Showing posts with label Tears for fears. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tears for fears. Show all posts

Saturday 30 April 2022

Pale shelter (You don't give me love) - Tears for fears

Owning Pale shelter, Pale shelter, Pale shelter and Pale shelter was not quite enough. While that last one is the 12" single of the re-released version of 'Pale shelter', the accompanying 7" single was still missing from my collection. But here it is, after some searching, and it was the last single I bought at the record fair in Den Bosch earlier this month - exactly at 5pm when the fair closed. 

Buying one Tears for fears single every year seems to have become a trend - see this page - although I seem to have missed out last year. Guess I will have to make up for that this year. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6702
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 April 2022
Cost: €5
Tracks: 'Pale shelter (You don't give me love)' / 'The prisoner'

Friday 31 July 2020

Mothers talk - Tears for fears

This single by Tears for fears is an interesting one: it was released in April 1986 in the USA, after the 'Songs from the big chair' campaign had already ended in the rest of the world. I never knew that the so-called 'US remix' of 'Mothers talk' had actually been a single, but here you go. Although labeled as a "remix", this version of the song is actually a complete re-recording, done by the band after their 'Big Chair' tour had ended. It was mixed by the award-winning producer Bob Clearmountain, who would go on to mix the band's next album with them.

The single managed to peak at number 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. The sleeve is almost identical to a UK 12" single from 1984.

My collection: 7" single no. 6310
Found: Discogs.com, received July 27, 2020
Cost: $3
Tracks: 'Mothers talk' / 'Sea song'

Thursday 2 May 2019

Ready boy & girls? - Tears for fears

Strangely enough, 'Ready Boy & Girls?' is the only new release by Tears for fears this decade. This is as much a statement of fact as it is a prediction. A new album by Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal has been awaited for the last few years, but nothing seems to be forthcoming. They are performing live, but if we were to believe Curt Smith on Twitter, the partnership is hanging by its fingernails right now - he almost didn't come along on tour this year.

So here it is, a white vinyl 10" vinyl record, featuring three cover versions done in Tears for fears style, released in a limited edition of 3000 for Record Store Day 2014. The songs on this record were originally recorded by Animal Collective, Arcade Fire and Hot Chip respectively. It took me five years to get this record, because Record Store Day releases are infamous for their ridiculous prices and their limited availability - especially since the region where I live has no record shops anymore. But lo and behold, I found a good copy for a reasonable price.

My collection: 10" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received May 2, 2019
Cost: 9 pounds
Tracks: 'My girls' / 'Ready to start', 'And I was a boy from school'

Monday 15 April 2019

The way you are - Tears for fears

The single 'The way you are' by Tears for Fears was released as a 'stopgap' between their first and second album. The song was actually recorded for the purpose of releasing a single, something the band looks back on with a certain amount of regret. In 2014, Curt Smith commented: 'We got over it and managed to go on and have more success despite that song. It’s one of those things that we can’t take it back, but we wish we hadn’t done it.'

Personally, I think it's one of the band's more interesting single releases. With all the percussion going on, it's a very amusing track to listen to. Which is why I was glad to find this promotional 7" single. It features the (regular) 'long version' and a (rare) 'short version'. Basically, the short version just fades out half a minute earlier, but still, it's a nice find.

My collection: 7" single no. 6032
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 13, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'The way you are (short version)' / 'The way you are (long version)'

Sunday 12 January 2014

Change - Tears for Fears

The single Change was originally released as a single from Tears for Fears' debut album 'The hurting', and apparently there were different versions of the sleeve. When 'The hurting' was released as a boxed 3cd-1dvd deluxe edition, this new 7" single was offered by Universal as a limited edition bonus, featuring a reprint of a rare sleeve. Indeed, I've never seen this sleeve before, so it is probably pretty rare.

The tracks on this single are identical to the original release: 'Change' from the album and the intriguing B-side, 'The conflict'.

