Iconic Band BARELY Missed #1 in 1982…a CULT MOVIE Took ‘em to #1--20 Years LATER!--Professor of Rock

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  • čas přidán 1. 03. 2024
  • Coming up the story behind a song about the trauma the artist endured during his childhood. Mad World by Tears for Fears came from a very dark place. Singer Roland Orzabal felt alienated by the world around him but found no shelter at home because of his abusive parents. Every ounce of emotion he felt went into this 80s classic, but the problem is when he went to record it, he discovered his voice didn’t effectively deliver what he was trying to express. It made him question whether he should even record or finish the song. So he turned to a friend, a fellow musician named Curt Smith who also had a painful childhood and he became the song’s interpreter, the result was something magical. The recording became an international smash from Tear of Fears' debut album The Hurting... It had such an impact, that it was reimagined for the Donnie Darko motion picture soundtrack that attracted a new generation of fans 20 years later When Gary Jules covered it. the story of this unforgettable hit is NEXT on Professor of Rock.
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    Hey Music Junkies Professor of Rock Always here to celebrate the greatest artists and the greatest songs of all time. if you remember the great cola war of the 80s between coke and pepsin you’ll dig this channel of deep musical nostalgia, Make sure to subscribe below right now to be a part of our music history daily straight from the artists. And to become an honorary producer on our Patreon, click on the link in the description. You know… our childhood memories…they’re like the bricks that build the house of who we are today. They're the little snippets of life that stick with us, shaping the way we see the world, the way we react to things, and the way we live our lives. It's like each memory is a thread in this big ol' quilt of our existence, all stitched together to make up the unique pattern that forms us as individuals.
    The childhood memories of Tears For Fears co-founder Roland Orzabal were sad & painful, and impossible to escape. At an early age Roland felt alienated from the world and found his only sanctuary was sitting all alone in his bedroom just strumming a guitar. When he was 19, he poured all of the emotions from his unhappy childhood into one of his first & ultimately most influential compositions…A song he titled “Mad World. Roland Orzabal grew up in Havant and Bath, England. His father suffered from P.T.S.D., post traumatic stress disorder, from the harrowing experience of serving in World War II, long before doctors really understood what the condition was and came up with a medical term for it.
    Back in the 60s and even the 70s, medical experts treated patients with P.T.S.D. as emotional & physical defectives who were dangerous to society. For his condition, Roland’s father, like many P.T.S.D. patients, was given electric shock treatment. He was very abusive to Roland’s mother, and to his son, and the domestic abuse led to a deeply scarred & divided family.
    Whenever there was an domestic altercation, or negative atmosphere in the Orzabal home, Roland would retreat to bathroom, turn out the lights, and strum his guitar. As a nine year old boy, he could totally relate to Simon & Garfunkel’s 1965 classic “The Sound of Silence,” especially Paul Simon’s evocative lyric “
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Komentáře • 1,4K

  • @ProfessorofRock
    @ProfessorofRock  Před 4 měsíci +89

    Poll: Who is your pick for the most UNDER-APPRECIATED Band of the 1980s?

  • @yogoombah2356
    @yogoombah2356 Před 4 měsíci +109

    Sadly, Roland's wife of 35 years passed in 2017.
    R.I.P. Caroline Orzabal

  • @denisewildfortune4058
    @denisewildfortune4058 Před 4 měsíci +54

    "The music you listen to as a child or teenager becomes a part of your being!" - Truer words were never spoken!

    • @BestLittleStudio
      @BestLittleStudio Před 3 měsíci +1

      When he said that and then mentioned n passing how it saved some, you could hear that at one point in his life, these songs did save him, there was a spli second of emotion and confession there.
      Glad you are with us @professorofrock

    • @acaliaaidras5012
      @acaliaaidras5012 Před měsícem

      When he said that I instantly thought of Rubber Ring by The Smiths. It talks about that very subject.

  • @donlee1534
    @donlee1534 Před 4 měsíci +231

    At a TFF concert in 2011, they actually opened up with the Gary Jules version of “Mad World” then immediately went into “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”. About halfway through the show - and I believe it was Curt who said this - it was mentioned how they very much admired Gary’s version and greatly appreciated what it did for TFF. Then said “but sometimes, the original version is always the best” - then they proceeded to play their version. Of course, the audience went nuts. It was a great concert memory!

    • @ProfessorofRock
      @ProfessorofRock  Před 4 měsíci +12

      So cool!

    • @ovalteen4404
      @ovalteen4404 Před 4 měsíci +14

      I definitely prefer Gary Jules's version. The poppy arrangement from TFF just put the wrong mood on the song.

    • @warriyorcat
      @warriyorcat Před 4 měsíci +14

      I actually think it matches the mood better, because it's 'mad world's not 'sad world'. To each their own, however, and my opinion doesn't invalidate yours. Cheers!

    • @JoeAnderson86
      @JoeAnderson86 Před 4 měsíci

      I saw it, at pac amphitheater in Costa Mesa, CA

    • @EHiggins
      @EHiggins Před 4 měsíci +9

      Saw them in 2004 in Kansas City they introduced the song as a "cover of a cover", Kansas City is where Oleta Adams lives, they pulled her out of the crowd to do "Woman in Chains". One of the best concerts I've seen.

  • @jtt8886
    @jtt8886 Před 4 měsíci +366

    The 3 albums from Tears for Fears in the 80s are easily 3 of the best of the decade.

    • @ProfessorofRock
      @ProfessorofRock  Před 4 měsíci +27

      I agree. The perfect trilogy!

