Everybody Still Wants to Rule the World
While watching NBC's "Medium" ("But For Amazing Adventures Grace of God"), which centered around refinancing homes solving of a young girl's murder in the 1980s, I was struck by the effective and nostalgic use of original 80s pop music in the soundtrack, including "Everybody Want Delaware Lemon Laws Rule the World" by the British duo Tears For Fears.
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was a #1 hit in April of 1985. (The second single off their breakout album Songs from the Big Chair, "Shout," also hit #1 in June of the same year) Like many hit songs from the era, including the likes of "Only the Lonely" in 1982 by the Motels, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is characterized by its simple, memorable, synthesizer pad repeated throughout the verses.
The "Medium" episode also borrows 1987's "Don't Dream It's Over" by the New Zealand trio Crowded House (which reached #2), and other great songs from the decade.
"Tears for Fears were always more ambitious than the average synth pop group. From the beginning, the duo of Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith were tackling big subjects - their very name derived from Arthur Janov's primal scream refinance home mortgage and his theories were evident throughout their debut, The Hurting..." --Allmusic.com
"It's my own design
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" - Tears For Fears
Is it just me or did we pretty much STOP making great music somewhere between now and then? My suspicion is that the new millennium somehow ushered in an audience Prozac side effects demanding of its musical artists and less interested in "messages," at least temporarily. With the world's problems escalating, that may change.
"Come on people now, let's get together, everybody try to love one another right now..." -Jesse Colin Young.
DA Jack Hayford is the editor of the popular music reference website, www.events-in-music.com">Events-in-Music.com, which features a special section on #1 Songs. Mr. Hayford is also the Program Director and co-founder of www.durangosong.com">DurangoSong.com the online home of the ten-plus-year old Durango Songwriters Expo, a premier annual educational and inspirational event for aspiring songwriters.
posted by biibj @ 5:34 AM
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