturally kick up there on that note. I forced myself to stay down in chest and couldn’t help but scoop up into the note.

As a passionate music enjoyer, getting a peak behind the curtain of music production is like looking at a nice blue ocean and then promptly submerging into it's depths. Music is so much more complex than people give it credit and I have utmost respect for the pioneers that have brought music as far as its come...

i think its one of the greatest pop songs of al time. i think the song has a wonderful uplifting hopeful sound to it while the vocals have a beautifully melancholy vibe and some how it blends together perfectly.

5:00 - Tears For Fears is ABSOLUTELY known for musical misdirection at the beginning of their songs. Their very first song / title track of their debut does it, as do several other of their songs, including this one. (The title track "Elemental" is a third example.)

One of my favorite parts is the climax, where the song builds and he sings "Say that you'll never never never leave me." The verse melody and rhythm is radically changed, going from long spondee, to syncopated and bluesy. It's brilliant. Also, great video.

Well, they were one of the best songwriting bands of the 80s, even if most folks don’t actively remember how great they were (still are). I think they just wrote a really interesting song.

I've always heard this as a rock shuffle beat as a drummer. Just the hi hats going a lil different playing on the 2nd eight note triplet on beats 1 and 3 and plays the 1st and 3rd triplets on beats 2 and 4. That's how I've always counted playing along to this song.

I cannot Express the frustration I felt when I saw your time slug doodle, nice StS reference. Also a great video in general!

Love your "layering" insight and it really really REALLY makes me hope you do "Sowing the Seeds of Love" someday because it is layers all the way down. And sneaky time signatures.

"EWTRTW" didn't exactly spring from Roland's head fully formed at the end of the sessions. The rhythm, beginning picking pattern, choir synth melody, and guitar solo originated on a demo called "Pharaohs". https://youtu.be/EoIDw5Bf8Gw

Something I think is interesting to add on to your analysis is that during the 17:25 melody that is finally D-centric, the bass part decides to Stop playing a D as part of the progression and instead go to a different progression (B-C-B-C-G-A). P.S. You're totally not alone on the intro being confusing