    • @ogam5
      @ogam5 Před 4 měsíci +20

      @@ProfessorofRock: WISH more people KNEW about Elemental through to The Tipping Point, though - Everybody Loves A Happy Ending, MOST of ALL ; (

    • @desiguy55
      @desiguy55 Před 4 měsíci +5

      i totally agree.

    • @daytripper9222
      @daytripper9222 Před 4 měsíci +11

      I have one word for this band: Brilliant. I grew up in the 60s and by the time the 80s came along when I heard pale shelter and mad world my mind was blown away.

    • @xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980
      @xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Před 4 měsíci +8

      All of them are great all the way through!

  • @patrickfort4467
    @patrickfort4467 Před 4 měsíci +116

    Curt Smith covered the song with his young daughter during the lock-down. At the time I did not know the song, but I listened to that version over and over again. The smile he exchanges with his daughter at the end is pure magic.

    • @razorcatshark3223
      @razorcatshark3223 Před 4 měsíci +10

      I still remember the moment I saw them perform together: 😍

    • @rmckinnon
      @rmckinnon Před 4 měsíci +9

      That is such a great vid. And she knocks it out of the park!

    • @phaedrapage4217
      @phaedrapage4217 Před 4 měsíci +7

      I saw that, very sweet father-daughter moment and at a very relevant time.

  • @RoyOliverMusic
    @RoyOliverMusic Před 4 měsíci +56

    I heard of the saying that goes “when you are sad, you hear the lyrics. And when you are happy, you hear the beat”. I heard it all on all TFF songs. They are my childhood heroes. And led me to pick up all the musical instruments and sing. Thank you Curt and Roland. Thank you Professor.

  • @anonymustly7818
    @anonymustly7818 Před 4 měsíci +39

    God we were so angsty back then. But then, many of us are today. If today isn't a mad world, IDK what is.

    • @ProfessorofRock
      @ProfessorofRock  Před 4 měsíci +6

      I know what you mean!

    • @nexpar7439
      @nexpar7439 Před 4 měsíci +6

      It has always been that way............ The more things change the more they stay the same.

    • @xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980
      @xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Před 4 měsíci +4

      It’s always been a crazy world!

  • @Ploots21
    @Ploots21 Před 4 měsíci +202

    I love Tears for Fears. Songs from the Big Chair and Seeds of Love are perfect albums from start to finish.

    • @FWDSUXARSE
      @FWDSUXARSE Před 4 měsíci +7

      They truly are. I remember first hearing Tears For Fears when Shout came out. I was 6.

    • @clarkem4119
      @clarkem4119 Před 4 měsíci +10

      So is The Hurting. Not one second of filler on it.

    • @markswabey5870
      @markswabey5870 Před 4 měsíci +2

      I am not a fan but they have made some really good song and i thought that seeds of love was much bigger.

    • @KenLieck
      @KenLieck Před 4 měsíci +1

      Seriously, check out the Korgis recent "Bringing Back the Spirit of Love" if you like "Sowing..."

    • @warrenny
      @warrenny Před 4 měsíci +2

      100% agree they are perfect. I always add the Elemental album as well. Another perfect TFF record.

  • @sovereignbrehon
    @sovereignbrehon Před 4 měsíci +72

    I worked with kids for years and used to tell them, be choosey about the music you listen to, it becomes the soundtrack to your life. Listen to what YOU really enjoy not just what's popular. Great episode!

    • @constructionbootgazer
      @constructionbootgazer Před 4 měsíci +13

      So true and well put. In our lives, people will pass, foods will change taste, movies will look outdated and rough, but somehow music transcends all of that to teleport you back. It’s surreal and beautiful how our brains connect with this specific art and memories in time.

  • @jwprimetime9795
    @jwprimetime9795 Před 4 měsíci +58

    At 49 I’ve been to almost a thousand concerts. Music is my life. A year and a half ago Tears for Fears took the number one spot of greatest concerts I’ve ever been to. My wife agreed. These guys are on top of their game!!

  • @scsreaper
    @scsreaper Před 3 měsíci +2

    And let's not forget the incredible cover by Puddles Pity Party. Thank you, Roland, for gifting us with something to connect with.

  • @1feralbeast
    @1feralbeast Před 4 měsíci +60

    The Hurting is definitely on the list of truly underappreciated albums of the 80's. I still listen to it every few months minimum from start to finish. Never gets old for me.

  • @badkitty4922
    @badkitty4922 Před 4 měsíci +37

    First let me start by saying that I don't watch American Idol (or The Voice for that matter), but one night some years ago I was flipping through channels and stopped because a young man (Adam Lambert) was singing Mad World. It was so haunting and beautiful I got goosebumps all over, and by the time he was finished I was crying a little. Dayum, that boy wrung all the pain in that song out beautifully!
    Apparently the contestants had to choose a song from the year of their birth, and I totally loved Adam's choice. No surprise he's got a career of his own.
    Don't ask me about the rest of that night, I know I changed the channel and that's it, lol.

    • @michelelearner297
      @michelelearner297 Před 4 měsíci +2

      It's an amazing cover :) Adam Lambert's song "Broken Open" has a similar mood but a more reassuring lyrical outcome, I think.

    • @phaedrapage4217
      @phaedrapage4217 Před 4 měsíci +2

      I like his cover of Duran Duran's Ordinary World as well. He has such a great voice and stage presence. He was definitely born to perform.

    • @ineedmoreshoes4668
      @ineedmoreshoes4668 Před 3 měsíci +2

      His cover of Mad World was incredible!

