| "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single byTears for Fears | ||||
| from the albumSongs from the Big Chair | ||||
| B-side | "Pharaohs" | |||
| Released | 22 March 1985[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1984 | |||
| Studio | The Wool Hall (Beckington,Somerset, England) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length |
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| Label | ||||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Chris Hughes | |||
| Tears for Fears singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" onYouTube | ||||
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a song by the Englishpop rock bandTears for Fears from their second studio albumSongs from the Big Chair (1985). It was written byRoland Orzabal,Ian Stanley, andChris Hughes and produced by Hughes. It was released on 22 March 1985 byPhonogram,Mercury, andVertigo Records as the third single from the album. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is anew wave andsynth-pop song with lyrics that detail the desire humans have for control and power and centre on themes ofcorruption.
An international success, the song peaked at number two in Ireland, Australia, and the United Kingdom and at number one in Canada, New Zealand, and on both the USBillboard Hot 100 andCashbox. It was certified gold by bothMusic Canada (MC) and theBritish Phonographic Industry (BPI). Retrospectively, music critics have praised "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", with some ranking the song among the decade's best. Along with "Shout" (1984), it is one of the band'ssignature songs.
A music video received promotion fromMTV. In 1986, the song wonBest Single at theBrit Awards, and was re-recorded by the band as a charity single for theSport Aid campaign the same year. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" has been covered extensively since its release, most notably by New Zealand singerLorde for the soundtrack to the film adaptation ofThe Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was written byRoland Orzabal,Ian Stanley andChris Hughes, and produced by Hughes. The song was a "last-minute" addition during recording sessions ofSongs from the Big Chair (1985). The decision to include the song in the album came after Orzabal played two chords on hisacoustic guitar for Hughes.[2] It was recorded in two weeks and added as the final track on the album. According to Orzabal, the final line in the song's chorus, originally written as "Everybody wants to go to war", contributed to his indifference towards the track.[3]
In an interview withMix magazine, Hughes said that "as a piece of recording history, [the song is] bland as hell".[4] Orzabal's unimpressed reaction to the track during their songwriting sessions prompted Hughes to convince him to record it, in a calculated effort to garner American chart success. After completing their sessions at 6 p.m., they would spend an hour reviewing each recording many times; this helped Orzabal to create the song's guitar figure and change its title.[5] Orzabal acknowledged that theshuffle beat used in the song was "alien" to their way of writing music, stating it was "jolly rather than square and rigid in the manner of "Shout", but it continued the process of becoming more extrovert." In a 2025podcast, Orzabal stated that the basic rhythm track had been inspired in part bySimple Minds' "Waterfront" and in part byLinx's 1981 hit "Throw Away the Key".[6]Curt Smith, the song's lead singer, said the themes were "quite serious – it's about everybody wanting power, about warfare and the misery it causes."[7]
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was first released on 22 March 1985[1] throughPhonogram,Mercury andVertigo Records as the third single fromSongs from the Big Chair.[8] The song was released for sale (as a7-inch,[9]10-inch[10] and12-inch[11] vinyl set) which included its B-side, interviews from the band and different versions of the song.[12] To accommodate the vinyl release, a CD video set was also distributed and included the song's music video along with audios of bonus tracks.[13][14]
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is anew wave[15][16] andsynth-pop song.[17] Sheet music for the song is set in thekey ofD major[18] (original is slightly detuned) with a12
8 time signature and atempo of 112 beats per minute.[19] The band stated that the drivingshuffle rhythm was influenced bySimple Minds' 1983 song "Waterfront",[20] andLinx's 1981 song "Throw Away the Key".[5] "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" incorporatessynthesizers,[2]guitar,[2] a shuffle groove,[21] twoguitar solos,[22] andkeyboards.[23]