My collection: 7" single no. 5355
Found: Universal mail order, November 2013
Cost: nought, but the box set wasn't cheap of course.
Tracks: 'Change' / 'The conflict'

Thursday 22 March 2012

Mothers talk - Tears for fears

As written before, there is a difference between the extended version of Tears for Fears' 1984 single 'Mothers talk' and the so-called 'Beat of the drum mix' of that track. This 12" single is the only one that contains the latter mix, although a German pressing with the sleeve shown here claims to feature it as well.

Now if you expect to get a really good remix, you're bound to be disappointed. Personally I find this remix noisy and a bit 'too much'. But any collector of Tears for Fears will be delighted to hear this mix nonetheless, as it's pretty rare. It only found its way onto cd in 2006 when Mercury released the 'Deluxe edition' of 'Songs from the big chair'.

My collection: 12" single no. 632
Found: All that music, Leiden
Cost: 14,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Mothers talk (Beat of the drum mix)' / 'Empire building'

Thursday 8 March 2012

Mothers talk - Tears for fears

Released some time before the album, 'Mothers talk' was actually the first single from Tears for Fears' second album 'Songs from the big chair'. Little did they know then that it would become such a successful album. And although the single did reasonably well in the UK (peaking at no. 14 in the chart) other countries weren't convinced until the next single, 'Shout', was released.

This 12" single was released as one of two different versions. It featured the original extended version. In Germany, a 12" single - which I also have - was released with the very same sleeve, but announcing this extended version as the 'Beat of the drum mix'. But that was actually a different mix, one that I will write about in the next blog about Tears for Fears...

My collection: 12" single no. 22 / no. 631
Found: Free Record Shop, 1985 / All that music, Leiden, unknown date
Cost: 7 guilders / 12,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Mothers talk (extended mix)' / 'Empire building'

Saturday 4 February 2012

Pale shelter - Tears for fears

You may have read the description of this 12" single of 'Pale shelter'. If you did, you already know part of the story. Here´s the second part of the story. This 12" single was released in 1983, an features a remix of 'Pale shelter'. This remix is actually the version that ended up on Tears for Fears' debut album 'The hurting'. The extended version is very beautiful, with an introverted piano intro.

'Pale shelter' has always been my favourite Tears for Fears song. I remember watching television (Music Box and Sky Channel) for hours just to see this music video. I always assumed the single was a flop because it didn't chart in the Netherlands, but later found out that upon this re-release, the single actually peaked at number 5 in the UK singles chart!

My collection: 12" single no. 290
Found: Record fair, 1996
Cost: unknown
Tracks: 'Pale shelter (extended version)' / 'Pale shelter', 'We are broken'

Saturday 21 January 2012

Pale shelter (You don't give me love) - Tears for fears

For a long time I didn't understand how it all worked with the different versions of Tears for Fears' early single 'Pale shelter'. It is quite confusing, actually, as the song was re-released no less than three times.

But I've figured it out now. What you see here is the most recent re-release of the single. Subtitled 'You don't give me love', this version was released in 1985 after the success of the band's second album 'Songs from the big chair'. But... wait for it... It features the original version of the song! 'Pale shelter' was re-recorded for Tears for Fears' debut album 'The hurting', and that version was released as a single the second time around. However, this 12" single features the original single and 12" version, produced by Mike Howlett.

My collection: 12" single no. 290
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 1996
Cost: 3 pounds
Tracks: 'Pale shelter (extended version)' / 'Pale shelter', 'The prisoner'

Saturday 23 January 2010

Johnny Panic and the bible of dreams - Tears for Fears

Although this 7" single is in no way different from the 12" single except for the size of the disc and sleeve, I still had to have it. I'm primarily a singles collector, of course!

The track, which is an alternative version of Tears for Fears's 1989 hit single 'Sowing the seeds of love', originally appeared as the B-side to their 1990 single 'Advice for the young at heart'. The song was later remixed by producer/DJ Fluke and released as a single in 1991. The single did not chart in the UK and has since become quite a collectors item among Tears for Fears fans.