    • @badkitty4922
      @badkitty4922 Před 3 měsíci +1

      @ineedmoreshoes4668 it was! He also made it his own, he didn't try to BE either member of TFF.
      It actually would've been Kurt Smith, but you know what I mean.
      I LOVE your user name! 💕
      You're my spirit animal, lol!😂😘💖🫂

  • @jiyangsong3120
    @jiyangsong3120 Před 3 měsíci +5

    "Shout" is pure catharsis for my soul.

  • @azurejerseygirl
    @azurejerseygirl Před 4 měsíci +9

    I loved this band. I had few friends in high school and was not popular. I was also bullied. Tears for Fears music touched me and how I felt. I still listen to them.

  • @NuOrder11
    @NuOrder11 Před 4 měsíci +70

    Classic!
    Their new album, "The Tipping Point" is worth listening to as well. ...it's awesome.

  • @feedingravens
    @feedingravens Před 4 měsíci +22

    When you are alone, it should be soothing to realize that you are not alone being lonely

  • @alpo2smith
    @alpo2smith Před 4 měsíci +36

    Still listening to them frequently

  • @barneypaws4883
    @barneypaws4883 Před 4 měsíci +7

    All these years I never knew this song was written about Roland's own life. For me, it now gives this great tune different look..for the better

  • @slickx45
    @slickx45 Před 4 měsíci +21

    Much of the music from my younger years acts as a time machine. I can close my eyes and be transported back to specific places and times in my life. Music is so powerful.

  • @fortunateson101
    @fortunateson101 Před 4 měsíci +29

    I was born in '71 and am forever grateful my teenage years coincided with the fantastic era of music that was the '80s. Although at the time I was into more alternative and underground bands, I have come to enjoy most of the popular songs from that era just because of the heavy nostalgia they carry! I've loved the subsequent music as well, right up to today's music, but there is something about the music that was on the airwaves at the time you were experiencing so many firsts...first love, first heart break, first job, first car, first concert...never to be repeated times.

    • @spanishpeaches2930
      @spanishpeaches2930 Před 4 měsíci +1

      I can go one better..Born in 61 and grew up with both the brilliant 70s and the 80s !

    • @barneypaws4883
      @barneypaws4883 Před 4 měsíci +1

      I was born in '74 and know exactly what you mean

    • @harryscarry6064
      @harryscarry6064 Před 4 měsíci +3

      Yes I totally understand what you’re saying. A romantic time. 72 boy.

  • @badbiker666
    @badbiker666 Před 4 měsíci +14

    "The music you listen to when you're a child, when you're a teenager, it becomes a part of your being. It creates your world. It thankfully stays with you as an old friend."
    Profound words, indeed! I became a teenager in the early 70s and fifty years later I am still listening to the same songs I heard on the radio back then. Thank goodness for satellite radio. There are a handful of channels where I can find those wonderful songs that I listened to in my room. Door closed, lights out, just me and my music. I did not go on to be a musician, although I have been playing the drums, off and on, since 1968. When I manage to find like-minded individuals who feel the need to jam, then I am the happiest I can be.

  • @georgemathie8123
    @georgemathie8123 Před 4 měsíci +72

    Tears from fears was a band in such a short time that evolved from an 80s pop band into a group of mature and insightful musicians from Curt Smith's gentle vocals to Roland orzabal's powerful vocal deliveries and stunning guitar playing they became an iconic band thats still putting out great music today

    • @ProfessorofRock
      @ProfessorofRock  Před 4 měsíci +5

      Amen! Love the comment George!

    • @xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980
      @xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Před 4 měsíci +3

      One of my favorite musical acts of all time.

    • @georgemathie8123
      @georgemathie8123 Před 4 měsíci +1

      @@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 what's your favorite album of theirs the hurting is great and elemental I like to the one that took the longest to grow on me was the seeds of love that has some Roland's finest guitar playing on that album

    • @xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980
      @xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Před 4 měsíci +4

      @@georgemathie8123 Mine is Songs from the Big Chair. Every single song on that album is unskippable. One that I never hear anyone talk about is The Working Hour. It’s such a cool song.

    • @georgemathie8123
      @georgemathie8123 Před 4 měsíci +2

      @@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 it's a perfect album yes the working hour has a kind of progressive rock edge to it for me it's side ,2 all the way for me from the gentle and jazzy I believe and the fantastic broken, head over heels and the powerful ending of listen and Isn't Roland orzabal such a fantastic guitar player he almost reminds me of David Gilmour in a way

  • @imlistening1137
    @imlistening1137 Před 4 měsíci +8

    I’m 66 and you are so correct about the music from your youth becoming part of the fabric that is you.

  • @flappyfish42
    @flappyfish42 Před 4 měsíci +146

    This song spoke to me in the 80’s, 90’s and to this day. I play piano by ear and my daughter inherited that trait. She passed away 3 years ago at age 26. While searching through Facebook videos of her there was one where she was playing the piano along with others and ‘Mad World’ was the song. This song continues to add more meaning now. She, like myself had suffered from depression and we both could relate to the lyrics of this song. ❤
    Some songs are overplayed and they get tiring, but not this one!
    Thanks for providing such wonderful content about the greatest songs from all generations.

  • @stuckerfam
    @stuckerfam Před 4 měsíci +16

    8:11 My dad always said on our way to the barber that it was "time to get our ears lowered."
    He turns 80 this year. Cool guy. Your quip brought back a funny memory. Thank you for that.

  • @flavellinator
    @flavellinator Před 4 měsíci +47

    I remember back in the early MTV days trippin' on the video... Curt singing next to the window, and the silhouette dancing toward the end of it... Good ol days!

    • @ProfessorofRock
      @ProfessorofRock  Před 4 měsíci

      Good ol days indeed! What's your favorite TFF song?

