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Everybody Wants to Rule the World

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See also: Everybody Wants to Run the World
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World"
Song
B-side"Pharaohs"

"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a song by the English New Wave band Tears for Fears.

It was the band's ninth single release in the United Kingdom (the third from their second LP: Songs from the Big Chair) and seventh UK Top 40 chart hit, peaking at number two in April 1985. In the U.S., it was the lead single from the album and gave the band their first Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit on 8 June 1985, remaining there for two weeks. It also reached number-one on both the Hot Dance Music/Club Play and Hot Dance Singles Sales charts in the U.S. The song has since become the pinnacle of Tears for Fears' chart success, its endurance allowing it to accumulate over two million radio broadcasts by 1994, according to BMI.[citation needed]

In 1986, the song won "Best Single" at the Brit Awards. Band member and co-writer Roland Orzabal argued that the song deserved to win the Ivor Novello International Hit of the Year award, claiming that the winner - "19" by Paul Hardcastle - was not an actual song, but only a "dialogue collage."[1]

Background

Ironically, considering the song's overwhelming success, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was somewhat of an afterthought during the recording of Songs from the Big Chair. According to Roland Orzabal, he initially regarded the song as a lightweight that would not fit with the rest of the album. It was producer Chris Hughes who convinced him to try recording it, in a calculated effort to cross over into American chart success.

It was written and recorded in two weeks and was the final track to be added to the Songs from the Big Chair album. The shuffle beat was alien to our normal way of doing things. It was jolly rather than square and rigid in the manner of 'Shout', but it continued the process of becoming more extrovert.

— Roland Orzabal

As was the case with the three hit singles from Tears for Fears' debut LP The Hurting, the song featured bassist Curt Smith on lead vocals.

Meanings

The concept is quite serious – it's about everybody wanting power, about warfare and the misery it causes.[citation needed]

— Curt Smith

Song versions

For such a popular song, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" has seen relatively few remixes. Extended, instrumental, and "urban mix" versions were done by producer Chris Hughes for inclusion on the single's various 12" releases. The only other remix of note was one done by electronica act The Chosen Few, included on the 2004 reissue of the greatest hits compilation Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82-92). No official radio edits or alternate 7" versions of the song have been issued. A version labeled as the 7" version is included on the 2006 remaster of "Songs from the Big Chair", but is actually the album version (a mistake; the album's liner notes show the track as "Everybody Wants to Run the World", but this song was not included).

The song was later partially re-recorded with a new lyric and released as "Everybody Wants to Run the World" for the 1986 Sport Aid fund-raising campaign, once again reaching the UK Top 5 in the process.

A version by Clare and the Reasons begins with chords played by a string quintet.

In 2010, the "pop punk" girl band Care Bears on Fire released a cover version of the song which is much different from the original. This cover version was featured during the credits of the "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" episode of the HBO series True Blood.

B-side

"Pharaohs" is an instrumental that served as the B-side to the "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" single. The only voice heard is a recording of BBC Radio announcer Brian Perkins reading the Shipping Forecast for the sea lanes around the United Kingdom (see below). The title of the song is a play on the name of the Faroe Islands ("Faroes"), one of the places referenced in the forecast. This is one of the few songs in the Tears for Fears catalogue on which founding member Curt Smith shares a writing credit. The song has since been included in the B-sides and rarities collection Saturnine Martial & Lunatic as well as the remastered and deluxe edition reissues of Songs from the Big Chair. "Pharaohs" is also included on the Groove Armada compilation album Back to Mine.

No matter how horrifying the conditions may really be, the voice reading the shipping forecast is deliberately calm and relaxed. Recorded at the Wool Hall for the b-side of 'Everybody' in a calm and relaxed way.

— Chris Hughes

"Pharaohs" shipping forecast read by Brian Perkins (BBC Radio 4, c. 1984):

"There are warnings of gales in Viking, Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Fisher, Dover, Wight, Portland, Plymouth, Finisterre, Sole, Lundy, Fastnet, Shannon, Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Bailey, Fair Isle, Faroes and Southeast Iceland.
The general synopsis at one eight double-O: low just north of Viking, nine double-seven, moving steadily east-northeast.
Low 300 miles south of Iceland. Atlantic low forming, moving steadily northeast.
A ridge of high pressure has swayed between North and South Utsire. The area forecast for the next twenty-four hours. Viking, Forties, Cromarty, Forth."

Music video

The promotional clip for "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", filmed in early 1985, was the third Tears for Fears clip directed by famed music video producer Nigel Dick. It features Curt Smith driving an antique Austin-Healey 3000 sports car around various Southern California locales, including Salton Sea and Cabazon. Interspersed with these clips are shots of the full band performing the song in a London studio. Along with the clip for "Shout", the "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" video had a big hand in helping break Tears for Fears in America, due to its heavy amount of play on music video pioneer MTV.

Track listings

The single was released on a wide variety of formats in the UK, including a standard 7", a 7" double pack, two separate 12" versions, and a 10" single.