My collection: 7" single no. 3072
Found: Record Exchange, London, May 10, 1999
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Johnny Panic and the bible of dreams (mix 1)' / 'Johnny Panic and the bible of dreams (mix 2)'

Monday 19 October 2009

Goodnight song - Tears for fears

Released in October 1993, 'Goodnight song' was the third single from Tears for fears' 1993 album 'Elemental'. Although the cd-single in Europe was backed by a remix of the album's title track, in the US the B-side 'New star' was used (released as the B-side of 'Cold' in the UK).

The single was not very successful, as it didn't chart in any territory. Until recently, I didn't even know a 7" single of this release existed.

My collection: 7" single no. 4118
Found: eBay.com, received October 19, 2009
Cost: $3
Tracks: 'Goodnight song' / 'New star'

Sunday 18 October 2009

Suffer the children - Tears for fears

According to Tears for fears' Curt Smith: ''Suffer the children' was the first song we did together when we left The Graduate. It was our very first experimentation with sequencers and drum machines, with a guy called David Lord, who worked with Peter Gabriel and different people down in Bath. So that was actually the first song we did as Tears For Fears.'

The original 7" version of "Suffer The Children" is distinct from the version found on their debut album 'The hurting' by the inclusion of an extra Curt Smith-sung lyric at the beginning of the song.

There are two versions of the single: the original release featured a white sleeve (pictured above). In 1985, following up on the massive success of the band's second album 'Songs from the big chair', the single was reissued in a black sleeve. All this didn't help matters: both releases did not chart anywhere.

My collection: 7" single no. 1319
Found: London, October 16, 1990
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Suffer the children' / 'Wino'

Sunday 11 October 2009

Cold - Tears for fears

In the song 'Cold', Roland Orzabal included some references to former associates of Tears for fears. Business manager Paul King is mentioned in the line: 'King got caught with his fingers in the till. Where's your calculator, did you leave it in your will?', after alleged discrepancies were discovered in King's prior management of the band's financial affairs. The line 'Listened to my old friend Nockles, hoped that it would warm the cockles' is a reference to former Tears for fears keyboardist and co-writer Nicky Holland, whose nickname was 'Nockles'.

'Cold' was released as the second single from the album 'Elemental' in July 1993. The single reached number 72 in the UK singles chart, but flopped everywhere else.

My collection: 7" single no. 2002
Found: HMV, London, October 16, 1993
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Cold' / 'New star'

Saturday 3 October 2009

Break it down again - Tears for Fears

Roland Orzabal surprised many when he returned in 1993 on his own under the Tears for Fears band name. Curt Smith had left the group and the album 'Elemental' was created without him. The song 'Fish out of water' on the album was apparently about Curt Smith. Roland has often referred to this song as his 'How Do You Sleep', in reference to the scathing song John Lennon wrote about former bandmate Paul McCartney. Curt released a formal response to this tune four years later, in the song 'Sun King' from his album 'Mayfield'.

'Break it down again' is a less explosive song. It was released as the first single from 'Elemental' in May 1993 and reached number 20 in the UK singles chart and number 16 in the Dutch Top 40. In the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, it reached number 25.

My collection: 7" single no. 1918
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, June 5, 1993
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Break it down again' / 'Bloodletting go'

Wednesday 9 September 2009

Woman in chains - Tears for Fears featuring Oleta Adams

After the release of Tears for Fears' compilation album 'Tears roll down: Greatest hits 82-92' in 1992, their 1989 single 'Woman in chains' was re-released in the UK. By that time, Oleta Adams, who was virtually unknown at the time of the original release, had become a famous singer in her own right, so this single was actually credited to 'Tears for Fears featuring Oleta Adams'. The record company even went so far to include the other album track from 'The seeds of love' (1989) featuring Adams on the B-side.

While the original release reached number 26 in the UK singles chart, this re-release only managed to scrape in at number 57, and then dropped of the chart again the next week.