    • @flavellinator
      @flavellinator Před 4 měsíci +1

      @@ProfessorofRock Pale Shelter- because its originality... Advice for the Young at Heart is a close second- so smooth!

    • @xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980
      @xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Před 4 měsíci

      It’s a memorable video!

  • @lindamcfarland9656
    @lindamcfarland9656 Před 4 měsíci +71

    Professor, I cant agree enough with your closing reflection on how music can both memorialize and shape our life and our attitudes. I think outside experiences are obviously major part, but listening to artists describe common experiences in humanity reminds us we're not alone either in sadness or in celebration. ❤

  • @ajozad1743
    @ajozad1743 Před 4 měsíci +14

    I would love to hear Roland sing this song. I can’t imagine how he felt it didn’t sound right. Roland has one of the best voices and is one of the best singers around.

    • @sunnyandthechlo
      @sunnyandthechlo Před 3 měsíci +1

      I love Roland’s voice. I think he and Curt actually sound very similar so it’s strange that he didn’t think his voice sounded right.

  • @RB-bd5tz
    @RB-bd5tz Před 4 měsíci +11

    Curt’s acoustic “Jules” version with his daughter is splendid, with exquisite Simogarfunkian harmonies.

    • @phaedrapage4217
      @phaedrapage4217 Před 4 měsíci

      Simogarfunkian might be one of my new favorite words.

  • @mikethesportshistorycollec1947
    @mikethesportshistorycollec1947 Před 4 měsíci +7

    The best version I've heard of Mad World was done by Curt Smith and his daughter...a stripped-down acoustic version they put on the internet during the pandemic. Magical!

    • @carlahager
      @carlahager Před 3 měsíci

      I love this version and have watched it over and over again ❤❤❤

  • @nairbvel
    @nairbvel Před 4 měsíci +7

    Your ending comment about how the music of your teen years stays with you is so, so true. My niece was recently in a musical review in her high school that consisted almost entirely of songs from my high school & early college years. There were many times I found myself singing along with tears in my eyes, remembering events and/or people that are forever linked to those songs.

  • @ShortDarknLovely
    @ShortDarknLovely Před 4 měsíci +67

    Btw... They used to call PTSD "shell shock"
    OAN: i love this band and there aren't enough words to describe all that talent.

    • @ProfessorofRock
      @ProfessorofRock  Před 4 měsíci +3

      Thanks!

    • @ianobrien3248
      @ianobrien3248 Před 4 měsíci +14

      That's the great George Carlin bit about how that and syllables. "Shell Shock" (2) to "Battle Fatigue" (4) to "post-traumatic stress disorder" (8)

    • @madbrowniac7871
      @madbrowniac7871 Před 4 měsíci +4

      Also "Operative Exhaustion."😔B.W.

    • @Taranau
      @Taranau Před 4 měsíci +3

      Actually... Shell Shock involves concussions with accompanying skull fractures and cranial hemorrhaging... It's not a Disorder, it's physical damage to the head...

    • @AleisterCrowleyMagus
      @AleisterCrowleyMagus Před 4 měsíci +24

      @@Taranau I believe the poster is referring to how the term was used during the WWI era, when it was used as a term to describe what is now known as ptss or ptsd. I studied how this was discussed by medical professionals (while I was in grad school) and as psychiatry was in in its relevant infancy, WWI vets who had acute severe ptsd were thought to have “shell shock” in addition to other possible conditions.

  • @bicyclist2
    @bicyclist2 Před 4 měsíci +25

    I love Tears for Fears. All of their songs are great. Their songs really helped me get through a tough childhood as well. I played there albums on cassette tape over and over. I always cranked up the volume and sang along when ever I head them on the radio. Thank you.

  • @DaveWillmore
    @DaveWillmore Před 4 měsíci +69

    The Jules version of Mad World is probably the song that gets me most.

    • @jennybates
      @jennybates Před 4 měsíci +4

      Both versions get me.

    • @DaveWillmore
      @DaveWillmore Před 4 měsíci +2

      I love both versions.@@jennybates

    • @eightiesmusic1984
      @eightiesmusic1984 Před 4 měsíci +7

      Me too because it was dreadful.

    • @nexpar7439
      @nexpar7439 Před 4 měsíci

      Agree 100%.

    • @PositiveChanges71
      @PositiveChanges71 Před 4 měsíci +3

      Even Roland and Curt agree Jules version is more in keeping with the mood of the lyrics. ❤ them both.

  • @TerrickTerran
    @TerrickTerran Před 4 měsíci +69

    Wasn't sure I knew this song but realized it's simply a forgotten classic and very deep.

    • @ProfessorofRock
      @ProfessorofRock  Před 4 měsíci +5

      Very deep! Are you a fan of TFF?

    • @TerrickTerran
      @TerrickTerran Před 4 měsíci +8

      @@ProfessorofRockI am indeed.

    • @ProfessorofRock
      @ProfessorofRock  Před 4 měsíci +3

      Very cool!@@TerrickTerran

    • @Chordonblue
      @Chordonblue Před 4 měsíci +13

      I was once told, insistently by a young person, that Jules' version was the original... Until I played her the Tears For Fears version from 2 decades before...
      "Oh..." 🤣

    • @judgedrekk2981
      @judgedrekk2981 Před 4 měsíci +4

      it passed my by in the 80's, I was more into Shout and Everyone wants to rule the world, but since 2000 I've gone back to a bunch of old stuff and reconnected and this song stands out more than it did then...that's the mark of a good song...either you see it on release for what it is or later on it clicks due to life experience or you used to just like the sound but now the lyrics do it for you lol
      any song that can get new life later on is a keeper and Mad World is a keeper for the ages....as is most of RFF's catalog lol

  • @Whisper_292
    @Whisper_292 Před 4 měsíci +15

    Somehow I missed this song in the 80s. I got TFF's greatest hits album, and that was the first time I had ever heard it. I love it. Sowing the Seeds of Love is my favorite TFF song, though. It's such an upbeat anthem, and of course, I love a sunflower.

