Tears For Fears - Songs From The Big Chair [180g] (LP) Vinyl

Songs From The Big Chair is the second studio album by the English band Tears For Fears, released on 25 February 1985 by Phonogram Records and Mercury Records. The follow up to their debut The Hurting (1983), it moved away from that record's dark introspection towards a glossier, more expansive sound built on sophisticated production, wider use of guitar, and socially and politically conscious lyrics from Roland Orzabal and Ian Stanley.

The album reached number two on the UK Albums Chart and number one on the US Billboard 200. "Shout" and "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" both topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached the UK top five, while "Head Over Heels", "Mothers Talk" and a re-recorded "I Believe" also charted internationally. It is certified 3x Platinum by the BPI in the UK and 5x Platinum by the RIAA in the United States, with worldwide sales of around nine million copies, and it is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

The Album

Recorded between 1983 and 1984, the record was produced by Chris Hughes and engineered by David Bascombe. It was originally to be titled The Working Hour; Orzabal renamed it after the 1976 television film Sybil, whose central character feels safe only when sitting in her analyst's "big chair", a title Curt Smith felt reflected the distinct personality of each song. The line up was Curt Smith on bass guitar and vocals, Roland Orzabal on guitar, keyboards and vocals, Ian Stanley on keyboards, and Manny Elias on drums.

"Everybody Wants To Rule The World" was the last song recorded for the album. It was built up over roughly a week from two simple chords Orzabal had played on an acoustic guitar, an idea he was initially reluctant to develop.

This Pressing

This is the Mercury and Universal Music Group reissue, catalogue number 3794995, pressed on 180g heavyweight vinyl and manufactured in the EU as part of the Back To Black series. It carries the original eight track album in stereo across two sides, with a printed inner sleeve reproducing the full credits and the band photographs from the 1985 release. A voucher to download an MP3 version of the album is included.

Track Listing

Side A
1. Shout
2. The Working Hour
3. Everybody Wants To Rule The World
4. Mothers Talk

Side B
1. I Believe
2. Broken
3. Head Over Heels
4. Listen