My collection: 7" single no. 2843
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 5, 1997
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Woman in chains' / 'Badman's song'

Saturday 5 September 2009

Laid so low (Tears roll down) - Tears for Fears

With Curt Smith gone, the Tears for Fears name belonged to Roland Orzabal and he decided to continue the band on his own. The first order of business was the compilation album that the record company was going to release. Roland completed a track that originally appeared as a B-side on the single 'Sowing the seeds of love', 'Tears roll down'.

'Laid so low (Tears roll down)' was released in February 1992 and reached number 17 in the UK singles chart, and number 27 in the Dutch Top 40. The compilation album 'Tears roll down (Greatest hits 82-92)' followed quickly and reached number 2 in the UK albums chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1585
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, February 15, 1992
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Laid so low (Tears roll down)' / 'The body wah'

Saturday 29 August 2009

Famous last words - Tears for Fears

'Famous last words' was the last track on the Tears for Fears album 'The seeds of love' (1989) and released as the fourth and final sigle from that album. It was released by the record company without the band's involvement.

The single peaked at number 83 in the UK singles chart. Around this time, Curt Smith left Tears for Fears and Roland Orzabal continued the band alone.

My collection: 7" single no. 1348
Found: Melody Maker, October 27, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Famous last words' / 'Mothers talk (US remix)'

Wednesday 12 August 2009

Advice for the young at heart - Tears for Fears

'Advice for the young at heart' was the third single taken from the 1989 Tears for Fears album 'The seeds of love'. The song was written by Roland Orzabal and keyboardist/singer Nicky Holland. The lyric 'Love is a promise, love is a souvenir once given, never forgotten, never let it disappear' is a quote from John Lennon. The lead vocal on the song was sung by Curt Smith; the only track he sang on the whole album. The single peaked at number 36 in the UK singles chart and number 22 in the Dutch Top 40.

In the UK, this single was released in a limited edition box set (pictured below) including four postcards. The front of the box set states that it's 'part one', but I've never seen 'part two'.

The music video for this single was the last Tears for Fears video to feature both Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith before their acrimonious split in the early Nineties. It would be 15 years before they made a video together again ('Closest thing to heaven' in 2005).

My collection: 7" single no. 1230
Found: Esprit Mail Order, received July 1990
Cost: 5 pounds
Tracks: 'Advice for the young at heart' / 'Johnny Panic and the bible of dreams'

Sunday 2 August 2009

Woman in chains - Tears for Fears

'Woman in chains' was the second single from Tears for Fears' 1989 album 'The seeds of love'. Band members Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith discovered Oleta Adams while she was singing in a seedy bar somewhere in America. They decided that she had to work with them on the album, and 'Woman in chains' was one of two tracks on which she appeared. The track features Phil Collins on drums.

Roland Orzabal explained about the lyric: 'The song is also about how men traditionally play down the feminine side of their characters and how both men and women suffer for it.... I think men in a patriarchal society are sold down the river a bit - okay, maybe we're told that we're in control but there are also a hell of a lot of things that we miss out on, which women are allowed to be.' The single peaked at number 26 in the UK singles chart and number 12 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1115
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, November 17, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Woman in chains' / 'Always in the past'

Monday 13 July 2009

Sowing the seeds of love - Tears for Fears

'Sowing the seeds of love' was released as the first single from Tears for Fears' third album 'The seeds of love'. The song was in essence a pastiche of the Beatles sound of the second half of the Sixties, a style the band would also stick to in their reunion cd 'Everybody loves a happy ending' released a couple of years ago.

The single was a wordwide success, reaching number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 3 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 5 in the UK singles chart. The B-side 'Tears roll down' was a demo version of a track the band would record as 'Laid so low (Tears roll down)' a few years later for the compilation album 'Tears roll down (Greatest hits 82-92)'.

My collection: 7" single no. 988
Found: HMV, London, October 16, 1989
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Sowing the seeds of love' / 'Tears roll down'
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