Alternative Weekend: Focus on 'Tears for Fears'

Alternative Weekend seems to have mutated to ‘Focus on’ in the last few weeks for me. The original ‘Alternative Weekend’ remains, so let’s just call this a ‘fork’ as we are blogging on a cryptocurrency platform and that word seems appropriate.

If you still want to use the tag #alternativeweekend and post songs by separate artists, then go right ahead and continue, but from now I will be writing exclusively using my ‘Focus on’ series.

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Please feel free to use the ‘Focus on’ style if you like. I’m always interested in music I have missed past and present.

If you have a short story or something to offer regarding an opinion on your songs, then share it with us!

‘Alternative’ is a very loose term in the context of this tag. I could not wholeheartedly write about Michael Jackson using this heading but some bands or artists produce material that is not what you expect from them. This is what I want to highlight to you, the reader.

I grew up in the 80’s and remember this band very well. They are most famous for their anthem’s ‘Shout’ and ‘Everybody wants to rule the world’, songs that I simply can’t listen too anymore as they have been grossly overplayed.

It is only the first two albums that I am conversant with which are The Hurting and Songs from the Big Chair, so if you know of any other great album tracks on the later ones, please send a comment to this article.

Tears for Fears - Watch me Bleed (The Hurting - 1983)

This week I put the two Tears for Fears albums in the car so I could listen to them again and remember the tunes. It’s been years since I heard them, but I remember that I liked ‘The Hurting’.

I didn’t want four songs from ‘Songs from the Big Chair’ and this is one of the best album tracks from their debut album.

Tears for Fears - Broken (Songs from the Big Chair - 1985)

This short song shows the rockier side of the band and contains some nice guitar work that gets me going.

Considering the band were at height during the ‘synth’ period they had more variety than most of their competition.

I do like how this song semi-transforms into one of their hits, ‘Head of Heels’ near the end. Is this an indication of a progressive theme?

Tears for Fears - Listen (Songs from the Big Chair - 1985)

What an ambient song this is. Full of sounds that you don’t hear the first time around. This album has a distinct sound throughout and it can be heard on this track more than most.

I wasn’t going to include this but it’s just such a unique song I couldn’t leave it off. If I can fault it, I think it goes on a little too long.

Tears for Fears - The Working Hour (Songs from the Big Chair - 1985)

I left the best until last. ‘Songs from the Big Chair’ is a great album, and full of memorable songs, but the second track is just sublime.

A mixture of saxophone and piano along with a strong vocal performance by Roland Orzabal still sends shivers down my legs when he sings that final part combined with the synth overlay.

Find out, find out, what this fear is about

Weighing in at 6 and a half minutes, this is not your friendly radio song, it’s a musical work of art.

I couldn’t find a complete documentary about the band covering their complete works, but here’s one ‘Songs from the Big Chair’. It’s looking old and dated and probably ripped from a VHS recording.

The 80's seems like yesterday to me, but it's a time that has long since passed us. 35 years since the debut album was released. In another 35 years, I will likely not be on planet earth any more.

How time passes us by. I hope some of the younger readers get something from listening to some of these.