Smith, now a naturalized U.S. citizen, originally hails from Bath, England, where he and Roland Orzabal met when both were teenagers. They first formed a band at school, for which Smith taught himself to play bass guitar, and later formed the band Graduate, which achieved minor fame in continental Europe, and released one album in 1980. After disbanding Graduate, Smith and Orzabal founded Tears for Fears. TFF’s debut album, 1983’s The Hurting, was a UK number one and produced three international hit singles –"Mad World", "Change", and "Pale Shelter" – each with lead vocals performed by Smith.
Their second album, 1985's Songs from the Big Chair was even more successful, yielding hits including "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (sung by Smith), "Shout," and "Head Over Heels" (which Smith co-wrote). The duo spent the next several years recording their 1989 album The Seeds of Love, which proved to be another international bestseller, but Smith left the band a year after its release and moved to New York.
Smith released his first solo album, Soul On Board, in 1993, but the album was a commercial failure. Smith later claimed he hated the album and made it purely to fulfill his contract with Phonogram Records (the label to which Tears For Fears had signed to in 1981). He acclimated to life in New York by hosting an MTV show, as well as a new music radio show that was syndicated to over 300 U.S. colleges, and by teaching a music industry course at New York University. In 1995, a mutual friend introduced Smith to songwriter-guitarist Charlton Pettus. They began writing together and formed a band called Mayfield, which released a self-titled album in 1997.
Smith moved to Los Angeles in 1998, and began work on what was to become "Halfway, pleased" a few years later, but the project was put on hold after he had begun speaking to Roland Orzabal again in 2000 after nearly a decade of silence. Their conversations culminated in the duo reforming Tears For Fears for a new album, 2004’s Everybody Loves A Happy Ending, which led to a worldwide tour. Smith resumed work on "Halfway, pleased" in 2006. The semi-autobiographical album explores Smith’s relationships with his children, parents and friends. Halfway, pleased was released in May 2008, via Smith’s own KOOK Media imprint. It is available in CD and download configurations from major online retailers and from select retail locations.
In May 2013, Smith confirmed that he was writing and recording new Tears for Fears material with Orzabal and Charlton Pettus. 3-4 songs were worked on in the UK at Orzabal’s home studio, Neptune’s Kitchen, in April of 2013. Further work on a new Tears For Fears album commenced in L.A. in July of 2013. According to Orzabal, they have been producing of more dark, dramatic pieces of music, which gave the pending album the tongue-in-cheek working title of Tears for Fears: The Musical. “There’s one track that’s a combination of Portishead and Queen. It’s just crazy,” Orzabal stated.
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of TFF’s debut album The Hurting, Universal Music are re-releasing it in two Deluxe Editions (one a 2-disc set and the other a 4-disc set with a DVD of the 1983 In My Mind’s Eye concert) in October 2013.
In August 2013, Tears For Fears released their first newly recorded material in nearly decade, with a cover of Arcade Fire’s “Ready to Start” made available on SoundCloud.
Everybody Wants To Rule The World
Curt Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's no turning back
Even while we sleep
We will find you
Acting on your best behaviour
Turn your back on mother nature
Everybody wants to rule the world
It's my own remorse
Help me to decide
Help me make the most
Of freedom and of pleasure
Nothing ever lasts forever
Everybody wants to rule the world
There's a room where the light won't find you
Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down
When they do I'll be right behind you
So glad we've almost made it
So sad they had to fade it
Everybody wants to rule the world
I can't stand this indecision
Married with a lack of vision
Everybody wants to rule the world
Say that you'll never never never never need it
One headline why believe it?
Everybody wants to rule the world
All for freedom and for pleasure
Nothing ever lasts for ever
Everybody wants to rule the world
The opening line of Curt Smith's song, "Welcome to your life, there's no turning back," is a potent allusion to the nature versus nurture debate. The singer is suggesting that one is born only to a certain degree, and the life's path will inevitably be influenced by the world around us. The following line, "Even while we sleep, we will find you," seems to be a reference to the control structures always in place. The singer is urging the listener to be careful because no matter how far one runs, these structures will always follow.
The chorus, "Everybody wants to rule the world," is a commentary on the constant struggle for power between individuals, societies, and nations. The phrase could also be interpreted as the desire for control, manifested in a sort of authoritarianism. In the bridge, the singer admits that his own desires for power, as he sings "It's my own design, it's my own remorse." He struggles with thoughts of wanting to rule the world but is also constrained by his sense of morality.
The final lines of the song, "All for freedom and for pleasure, nothing ever lasts forever," seem to be the most poignant. They suggest that we are all seeking freedom and pleasure in some form, but these are also fleeting. The ultimate conclusion is that one cannot rule the world because, in the end, everything is temporary.
Line by Line Meaning
Welcome to your life
You have woken up to your own reality and existence
There's no turning back
You have to face the consequences of your actions and decisions
Even while we sleep
Our subconscious mind is constantly working to manifest our desires
We will find you
Our aspirations will come to us; we will manifest our dreams
Acting on your best behaviour
We should always try to be our best selves
Turn your back on mother nature
We often forget to take care of our environment and our planet
Everybody wants to rule the world
Everyone desires power and control over their own lives, as well as over others and the world around them
It's my own design
We create our own reality and the circumstances of our life
It's my own remorse
We are responsible for the regrets and mistakes we make
Help me to decide
Assistance is needed in making significant decisions
Help me make the most
Guidance is required to take advantage of every opportunity
Of freedom and of pleasure
We seek experiences that bring us joy and fulfillment
Nothing ever lasts forever
All good things eventually come to an end
There's a room where the light won't find you
An internal darkness where one can hide, avoiding reality and their responsibilities
Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down
Supporting one another during times of crisis and uncertainty
When they do I'll be right behind you
Standing together in difficult times to persevere through it all
So glad we've almost made it
Recognizing that progress has been made towards achieving our goals
So sad they had to fade it
Regretting the loss of past opportunities and experiences
I can't stand this indecision
Frustration arises from the lack of ability to make a decision
Married with a lack of vision
Being stagnant and complacent, without any aspirations or ambitions
Say that you'll never never never never need it
Asserting that one doesn't depend on material possessions or wealth to live a fulfilling life
One headline why believe it?
Questioning the sensationalized news stories that try to manipulate opinions and beliefs
All for freedom and for pleasure
We strive for personal and collective freedom to enjoy our lives
Nothing ever lasts for ever
All things come to an end, both the good and the bad
Everybody wants to rule the world
Everyone seeks some level of power and authority, whether over themselves or others
Contributed by Charlie R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ayr1225
"Welcome to your life, there's no turning back." I think I understand now.
@mickgatz214
Easy.....the planet is fkd, there's no turning back.
@octaviof.g.7316
true....takes a bit. but when you get it...
@jimbailey5681
I agree. I didn't fully grasp it in 1985 at 16, but now? Wow
@ItsNotRealLife
I've rubbing down some doors ready for painting and I kept singing and thinking about that very line.
For years I've been saying to people who don't really do anything with their lives but sit around moaning that this is not a rehearsal this is it no second chances but "welcome to your life, there's no turning back" sums it up perfectly, better than I ever did
@45ETOMER
Yeah that line just kind of hit me like a ton of bricks one day
@jacklydon
Kurt Smith comes to your house for a party. This is the best You Tube video EVER!
@stefanodegerome5586
One of the best songs of the 80's - or in history, for that matter.
@isaacalderson769
History surely!
@crashcoolman
100% agreed!