    • @ProfessorofRock
      @ProfessorofRock  Před 4 měsíci +2

      Tears Roll Down the Best of TFF?

    • @Whisper_292
      @Whisper_292 Před 4 měsíci

      That's the one! I couldn't think of the title offhand. ​@ProfessorofRock

    • @xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980
      @xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Před 4 měsíci +2

      I love Seeds of Love! It’s so Beatles-esque.

    • @Whisper_292
      @Whisper_292 Před 4 měsíci

      @xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 You know what? I never heard that until someone mentioned that in the POR comments! Now I can't unhear it.

  • @danieldwyer5139
    @danieldwyer5139 Před 4 měsíci +4

    I forgot how much I loved these guys, I am going to go back and revisit their first three albums, thanks Professor

  • @kellygreene6752
    @kellygreene6752 Před 4 měsíci +31

    Thank you for covering this one. “Mad World” was my intro to New Wave/alternative music in the very early 1980’s.

  • @HooliganMomma
    @HooliganMomma Před 4 měsíci +13

    My favorite band..my bff and I went to every single concert of theirs here in California starting in 1985...I've lost track of how many times I've seen them and recently, my Son's first concert was TFF in 2022...and asked to include him when we bought tickets again in 2023!! (My job with his musical taste is done!! LOL!!!) I still continue to LOVE them..their last album really shows their mindset with what has happened to them and their lives at this age now!!! I met Roland years ago at a record release...he knew I was a giant fan and reacted like HE was my biggest fan while screaming as he shook my hand....sigh! TFF completely overlooked as one of the most significant bands of not only the 80's but into their musical future and luckily into ours!! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for this thorough video!!!! xo

  • @plottracer
    @plottracer Před 4 měsíci +10

    This was your best yet. I write for Blitzed Magazine here in the UK, and write about 80s music- your closing lines in this video sum up why I write about these songs. They go to my core. I love most music- even some of what is around nowadays... but albums like The Hurting, and groups like (as in my recent articles) Cocteau Twins, Jesus and Mary Chain, Associates, Wah! and many others, comforted, educated and socialised me. They are friends. Keep up the great work, mate. These videos, one day, will be the revision notes for college students studying the popular poetry and music of a hugely important cultural epoch. 👍🏼

  • @ladykoiwolfe
    @ladykoiwolfe Před 4 měsíci +3

    Back in 84, I was 5 years old and almost completely non-verbal. But Tears for Fears put out "Shout" and it connected with me in such an essential way, I started singing that song every time it came on. It still took a while longer before I started talking, but "Shout" is still one of my favorite songs.

  • @michaelconger6420
    @michaelconger6420 Před 4 měsíci +5

    I'm 56, love the channel. My dad used to say he was "going to get his ears lowered" 😂

  • @djpd2006
    @djpd2006 Před 4 měsíci +31

    My first exposure to this song was watching Donnie Darko, it came as a great surprise that the song was a Tears For Fears original as I was a huge fan of them as a kid and was only exposed to Songs From The Big Chair and Seeds Of Love, I was a too young to of known about The Hurting so it was really awesome to be able to go back and check that out, this song truly is a masterpiece, awesome work on this episode I hope you do get to interview them soon

    • @ProfessorofRock
      @ProfessorofRock  Před 4 měsíci +3

      Very cool! Great comment!

    • @dr.awkward9075
      @dr.awkward9075 Před 4 měsíci +1

      I'm taking a guess that you're 48 years old.

    • @djpd2006
      @djpd2006 Před 4 měsíci +2

      @dr.awkward9075 I'm 47 I believe I was in 2nd grade when Songs From The Big Chair came out

    • @kj9093
      @kj9093 Před 4 měsíci +3

      Adam Lambert did an awesome cover of this song during his run on American Idol, it was in the same arrangement of Gary Jules.

    • @Beachgirl1
      @Beachgirl1 Před 4 měsíci

      @@kj9093 Adam’s version introduced me to Jules’ version. I love Tears For Fears, but Gary Jules’ cover is one of the best covers of all time. It really showcases the sadness of the song.

  • @capsilog1
    @capsilog1 Před 4 měsíci +5

    The '80s is the bomb!

  • @mexiarthur
    @mexiarthur Před 4 měsíci +1

    In ‘89 I was 13yo and had brain surgery. During my recovery I emotionally regressed and craved all music from a few years earlier…Tears For Fears was part of that heavy rotation of music. Mad World will always hold a sentimental spot in my soul.

  • @cmckinney380
    @cmckinney380 Před 4 měsíci +1

    Absolutely, one of my top 5 favorite bands. I was a baby in the 80's, but I was able to enjoy there songs during the 90's. They helped keep me sane

  • @peterferber1527
    @peterferber1527 Před 4 měsíci +6

    Adam:
    I love Mad World, and you did a great job of laying out the narrative. I am a longstanding pianist, and my performances of Mad World have often been showstoppers with my friends.
    This podcast convinced me to stop being a freeloader and become a Patreon member, which I did today. Am pleased to drop some modest coin to see these artists and these musical stories thrive.
    With gratitude and respect, ~ Peter Ferber

  • @vonhalberstadt3590
    @vonhalberstadt3590 Před 4 měsíci +15

    I worked security for TFF in I think 1990 at the fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta. Great, no frills, solid concert.
    Pros.

