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.
Where Do I Go?
Curt Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Keeps slowly does it time
Impaled by trust shot up with your
Four in the morning eyes
Where do I go
Where do I go
Where do I go
She's drifting round my barren ground
Breaks slowly cold or crazed
These dust dead eyes are focused far
Behind these summer days
Where do I go
Where do I go
Where do I go
Where do I go
And will I come of age make your day
Be precious and contrived
Or will I blow you all away
In Curt Smith's song, Where Do I Go?, the lyrics express a sense of confusion, disorientation, pain, and longing. The first stanza talks about a "sutured mind post-op'd and dry," which could be a metaphor for a mental state after going through a traumatic experience that requires some kind of suturing or healing. The line "Impaled by trust shot up with your/Four in the morning eyes" suggests that the singer may have been hurt by someone they trusted, and now they struggle with a sense of direction and purpose. The repeated question, "Where do I go?" echoes this sense of loss and longing for guidance.
The second stanza shifts to describe the presence of someone who may be able to offer comfort, but their "dust dead eyes are focused far/Behind these summer days." This image suggests that the person is emotionally distant, and the singer is left feeling alone and unsupported. The final lines of the song pose a question about the future: "And will I come of age make your day/Be precious and contrived/Or will I blow you all away." This question could be seen as a plea for validation and recognition, or a warning that the singer may not be able to live up to others' expectations.
In summary, Curt Smith's Where Do I Go? is a haunting, introspective song that explores themes of trauma, trust, loneliness, and the search for purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
My sutured mind post-op'd and dry
My broken mind, after surgery, still feels empty and lifeless.
Keeps slowly does it time
Time moves slowly and I am struggling to keep pace with it.
Impaled by trust shot up with your
I was betrayed by someone I trusted implicitly.
Four in the morning eyes
It happened at four in the morning when everything is dark and hazy.
Where do I go
I don't know what to do or where to turn.
She's drifting round my barren ground
The person I love is wandering aimlessly through my empty heart.
Breaks slowly cold or crazed
My heart is breaking slowly and I feel numb or insane.
These dust dead eyes are focused far
I am staring into the distance with eyes that have lost their luster.
Behind these summer days
Despite the sunny weather outside, I am filled with sadness and despair.
Where do I go
I am completely lost and without direction.
Where do I go
I am searching for answers, but they elude me.
Where do I go
I feel like I am wandering aimlessly without purpose.
Where do I go
I need guidance to help me find my way forward.
And will I come of age make your day
Will I be able to grow up and make you proud?
Be precious and contrived
Do I have to put on an act to be valuable to you?
Or will I blow you all away
Will I end up disappointing you and ruining everything?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHARLTON CLAY PETTUS, CURT SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@RickBeato
Wow! Beautiful!!!
@lukewatson1636
Imagine seeing you here!!! Im doing the same thing just playing acoustic covers and come across this!!! Love you Rick B!!!
@markvolstad9380
When will we see a duet with you and one of your kids?
@ThiagodMoraes
Hey Rick Tears for Fears gave an interview couple weeks ago that they are releasing a new album and I know you are a fan of them like us!!
@GreenMountainVelvet
I think a Tears For Fears “What Makes This Song Great?” is in order!!! Love your channel, Rick!
@MarkLipka
🎶 @Rick: Just watched your latest WMTSG featuring TFF. Thanks, Rick! 🎵
When will your episode about Alphonse Mouzon & "Ascorbic Acid" be airing?
@jaylam676
I was probably his daughter’s age when I first heard this song. Now I’m 55 years old. Always a TFF fan. Beautiful harmony!!
@chrishart8548
I guess you were 15 years old then. Tears for fears 1983
@jaylam676
@@chrishart8548
Sure was. Around that age. Long time ago.
@49ccMopedWorld
I was there in the early eighties when in late 83 I became 14. Glad to have been there with all them great bands. Some stil and/or again playing now in 2023 which says it all to me!!!!