7": Mercury / IDEA9 (UK)

  1. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (4:10)
  2. "Pharaohs" (3:42)

2x7": Mercury / IDEA99 (UK)

  1. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (4:10)
  2. "Pharaohs" (3:42)
  1. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World [Urban Mix]" (6:06)
  2. "Interview Excerpt" (7:30)

10": Mercury / IDEA910 (UK)

  1. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (4:10)
  2. "Pharaohs" (3:42)

12": Mercury / IDEA912 (UK)

  1. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World [Extended Version]" (5:43)
  2. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (4:10)
  3. "Pharaohs" (3:42)

12": Mercury / IDER912 (UK)

  1. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World [Urban Mix]" (6:06)
  2. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World [Instrumental]" (4:26)

Cover versions

Tears for Fears bassist Curt Smith included a solo acoustic version of the song on his 2000 EP Aeroplane.

In addition, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" has been covered by the following artists:

Live cover performances

  • Star Search winner and Season 7 American Idol runner-up, David Archuleta performed a cover of the song on his "The Other Side Of Down Asian Tour".
  • American indie pop-rock group Clare & the Reasons covered the song during their performance at the Slaughtered Lamb, Clerkenwell, London, on 6 December 2007, and on BBC2's The Culture Show on 15 July 2008. The studio version appears on the re-release of their album The Movie.
  • American rock singer Don Henley performed the song live during his 2007 tour and during his 2009 tour in Hollywood, Florida. He also performed the song live in Orlando, Florida at Sapphire on 13 May 2009, at the Amway 50th Anniversary concert in Grand Rapids, Michigan on 7 November 2009 and at the State Farm National Agency Convention at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on 30 September 2011. Don also played the song live at the wrap-up of the HP Discover customer conference in Las Vegas (Mandalay Bay Events Center) on 7 June 2012.
  • American rock group Alpha Rev started covering the song in 2008 and it has become a staple of their live performances.
  • Nas performed a rap version of the song.

Sampling

In other media

A unique extended edit of the song was featured at the end of the 1985 film Real Genius. It has since been included on a number of other film soundtracks, including:

The song appears in the initial trailer for the blockbuster 1996 film Independence Day, but was dropped from the final soundtrack in favor of "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" by the band R.E.M.[citation needed] It can also be heard in the film Watchmen as a Musak version without vocals, in a scene featuring billionaire/philanthropist Adrian Veidt, formerly the superhero Ozymandias.

The song also appears in the video game World in Conflict as the main theme of the game.[4][5] The song is used in several scenes and the end credits as part of the single-player campaign's narrative. Set in an alternate time-line in which World War III began in June 1989, the song can be heard on a radio during the Soviet Union's invasion of Seattle, inside a US Army vehicle during a mission set in Southern France, and in the closing titles.

On the small screen, the song is perhaps best remembered for the eight seasons it served as the opening theme for the talk show Dennis Miller Live. Other appearances include:

  • ER Season 4, Episode 12, The bar scene where Elizabeth Corday and Peter Benton plays Dart

The song appears on the games, Karaoke Revolution Party, Rock Band 3 and is also listenable in the in-game radio of Saints Row 2. It also has a 1800's-style remix in the game Bioshock Infinite, as heard in a gameplay trailer.

The first two verses are heard in the Powerpuff Girls episode "The Powerpuff Girls Rule!!!" sung by Mojo Jojo (voice of Roger L. Jackson).[6]

The song was used in the beginning and during the credits of Mike Tollin's ESPN 30 for 30 documentary about the USFL.

A clip of the song played during the trailer for the TBS series "Glory Daze".

The song was used at the end of the Southland (TV series) episode "Legacy".

The song was also used in the 22nd episode of the second season of Pretty Little Liars (TV series) episode "Father Knows Best."

"Everybody Wants To Rule The World" is the title of a True Blood episode (s05e09) aired August 8th, 2012. A cover of the song is played in the closing credits.

Charts

Chart (1985) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 2
Australian Singles Chart 2
Austrian Singles Chart 19
Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[7] 2
Canadian Singles Chart 1
France Singles Chart 18
German Singles Chart 11
Netherlands Singles Chart 2
Irish Singles Chart 2
New Zealand Single Chart 1
Polish Singles Chart[8] 7
Swiss Singles Chart 13
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 1
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play 1
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales 1
U.S. Billboard Top Rock Tracks 2
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks 2

References

Notes
  1. ^ Egan, Sean. Tears for Fears Songs From the Big Chair CD insert, 1999
  2. ^ "Jaron and The Long Road to Love - "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"". Retrieved 20 September 2011. {{cite web}}: Text "26 December 2009" ignored (help); Text "Jaron & The Long Road to Love" ignored (help)
  3. ^ http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/musicnews/s3387945.htm
  4. ^ Gametrailers.com - World in Conflict - Ruling the World Trailer HD
  5. ^ Gametrailers.com - World in Conflict - Developer Walkthrough Pt. 1 HD
  6. ^ GReview: 'Powerpuff Girls Rule!!!', sung by Mojo Jojo. | Show Tracker | Los Angeles Times
  7. ^ Belgian peak
  8. ^ [1]


Preceded by Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single
11 May 1985 – 18 May 1985 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
8 June 1985 – 15 June 1985 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Canadian RPM number-one single
8 June 1985 		Succeeded by
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