  • @stephenedavis7
    @stephenedavis7 Před 4 měsíci +1

    An 80's classic that keeps on resurfacing in every generation.

  • @robertleemeyer
    @robertleemeyer Před 4 měsíci +8

    The music of our youth becomes a part of us. So true. The music of the late 60s / early 70s sends me right back to the absolute joy of discovering music that spoke to me. It was the beginning of the formation of my identity.

  • @rogerdeahl9629
    @rogerdeahl9629 Před 4 měsíci +27

    ❤🎉
    Tears for Fears!
    Love The Hurting.
    I never knew Donnie Darko led to the songs resurgence. Maybe I was in a fog....
    Happy Saturday Every One!

  • @LollieVox
    @LollieVox Před 4 měsíci +22

    I love this channel, it’s nice to hear stories about songs I know & love!

  • @OtherMike5000
    @OtherMike5000 Před 4 měsíci +2

    *The Hurting* is an EPIC album start to finish.

  • @kimberlyfinch6055
    @kimberlyfinch6055 Před 4 měsíci +5

    It's a mad world that everyone wants to rule it I just want to shout it and let it all out ❤TFFF❤ Thanks you made the 80's Excellent 😊

  • @SimpleMan1988
    @SimpleMan1988 Před 4 měsíci +7

    Professor, you post many wonderful videos here on CZcams, but this touched a place in my heart like no has been to in a while. Thank you so much for covering and telling the History of Roland and how he came to write Mad Would. I also can relate to his life ...but have survived and I am in much better state of being. Once again, thanks Professor of Rock

  • @sheriwoodward2925
    @sheriwoodward2925 Před 4 měsíci +3

    Music From The Big Chair was my first experience with TFF, so I hadn't heard Mad World until Adam Lambert performed it on American Idol. I was blown away by the beauty of the performance and the lyrics.
    I was delighted to find out it was a TFF song. Loved them in the 80s and still loving them today. Brilliant coverage of this beautiful song.

  • @levimarr
    @levimarr Před 4 měsíci +2

    this song makes me cry every time... not that i had a bad childhood, is that i feel the pain from it so vividly.

  • @LonicGheshu
    @LonicGheshu Před 4 měsíci +1

    I love Pale Shelter. The first chord gives me goosebumps. It reminds me of our school discos.

  • @GreenTT-l1l
    @GreenTT-l1l Před 4 měsíci +5

    The Tipping Point is fantastic and proves that these guys still got it. They sound just as good as they ever have. I get irritated by some peoples’ comments on their newer stuff because many will say “WOW what happened to this guy!😂” because Roland is so grey now (not even grey but white, instead of a silver fox I call him an arctic fox!) which shows so much insensitivity and ignorance. I get that people are used to seeing these guys young, but that was decades ago! We all age and should be able to do so with grace. And as your video shows, Roland has not had the easiest life, clearly, from childhood and through adulthood. His precious wife passed at a relatively young age due to alcoholism, and we can only imagine the suffering that went on over the decades. I’m glad he found love again. Of course he won’t look the same as he did 40 years ago! To these people saying things like “what happened to him?” I want to say, well, pull up a chair. A Big chair 😌

    • @ProfessorofRock
      @ProfessorofRock  Před 4 měsíci +2

      Something tells me they'll have it till the day they die!

    • @xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980
      @xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Před 4 měsíci +1

      All that matters is that they still have amazing voices and they can still make great music!

    • @GreenTT-l1l
      @GreenTT-l1l Před 4 měsíci

      @@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 YES!! 🥰

  • @AshleyMckendree
    @AshleyMckendree Před 4 měsíci +4

    In the early 80's As a child my mother would listen to TFF and I was hypnotized by it, I didnt come from a broken home, but my musician father was completely absent, spending all of his time in his failing recording studio (🎶Going nowhere, going nowhere 🎶) while my mother had to work 14hr days scrubbing toilets to support his ridiculous dream. I spent much of my time alone, listening to The Hurting vinyl on repeat. Today listening to it stirs up so many emotions.

  • @andrewkotcher5704
    @andrewkotcher5704 Před 4 měsíci +1

    Gary Jules version always resonated strongly with me.

  • @seanmartinez2332
    @seanmartinez2332 Před 4 měsíci +1

    I finally got to see them in concert in 2023. Only took me 40 years.

  • @elisacoffey5140
    @elisacoffey5140 Před 4 měsíci +5

    Thanks for what you said about the songs from our childhood and teenage years. You are 400% right. That music becomes part of us.

  • @johneenkelly2462
    @johneenkelly2462 Před 3 měsíci

    Takes me back to my adolescence in the 80s. I’m so fortunate to have grown up during that time. Gen X, the last of the great generations.

  • @NewtonDKC
    @NewtonDKC Před 4 měsíci +3

    TFF is my all time favorite band…got me thru my horrific teenage years, thru a college suicide attempt and thru life’s ups and downs here and there. Had a ton of their 12” remix albums in my teens and college back when 12” “maxi singles” were a thing, had their albums on vinyl and cassette and later CD and eventually my iPod (and now of course in my iTunes library!). Everytime I hear their music it just sends me to a different place…a better place. Love TFF!!!

  • @IheartDogs55
    @IheartDogs55 Před 4 měsíci +2

    Believe it or not, I had never heard of this song before this video. It's a beautiful song. I'm glad the Professor highlighted it.

  • @starrywizdom
    @starrywizdom Před 4 měsíci +2

    I love all your episodes on Orzabal & Smith! Holding my thumbs that you get that interview.