According toJoe Strummer (ofThe Clash) in a 1988 interview, he was in a restaurant and saw Orzabal, whereupon he told him that "you owe me a fiver", explaining that the title of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was an exact lift of the first line of the middle eight in "Charlie Don't Surf". According to Strummer, Orzabal simply reached into his pocket and gave him a five pound note, confirming that this had been the case.[24][25] The song's lyrics detail the desire humans have for control and power.[26][27] In 2017, Tal Rosenberg ofPitchfork stated that its lyrics could be applied in different scenarios such as the environment ("Turn your back onmother nature"), short-lived financial success ("Help me make the most of freedom and of pleasure/Nothing ever lasts forever"),dictatorial rule ("Even while we sleep/We will find you"), and theCold War ("Holding hands while thewalls come tumbling down").[2]
The song's lyrics have elicited different political interpretations. A writer forThe Economist called the track "a Cold War anthem" and noted its "timeless message", stating that "the song's lyrics speak to the anxieties of every age".[28] Marc Ambinder fromThe Atlantic used the lyrics "Say that you'll never, never, never need it / One headline, why believe it? / Everybody wants to rule the world" in his article about the United States government's use of "original classified authority" and the abuse of power between thebranches of government.[29] Dominic Pino ofNational Review described the track as a "conservative pop song", noting the lyrics' tension between "personal ambition" and "channeling that personal ambition to good ends", comparing these themes toJames Madison's concerns about private interest in theFederalist Papers.[30] Curt Smith challenged this interpretation.[31]
Tears for Fears revisited the song and its message in a 2017 interview withYahoo! Music, stating that the song's themes were still "just as poignant" as they were when they first wrote it.[32] They mentioned that they discussed the Cold War with "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" andSongs from the Big Chair but that was the "U.S. and Russia then, and now the concern is more with theU.S. and [North] Korea."[32]
Consequence of Sound editor Michael Roffman praised the group for being able to produce a "timeless and influential composition" with minimal effort. Roffman also noted that "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was appropriate when it was first released, calling it a "meditative commentary on an era that was so corrupt economically and spiritually."[26]AllMusic's Stanton Swihart expressed in his retrospective review that the group "perfectly captured the zeitgeist of the mid-'80s while impossibly managing to also create a dreamy, timeless pop classic."[33]Pitchfork called it a song with "near-universal appeal", as well as a staple for "classic-rock radio, pharmacies, bars, and parties".[2] In their review for the best albums of the 1980s, Eric Henderson fromSlant Magazine stated that the song "seems like one of the great indictments of the materialism and false triumphalism of the decade."[34]
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was voted the 25th best single inThe Village Voice'sPazz & Jop critics' poll for 1985 with 17 points, sharing the spot withTom Petty and the Heartbreakers' "Don't Come Around Here No More" (1985) andSade's "Smooth Operator" (1984).[35]Pitchfork placed the song at number 82 on their list for the best songs of the 80s expressing that "underneath thesynth-pop sheen, its vague message" and its lesson in how power-driven society could be, the song was able to reach "Reagan andMargaret-era youth fed up with political greed".[27] Kevin Korber fromSpectrum Culture ranked the song at 24 on his 80s decade list, calling the song a "testament to how much of a free-for-all the pop landscape was in the 1980s". Korber dismissed the song's vague lyrics but praised its complex melodic structure, saying it was "both the perfect representation of its time and a timeless composition".[36]Treble included the song at number 49 on their decade list.[37] In 2021,Rolling Stone ranked the song at number 319 in their updated list of the500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[38]
In 1986, the song won "Best Single" at theBrit Awards. Band member and co-writerRoland Orzabal argued that the song deserved to win the Ivor Novello International Hit of the Year award, claiming that the winner—"19" byPaul Hardcastle—was not an actual song, but only a "dialogue collage".[39] In 2015, 30 years after its release, the song was honoured at the annualBMI Awards in London for achieving 6 million radio airplays.[40] "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is regarded as the group'ssignature song, along with "Shout" (1984).[41]
