Everybody Wants to Rule the World
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a song by English pop rock band Tears for Fears from their second studio album Songs from the Big Chair (1985). It was written by Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley, and Chris Hughes and produced by Hughes. It was released on 22 March 1985 by Phonogram, Mercury, and Vertigo Records as the third single from the album. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a new wave and synth-pop song with lyrics that detail the desire humans have for control and power and centre on themes of corruption.
| "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" | ||||
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| Single by Tears for Fears | ||||
| from the album Songs from the Big Chair | ||||
| B-side | "Pharaohs" | |||
| Released | 22 March 1985 | |||
| Studio | The Wool Hall (Beckington, Somerset, England) | |||
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| Length | 4:21 | |||
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| Producer(s) | Chris Hughes | |||
| Tears for Fears singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" on YouTube | ||||
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 US Billboard Hot 100 and Cashbox. It was certified gold by both Music Canada (MC) and the British 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's signature songs.
A music video received promotion from MTV. The year the song came out, it was featured in the ending to the science fiction comedy film Real Genius. In 1986, the song won Best Single at the Brit Awards. The group re-recorded the song as a charity single for the Sport Aid campaign. The song has been covered extensively since its release, most notably by New Zealand singer Lorde for the soundtrack to the movie adaptation of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.