  • @Yamstarch
    @Yamstarch Před 4 měsíci +2

    I am a child of the 80's an TFF are one of those band I grew up on, but would never say I was 100% a fan, but now later in life they are a band with a catalog I always go back to from time to time.

  • @kevhanson1262
    @kevhanson1262 Před 4 měsíci +3

    I was 11 when this came out and completely understood what it was like living with a father who would lose it and I would suffer verbal and physical abuse upto 21 years old so subconsciously it became ingrained.
    The album is a must a master piece with" the prisoner" being difficult to listen to because it's frantic and earie. Mad world sums up child suffering alienation you just hope a generation of kids now and to come listen to that song and album and get help before it's too late.
    Wonderful review ❤

  • @net2000man
    @net2000man Před 4 měsíci +4

    Another of my favorite bands from my young adult life, Professor. I am so BLESSED to have lived through the 60's, 70's and 80's, and to have witnessed some of the most amazing music ever created and performed. TFF is one of those transcendent bands that have produced music that has indeed stuck with me as part of the very fabric of my life. I agree with you, Professor, and love how you wrapped up your analysis. Thanks for ALL you do, we music junkies appreciate and are extremely grateful to you for allowing us to relive those poignant moments of our lives. Well done, Brother, well done!!

  • @Coffeegirl85
    @Coffeegirl85 Před 4 měsíci +7

    Absolutely Love them! Like you said…certain songs and bands become a part of your life. TFF is one of those bands. I saw them last year and they are still Amazing! ❤🎶

  • @mrclaytron
    @mrclaytron Před 4 měsíci +2

    Still one of my favourites. I absolutely love Tears For Fears!
    Great video as always Adam!

  • @johnvannewhouse
    @johnvannewhouse Před 4 měsíci +4

    LOVE your sincerity and emotional honesty about all these things from the music that bind us together ... you are just a CLARION!

  • @toddblanchard7765
    @toddblanchard7765 Před 4 měsíci +4

    One of the first times I just hung out with a college friend listening to music and talking - I put in the Hurting CD and after we went through it, we both realized that we knew every single word and that we'd be friends for a long time. We just hung out in Seattle last fall, still listening to music in the car.

  • @TracyGarner-mf2uf
    @TracyGarner-mf2uf Před 4 měsíci +23

    Saw them in 80 in a small lounge in Vegas and they were GREAT! I don't have any of their LP's but, when their music comes on the radio,I crank it up!
    This is music that helps you remember the past. BRAVO DOC.😊👍✌️

  • @simonalyneenderz3247
    @simonalyneenderz3247 Před 4 měsíci +1

    I loved Pale Shelter. That CD was some serious deep emotions. Fantastic!

  • @kansascityonline
    @kansascityonline Před 4 měsíci +23

    luv all things Roland.. he is the 7th son of the 7th son.. meanwhile, your album collection will be complete when I see Lake (German band) first album back there!.. It was my first ever purchased lp and what a great great lp it was.. Heard the song 'Between The Lines' on pirate radio late night.. killr 12min tune.. btw > I saw TFF in a small town in France back in 84' when they were just getting going.. They were with the Thompson Twins, Bronski Beat and Howard Jones.. Was a great little concert in a little musical hall.. ah,, the guud ode dayz..

    • @ProfessorofRock
      @ProfessorofRock  Před 4 měsíci +2

      Love it!

    • @kansascityonline
      @kansascityonline Před 4 měsíci +2

      @@ProfessorofRock we gotta get you over the 1mil subs mark.. !!.. posting this video now over at my music group on Gab.. btw > most passionate ending in the video.. you commented before I finished watching. Most excellent storytelling.. well done indeed.

    • @poldidak
      @poldidak Před 4 měsíci +1

      That 1976 debut Lake album, plus Lucifer’s Friend’s “Mind Exploding” album from the same year are still in my childhood vinyl collection

    • @kansascityonline
      @kansascityonline Před 4 měsíci +1

      @@poldidak LAKE lives!.. thats awesome.. !!. you made my day!.. 😄

  • @woodbarber6679
    @woodbarber6679 Před 4 měsíci +4

    What I love about your channel is you take the songs of my youth and open my eyes to the depth and beauty of the music from that time of my life. Thank you.

  • @winstonsmiths2449
    @winstonsmiths2449 Před 3 měsíci

    Donnie Darko scene where Mad World is played are ethereal together...perfect!

  • @rhanemann9100
    @rhanemann9100 Před 4 měsíci +1

    "Working Hour" was pretty much the soundtrack of my 8th grade year. New school, new city - and lots of initial isolation. Something about that song hit me.

  • @brownhornet541
    @brownhornet541 Před 4 měsíci +1

    Adam, you are the man. Every time you get emotional, you get me emotional.
    Music is everything and this is why your channel is so special. Love your work man!

  • @darthwiizius
    @darthwiizius Před 4 měsíci +2

    When Tears For Fears were active I was into rock and metal, Mad World was a song that everyone knew and everyone understood. It's timeless, it speaks to a point we all live through at sometime in our life.

  • @draelyc
    @draelyc Před 4 měsíci +4

    Your final reflection upon the vast impact of music in our childhood and adolescent lives is so utterly, profoundly true. That "soundtrack" does absolutely fuse to the core of one's soul and inform, if not outright shape, the person one grows up to become. And I don't think we talk about that nearly enough. Thank you for putting words to this truth. Well done.

  • @unwokehillbilly4827
    @unwokehillbilly4827 Před 4 měsíci +1

    Roland absolutely killed it with those dance moves...Great song...