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was banned for broadcast by theBBC for the duration of the firstGulf War (2 August 1990 – 28 February 1991) due to the song's political themes.[42] For several years, the song was used as the title theme to the politicalHBO talk show,Dennis Miller Live.[43][44][45]
In the United Kingdom, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" debuted at number 16 on theUK Singles Chart, in the issue dated 24 March 1985.[46] On the week of 14 April 1985, the song peaked at number two, where it stayed for an additional week, both times being blocked from the top spot by "We Are the World" byUSA for Africa.[47] "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" received a quadruple platinum certification by theBritish Phonographic Industry (BPI) on 18 October 2024 for 2,400,000 sales[48] and re-entered the UK Singles Chart in 2022 and 2023. In addition, as of May 2023, is the 12th moststreamed song from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s by British artists in the United Kingdom.[49] The song peaked at number three in Belgium,[50] and at number two in both the Netherlands and Ireland.[51][52]
In the United States, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" debuted at number 70 on theBillboard Hot 100 in the issue dated 16 March 1985.[53] On the week of 27 April 1985, the song rose to number 18.[54] On the week of 8 June 1985, the song moved to #1, replacingWham!'s "Everything She Wants" (1984) on the chart;[55] it would spend a total of two weeks in this position. The song was a commercial success in other American markets, peaking at number two on theAdult Contemporary andTop Rock Tracks and charting at number one on theHot Dance Club Play,[56]Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales,[56] andCash Box charts.[57] It ranks as the 345th best-charting single of all time in the United States.[58] In Canada, the song reached the number one spot,[59] earning a gold certification fromMusic Canada (MC) for 40,000 sales shipments on 1 May 1985.[60]
In Australia, the song reached the number two position.[61] On the report dated 19 May 1985, the song debuted at number four on theNew Zealand Top 40 Singles chart; it would later peak at number one.[62] It was certified Gold by theRecorded Music NZ (RMNZ) for sales of 10,000.[63]
"Pharaohs" is theB-side to the "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" single. It samples a recording ofBBC Radio 4 announcerBrian Perkins reading theShipping Forecast for theNorth Sea region of theUnited Kingdom.[64] The title of the song has an identical enunciation to theFaroe Islands ("Faroes"), one of the places referenced in the forecast. Orzabal, Ian Stanley,Curt Smith and Hughes share writing credits.[65] "Pharaohs" is included on theGroove Armada compilation albumBack to Mine (2000).[66] Chris Hughes wrote about the song in the liner notes ofSaturnine Martial & Lunatic (1996), saying:
No matter how horrifying the conditions may really be, the voice reading the shipping forecast is deliberately calm and relaxed. Recorded atthe Wool Hall for the B-side of 'Everybody' in a calm and relaxed way.[65]
"Pharaohs" shipping forecast read byBrian Perkins:
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.[65]
The video for "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was directed byNigel Dick. It was filmed inLos Angeles, Desert Hot Springs, Palm Springs, andCabazon,California.[67][68]Curt Smith admitted toPitchfork that the video shoot was a "disaster"; Dick was "in tears" on the second night of shooting.[67] Smith also mentioned that there was an accident while filming the "dirt bikes and four-wheel [sic] off-road vehicles" scene, with one child flying out of a vehicle and smashing his head, leaving him unconscious.[67]
The video begins with Smith driving a vintageAustin-Healey 3000 sports car while a toddler points toy guns in Smith's direction.[67] The car is then seen driving through a desert, on Interstate 10, this scene is intercut with the band performing the song in a studio. In the chorus, a plane is seen. Smith parks the car at the Wheel Inn diner and makes a call from a telephone booth. The camera pans to show a statue of a prospector and his donkey in the foreground. Smith leaves the diner in the car while singing the song's lyrics. The following scene shows two men in suits performing synchronised dance movements in front of two gas pumps.[69] Shots of young people ridingthree-wheeled ATVs anddirt bikes through desert sand dunes are also shown. Smith is then shown singing in the desert wearing black sunglasses as many of the dirt bike and ATV riders approach from behind him and pass to either side.[70]
