This article needs additional citations for verification .(February 2014) |
"Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams" | |
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Song by Tears for Fears | |
A-side | "Advice for the Young at Heart" |
Released | 19 February 1990 (B-side) |
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Label | Fontana |
Songwriter(s) | Roland Orzabal |
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"Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams" | ||||
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Single by Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams | ||||
Released | 21 January 1991 | |||
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Length |
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Label | Fontana | |||
Songwriter(s) | Roland Orzabal | |||
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Tears for Fears singles chronology | ||||
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"Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams" is a song by the British band Tears for Fears, originally appearing as the B-side to their 1990 single "Advice for the Young at Heart" before being remixed by the techno producer/DJ band Fluke and released as a single in its own right in 1991. The remix was later included on the band's B-side compilation album Saturnine Martial & Lunatic .
It became a number-one hit on the UK Dance Chart, while reaching number 70 on the UK Singles Chart. Although still a Tears for Fears track, the Fluke remix single was credited only as "Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams". The cover of the single features a still photo of Keir Dullea as David Bowman from the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey .
The B-side for "Advice for the Young at Heart" from the Seeds of Love album. The title was stolen from a book of the same name by Sylvia Plath. At the time, I was curious to hear the verse of "Sowing the Seeds [of Love]" sung as a rap and it was this combined with a Talking Heads-style chorus sung over the chord structure of "Shout" that gave rise to the track. Due largely to the use of a rather fashionable (at the time) drumloop, the track received a fair bit of play in dance clubs where it caught the attention of a young band called Fluke who consequently remixed it into a much higher state. The remix was then released anonymously as a single in its own right and got to number 1 in the British dance chart.
— Roland Orzabal (Saturnine Martial and Lunatic booklet)
The song is named after "Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams", a short story by Sylvia Plath that was posthumously published in 1977 in a collection of the same name.
The song features two sets of vocals. The original verses of the song are performed in a gospel style, alternating with the lyrics from Tears for Fears' 1989 hit "Sowing the Seeds of Love" which are performed as a rap by vocalist Biti Strauchn. [1] An instrumental version of the song (without the gospel verses or the rap) also appears on the CD single of "Advice for the Young at Heart".
Credits are adapted from the liner notes of "Advice for the Young at Heart" and Tidal. [1] [2]
Tears for Fears
and
Studio personnel
Fluke remix (1991) [3]
Chart (1991) | Peak position |
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UK Singles (OCC) [4] | 70 |
Tears for Fears are an English pop rock band formed in Bath in 1981 by Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal. Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, Tears for Fears were associated with the synth-pop bands of the 1980s, and attained international chart success as part of the Second British Invasion.
The Seeds of Love is the third studio album by English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released on 25 September 1989 by Fontana Records. It retained the band's epic sound while incorporating influences ranging from jazz and soul to Beatlesque pop. Its lengthy production and scrapped recording sessions cost over £1 million. The album spawned the title hit single "Sowing the Seeds of Love", as well as "Woman in Chains", and "Advice for the Young at Heart", both of which reached the top 40 in several countries.
Elemental is the fourth studio album by English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released on 7 June 1993 by Mercury Records. It was the band's first album recorded following the departure of co-founder Curt Smith, with Roland Orzabal assuming sole leadership with the help of additional musicians.
Roland Jaime Orzabal de la Quintana is an English musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and author. He is the guitarist, co-lead vocalist, main songwriter, co-founder, and the only constant member of Tears for Fears. He is also a producer of artists such as Oleta Adams. In 2014, Orzabal published his first novel, a romantic comedy.
Ian Christopher Stanley is a British musician, songwriter and record producer. He was a member of Tears for Fears for most of the 1980s, and played a key role in the making of their multi-platinum-selling second studio album Songs from the Big Chair.
Saturnine Martial & Lunatic is a compilation album by English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released on 3 June 1996. It is a collection of B-sides and rare tracks, spanning some ten years of recording from the band's era signed to Mercury/Phonogram. The album also includes their 1983 hit single "The Way You Are".
"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.
Raoul and the Kings of Spain is the fifth studio album by English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released on 16 October 1995 by Epic Records. Like the band's previous album, Elemental (1993), it is essentially a solo effort by Roland Orzabal, as neither album involved Curt Smith.
"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 23 November 1984. Roland Orzabal is the lead singer on the track, and he described it as "a simple song about protest". The single became the group's fourth Top 5 hit in the UK Singles Chart, 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; also topping the Cash Box chart. "Shout" became one of the most successful songs of 1985, eventually reaching No. 1 in multiple countries.
The English new wave/pop rock band Tears for Fears have released seven studio albums, along with numerous singles, compilations and videos. Formed in 1981 by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, the duo signed to Phonogram Records in the UK and released their first single the same year. It was not until Tears for Fears' third single, "Mad World" (1982), that they scored their first hit, and their platinum-selling debut album The Hurting (1983) was a UK number one.
Tears Roll Down is a greatest hits album by the English pop/rock band Tears for Fears. It was released on 2 March 1992 by Fontana Records. Preceded by the single "Laid So Low ", the album contains the band's UK and international top-20 singles. It has been certified double platinum in the United Kingdom, platinum in the United States, and gold in several other countries including Canada, France and Germany.
Circle of One is the third album by American vocalist, pianist, and songwriter Oleta Adams and was released in 1990. Circle of One was Adams' first album to receive wide distribution; her two earlier albums were self-financed and received only local distribution.
"Head over Heels" is a song recorded by British band Tears for Fears for their second studio album Songs from the Big Chair (1985). The song was released by Mercury Records, as the album's fourth single on 14 June in the UK. It was the band's tenth single release in the United Kingdom and eighth top 40 hit in the region, peaking at number 12. In the United States, it was the third single from the album and continued the band's run of hits there, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. A limited edition four-leaf-clover-shaped picture disc was issued for the single's release in the UK. The song was also an international success, reaching the top 40 in several countries.
"The Way You Are" is a song by the British band Tears for Fears. It was the band's sixth single release overall and their fourth UK Top 40 hit. Released as a single in November 1983, it was intended as a stopgap between the band's first and second albums, mainly to keep the group in the public eye, and was not included on the band's second album.
"Mothers Talk" is a 1984 song by the British band Tears for Fears. Written by Roland Orzabal and Ian Stanley and sung by Orzabal, it was the band's seventh single release (the first to be taken from their second album Songs from the Big Chair and fifth UK Top 40 chart hit. The song was released six months in advance of the album, and enjoyed moderate success internationally.
"Goodnight Song" is a song by English pop rock band Tears for Fears. It is taken from their 1993 album Elemental, it was released as a single in North America and in some European countries, and was a minor hit in Canada.
"Advice for the Young at Heart" is a song by the English band Tears for Fears, taken from their 1989 album The Seeds of Love. It was released as the third single from the album in February 1990.
"Break It Down Again" is a song by English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released in May 1993 by Mercury Records as the first single from their fourth studio album, Elemental (1993). It is one of the band's later songs with the typical late 1980s sound, using synthesizers. The song was the second single released after the departure of Curt Smith from the band.
"Cold" is a song by English pop rock band Tears for Fears. Released in July 1993, it served as the second single from the band's Elemental. The single peaked at number 72 on the UK Singles Chart.
Going to California is a concert performance video by the British group Tears for Fears. Released in 1990, it is a recording of the band's show at the Santa Barbara County Bowl in May 1990 during their "Seeds of Love" World Tour.