Shout (Tears for Fears song)

"Shout" is a song by English pop/rock band Tears for Fears, released as the second single from their second studio album, Songs from the Big Chair (1985), on 19 November 1984.[3] Roland Orzabal performs lead vocals on the track. The single became the group's sixth UK top 40 hit, peaking at No. 4 in January 1985. In the US, it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 3 August 1985 and remained there for three weeks. "Shout" would become one of the most successful songs of 1985, eventually reaching number 1 in multiple countries. It is regarded as one of the most recognizable songs from the mid-eighties, and is recognized by Chris True of AllMusic as a "Tears for Fears signature moment".[4]

"Shout"
Single by Tears for Fears
from the album Songs from the Big Chair
B-side"The Big Chair"
Released19 November 1984
StudioThe Wool Hall (Beckington, England)
Genre
Length
  • 6:31 (album version)
  • 3:59 (single version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Chris Hughes
Tears for Fears singles chronology
"Mothers Talk"
(1984)		 "Shout"
(1984)		 "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"
(1985)
Audio sample
"Shout"
  • file
  • help
Music video
"Shout" on YouTube

Background

While Tears for Fears' previous single "Mothers Talk" had showcased a new, more extroverted songwriting style, "Shout" was completed with power chords, heavy percussion, a synth bass solo and a vocal-sounding synth riff. The song even features a lengthy guitar solo, something previously unheard of in Tears for Fears' usual music style.

The song was written in my front room on just a small synthesizer and a drum machine. Initially I only had the chorus, which was very repetitive, like a mantra. I played it to Ian Stanley, our keyboardist, and Chris Hughes, the producer. I saw it as a good album track, but they were convinced it would be a hit around the world.

— Roland Orzabal

We were halfway through recording 'Mothers Talk' when Roland first played us a rough version of a new song he'd been working on. It was then very slow and very simple. I remember saying "this is so simple it should take about five minutes to record." Weeks later... We were halfway through recording 'Shout' when Roland had a birthday party. That evening I asked the four of them separately if they had any thoughts about sleeve notes for the record. Roland said "White text on black paper and say something about arguably the best offering yet." Curt said "You're probably the best person to make up some off the wall irrelevant drivel." Ian said "I don't like them, I'm not interested." Manny said "Did you know I used to play drums for 'Rocky Ricketts and The Jet Pilots of Jive?"

— Chris Hughes, from the "Shout" single sleeve notes

Meaning

"A lot of people think that 'Shout' is just another song about primal scream theory, continuing the themes of the first album. It is actually more concerned with political protest. It came out in 1984 when a lot of people were still worried about the aftermath of The Cold War and it was basically an encouragement to protest."

— Roland Orzabal

"It concerns protest inasmuch as it encourages people not to do things without actually questioning them. People act without thinking because that's just the way things go in society. So it's a general song, about the way the public accepts any old grief which is thrown at them."

— Curt Smith[5]

Song versions

"Shout" is by far the most abundantly remixed song in the Tears for Fears catalog, with at least 15 different versions of it having been officially released under the band's name.

As was commonplace during the 1980s, the original 12-inch vinyl single release featured an extended remix of the song. Three remixes by collaborators Steve Thompson and Michael Barbiero later appeared on American releases of the single, including dub and a cappella versions.

In addition to the 12-inch mixes, "Shout" also appeared in three different 7-inch versions. The original single version released in the UK and much of the rest of the world clocks in at 5:53 and is the same mix of the song found on the Songs from the Big Chair LP, albeit in an edited form. The version released in Germany and Japan is 4:51 in length and fades out during the guitar solo. Meanwhile, the final version released in America is specifically tailored for radio play at a concise 3:59 in length, featuring edits to the chorus and instrumental sections.

Release variations

In addition to the standard 7- and 12-inch releases, the "Shout" single was issued in two collectible formats in the UK: a limited edition 10-inch single and a 7-inch boxed pack featuring a 1985 Tears for Fears calendar. A similar limited edition 7-inch pack was released in Canada, this one featuring a 12-page booklet of band photos. In 1988, "Shout" was reissued on the short-lived CD Video format. The disc included two mixes of the title track, a remix of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", and the "Shout" music video.

B-side

"The Big Chair" was B-side to the "Shout" single. Though there are no lyrics, the track contains dialogue samples performed by actors Sally Field and William Prince from the 1976 television film Sybil, from which the song (and the album Songs from the Big Chair) takes its name. This is one of the few songs in the Tears for Fears catalogue on which bandmember Curt Smith shares a writing credit. The song has since been included in the band's B-sides and rarities collection Saturnine Martial & Lunatic (1996) as well as the remastered and deluxe edition reissues of Songs from the Big Chair.

This track was very much inspired by the film Sybil about a woman suffering from multiple personalities undergoing psychotherapy. The big chair in her therapist's office is the place Sybil feels safest to recount the horrors of her childhood.

— Roland Orzabal

Music video

The promotional video for "Shout", filmed in late 1984, was the second Tears for Fears video directed by famed music video producer Nigel Dick. It features footage of Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith at Durdle Door in Dorset, England, as well as at a studio performance with the full band (including Ian Stanley and Manny Elias) performing the song amidst a crowd of family and friends. The video reportedly cost only £14,000 to produce.

Along with the clip for "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", the "Shout" video had a big hand in helping establish Tears for Fears in America due to its heavy airplay on the music video channel MTV. The band had at one time considered making a second video for the song's American single release, as the original was not considered MTV friendly.

Track listings

Charts

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[38] Platinum 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[39] Gold 10,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[40] Silver 250,000^
United States (RIAA)[41] Gold 500,000^
United States (RIAA)[41] Gold 500,000*

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

*In addition to its Gold certification for 500,000 physical copies sold in the 1980s, "Shout" was awarded a second Gold award by the RIAA in 2012 for 500,000 digital copies sold.

Cover versions

"Shout" has been covered by various artists including:

Shout for England
Main article: Shout (Shout for England song)

In 2010, "Shout" was used as the basis for an unofficial anthem of the England football team in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The new version, performed by Shout for England featuring Dizzee Rascal and James Corden, utilises elements from the Tears For Fears song amid new verses written specifically for the 2010 World Cup. The track also samples "Grandma's Hands" by Bill Withers and was produced by Simon Cowell in association with TalkTalk. It was released on 9 June.[47] On 13 June, the track entered the UK Singles Chart at no. 1.[48]

gollark: Mostly because of this bug, probably.
gollark: No.
gollark: Ah, that explains it, yes.
gollark: <@111608748027445248> said it didn't occur *ingame*.
gollark: CC: Tweaked, assuming the bug is shared between them.

See also

References
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  3. "Record News". NME. London, England: 46. 17 November 1984.
  4. True, Chris. "Shout – Song Review". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  5. "Top 10 Tears for Fears Songs We Want to Hear Live This Sunday". Spot.ph. 29 April 2010. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  6. "Australian Top 50 — Week Ending 31st March, 1985". Imgur.com. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
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  22. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
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  40. "British single certifications – Tears for Fears – Shout". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Shout in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  41. "American single certifications – Tears for Fears – Shout". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
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  44. Gustafsson, Fredrik (12 March 2011). "Will Alexis Jordan Shout Her Way to the Top?". WelcheMusic. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
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