  • @DanielGBenesScienceShows
    @DanielGBenesScienceShows Před 4 měsíci +1

    I like to explore small town antique shops when I’m out touring with my Science Shows. It’s a great way to unwind, meet some cool people and see some cool things after a show. Last year I stopped into an big open-room layout antique store in a small Texas town and was immediately hit with the unmistakable sound of Tears for Fears. A corner of the store was a record shop and had a turntable that was playing the vinyl of ‘Songs From The Big Chair’ loud enough to be heard throughout the whole store. The energy in that place was absolutely electric! People were friendly and happy. At one point the store owners (3 cool dudes in their 30’s) started singing and dancing around the register area. I may have a white beard, but I was an 80’s teenager and couldn’t help but join them, which I absolutely did! They gifted me a cold Coke (Cola) and we shared some fun small talk. I hung out in the store for the entire album (and even found a vintage Gemme Frankenstein’s Lab toy that I couldn’t live without) before I had to get back on the road. Wanna guess what album I put on in my vehicle? You better believe it was Tears for Fears! Any road-induced sleepiness was gone. I’ll never forget that special, random moment in time inspired by the music of TFF.

  • @NamathCB
    @NamathCB Před 4 měsíci +4

    These guys came along when i was in middle school. Such a nostalgic time for all of us. Very thankful we/I had great music like this to help me understand and work my way through becoming a young teen in the early/mid 80s. Still have a poster as well as albums of theirs including a remix of one of their hits with only a few tunes on it. Great times, wish my daughter was growing up then instead of now

    • @ProfessorofRock
      @ProfessorofRock  Před 4 měsíci +2

      Thanks for sharing. I agree about my own kids!

    • @NamathCB
      @NamathCB Před 4 měsíci

      @@ProfessorofRock yes I saw where you said you've recently exposed your son to the FIXX. LOVE IT because I enjoy doing the same for my 11 yo daughter! Supertramp and many of the "Yacht Rock" tunes along with Michael Jackson seem to be her favs. Thanks for the reply and the content. Like I've said you often sound similar to Casey so it's nice to sit and feel like I'm listening to an old top 40 countdown like we so often/ALWAYS did as kids. ✌️🤍🤘

  • @ManOfMonism
    @ManOfMonism Před 21 dnem

    The Hurting is an absolutely masterful album. Emotionally deep. The Prisoner and Start of the Breakdown are my favourites.

  • @TheSlowoldman
    @TheSlowoldman Před 4 měsíci +11

    I like early TFF, this and Pale Shelter are always turned up when they come on! I just got a call from my adult son and he just reminded me this song is how I met his mother, I asked her to dance at a high school dance. He heard it in the background! A bit sad to hear the history of it to be honest.

  • @1oolabob
    @1oolabob Před 4 měsíci +2

    I've watched most of your videos by now, and this one hits me the hardest because of the depth with which you tell the story.
    You see, Roland's story has a very sad beginning, but he found triumphant healing through music and emotional honesty.
    Excellent work, Professor!

  • @neosixty9
    @neosixty9 Před 4 měsíci +6

    Always amazed with such insightful views you give us by dissecting a song’s history… Even if I already liked it, I end up loving it more and find joy by listening carefully to it again. Thanks Professor!

  • @arentol7
    @arentol7 Před 4 měsíci

    It was so cool when Curt did all those Cameo's on Psych. Brought back so many great memories of the 80's.

  • @warrenny
    @warrenny Před 4 měsíci +1

    Tears For Fears always get a like from me. Been a fan from the beginning.
    Their Big Chair album is loved by millions all over the world.
    Their Seeds of Love album is probably their best - loved by musicians for the very complex production of that record.

  • @70briareos
    @70briareos Před 2 měsíci

    Man, this song brings back a lot of memories.

  • @deofai
    @deofai Před 3 měsíci

    I’m really mesmerised by the quality of your reflections and all the input you provide on such beloved tracks. Tears for Fears was part of my childhood and adolescence. Some of their songs I came to understand much later in life as English is my second language and I wasn’t mature enough to understand them earlier on. I’ve subscribed to this channel as this was the second video I watched (the first one being on ‘Love will tear us apart’). Please continue to do this amazing work! There are so many songs out there that need a deeper look into. Very grateful! 😊

  • @RaeRaeOR
    @RaeRaeOR Před 4 měsíci

    Curt’s appearances on Psych made me watch those episodes over and over again. So good.

  • @TheDarthMaiku
    @TheDarthMaiku Před 4 měsíci +1

    Love your closing thoughts on music sticking around like an old friend. Couldn’t agree more!

  • @sariahut1
    @sariahut1 Před 4 měsíci +7

    This is one of my all time favorite TFF songs. I would even say one of my favorite songs of all time. These lyrics speak to my soul. To create so much beauty from so much pain is an incredible talent and a beautiful gift.

    • @ProfessorofRock
      @ProfessorofRock  Před 4 měsíci +1

      No question. It's a chilling song.

    • @sariahut1
      @sariahut1 Před 4 měsíci

      @@ProfessorofRock “chilling” what an incredibly apt description.

    • @ProfessorofRock
      @ProfessorofRock  Před 4 měsíci

      It just hits you in the soul. @@sariahut1

    • @sariahut1
      @sariahut1 Před 4 měsíci

      @@ProfessorofRock it really really does. I love every single version I’ve ever heard. This is one of my two all time favorite bands. Their music is a huge part of the soundtrack of my life.

    • @xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980
      @xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Před 4 měsíci

      Hauntingly beautiful.

  • @paulalee9692
    @paulalee9692 Před 4 měsíci +1

    I always enjoy your videos as I learn something new about these musicians and their songs