The music video promoted the group in America, due to "heavy rotation" on the music video channelMTV.[71]HuffPost editor Daryl Deino ranked the video at number three on their year-end list for best music videos of 1985 stating that the video "represents pure Americana as it was in 1985". Deino also mentioned that the video "proves that at times, artists were able to do so much with so little."[71]
|
|
Credits adapted from the original album liner notes, the liner notes ofSaturnine Martial & Lunatic,[65] Reverb Machine,[73] andMix.[74]
Tears for Fears
Additional personnel
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[101] | 5× Platinum | 350,000‡ |
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[102] | Platinum | 60,000‡ |
| Canada (Music Canada)[60] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[103] | Platinum | 90,000‡ |
| Germany (BVMI)[104] | Gold | 250,000‡ |
| Italy (FIMI)[105] | Platinum | 100,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[106] | 6× Platinum | 180,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[48] | 4× Platinum | 2,400,000‡ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
| "Everybody Wants to Run the World" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byTears for Fears | ||||
| Released | 23 May 1986[107] | |||
| Length | 4:30 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Tears for Fears | |||
| Tears for Fears singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Everybody Wants to Run the World" is a re-recording of the band's song "Everybody Wants to Rule the World". The reworked single was released in May 1986 as the theme song for theSport Aid campaign, a charitable event held to raise money for famine relief in Africa.[108] It was a success in theUK Singles Chart, becoming the band's sixth top 5 hit, peaking at number 5 in June 1986.[109] The song also reached number 4 in Ireland.[110]
| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Ireland (IRMA)[110] | 4 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[109] | 5 |
| "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" | |
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| Song byLorde | |
| from the albumThe Hunger Games: Catching Fire | |
| Released | 15 November 2013 |
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| Length | 2:35 |
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New Zealand singerLorde recorded a cover of the song for thesoundtrack ofThe Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013).[113] The cover was produced by Peter Shurkin andJoel Little with arrangement byMichael A. Levine and Lucas Cantor.[114] Orzabal praised Lorde for reinventing the cover, stating that the group finds it interesting when artists take what they do and reinterpret it.[115] For their Rule the World Tour, the duo uses this version to launch their show.[116]
Critics were positively receptive to the cover, some praised it for its darker atmosphere mood although others criticized it for stripping away the song's original upbeat composition.[117][118] David Haglund fromSlate stated that while the song "doesn't top the great original, it does memorably reinvent it".[119] Sam Lansky fromIdolator called the cover "haunting and melodramatic".[120] Conversely,Stereogum editor Nate Patrin criticized the chorus and production but praised the "aloof strangeness" in Lorde's vocals for being able to carry the song "past the usual Dramatic Reenvisionings".[121]Paste andExclaim! included the cover in their respective 2013 year-end lists for covers,[122][123] while the former ranked it 13th on their decade-end list for covers.[124] Her cover appeared on theNew Zealand Singles Chart at number 14.[125] It reached number 53 in Australia,[126] number 65 in the United Kingdom,[127] number 93 in France,[128] and number 27 on the U.S.Hot Rock Songs chart.[129]
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Ted Leo and the Pharmacists covered the song in 2010 for the inaugural episode ofThe A.V. Club'sA.V. Undercover web series.[133]
Relient K recorded a version of the song for their 2011 cover albumIs for Karaoke.[134]
Weezer covered the song on their 2019self-titled cover album.[135] They were joined by Orzabal and Smith to perform the song live atCoachella 2019 on April 14,[136] and again two days later onJimmy Kimmel Live!.[137]
Niall Horan covered a live version of the song mixed with his own song "If You Leave Me" from his 2023 albumThe Show: The Encore.
Filipino indie rock bandHey June! released a cover version as a single in 2024.[138]
The song wasinterpolated byMiley Cyrus for a remix of "Black Skinhead" byKanye West which leaked online in January 2016.[139]
The song appears at the end ofDespicable Me 4, whereGru and Maxime Le Mal are in prison putting on a talent show for all of the prisoners. The franchise's villains from previous films return in this song. The cover version, performed by the film's cast, also appears onthe movie's soundtrack.[140]
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