The Tipping Point (Tears for Fears song)

Last updated
"The Tipping Point"
Single by Tears for Fears
from the album The Tipping Point
Released7 October 2021 (2021-10-07)
Genre Synth-pop
Length4:13
Label Concord
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Tears for Fears singles chronology
"I Love You but I'm Lost"
(2017)		"The Tipping Point"
(2021)		"No Small Thing"
(2021)
Music video
"The Tipping Point" on YouTube

"The Tipping Point" is a song by English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released as a single in October 2021. It was the band's first new original release in four years, and is the first single to be taken from the album of the same name which was released on 25 February 2022. A video for the song, directed by Matt Mahurin, [1] was released online on 6 October 2021, and is the first promo video featuring the band themselves since 2005. The song was added to BBC Radio 2's playlist in November 2021. [2]

Contents

Composition

The song was written by Tears for Fears founder member Roland Orzabal with long-term collaborator Charlton Pettus, and was inspired by Orzabal's struggles with grief and the loss of his wife. [1] In an interview with Rolling Stone , Orzabal stated that "The song itself was built out of a 'haunting backing track idea' created by the band's co-producer and longtime touring member Charlton Pettus. "He blended a couple of trademark themes, twisted the time signature and left me to sort out the rest."

Regarding the lyrics, Orzabal commented "It came at a time when my (late) wife was very ill. I was watching her become a ghost of her former self. So the song's narrator is in a hospital ward looking at people about to cross the threshold that we call death....The line in the song says, 'Will you ever know when it's the Tipping Point?' meaning, will you ever know when a person has crossed that threshold from life to death when you cannot even perceive that 'vague and distant void' as it's described in the lyric. I have to admit that even in March 2016 when I was read the riot act by doctors about Caroline possibly not making it through the weekend, I was still in denial. I think that when you've been close to someone for decades, they are living within you as well as without. And consciously I did not believe she would die, though subconsciously I was, without doubt, preparing for the inevitable, arming myself against the future shock." [3]

Charts

Chart (2021)Peak
position
UK Singles Downloads Chart [4] 36
UK Singles Sales Chart [5] 37
US Adult Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) [6] 17
US Alternative Digital Song Sales [7] 17
US Rock Digital Song Sales [8] 19

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tears for Fears</span> English pop rock band

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.

<i>Everybody Loves a Happy Ending</i> 2004 studio album by Tears for Fears

Everybody Loves a Happy Ending is the sixth studio album by English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released on 14 September 2004 in the United States and on 7 March 2005 in the United Kingdom and Europe.

<i>The Seeds of Love</i> 1989 studio album by Tears for Fears

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.

<i>Elemental</i> (Tears for Fears album) 1993 studio album by Tears for Fears

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.

<i>Songs from the Big Chair</i> 1985 studio album by Tears for Fears

Songs from the Big Chair is the second studio album by the English band Tears for Fears, released on 25 February 1985 by Mercury Records, distributed by Phonogram Inc. A follow-up to the band's successful debut album, The Hurting (1983), Songs from the Big Chair was a significant departure from that album's dark, introspective synth-pop, featuring a more mainstream, guitar-based pop rock sound, sophisticated production values and diverse stylistic influences, while Roland Orzabal and Ian Stanley's lyrics displayed socially and politically conscious themes.

<i>The Hurting</i> 1983 studio album by Tears for Fears

The Hurting is the debut studio album by British new wave band Tears for Fears, released on 7 March 1983 by Mercury Records distributed by Phonogram Inc. The album peaked at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart in its second week of release and was certified Gold by the BPI within three weeks of release. The album also entered the Top 40 in several other countries including Canada, Germany, and Australia. It was certified Platinum in the UK in January 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mad World</span> 1982 single by Tears for Fears

"Mad World" is a 1982 song by British band Tears for Fears. Written by Roland Orzabal and sung by bassist Curt Smith, it was the band's third single release and first chart hit, reaching number three on the UK Singles Chart in November 1982. Both "Mad World" and its B-side, "Ideas as Opiates", appeared on the band's debut LP The Hurting (1983). This single was also the band's first international success, reaching the Top 40 in several countries in 1982–83.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curt Smith</span> British musician

Curt Smith is a British-American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer, who is best known as the co-lead vocalist, bassist and co-founding member of the pop rock band Tears for Fears along with childhood friend Roland Orzabal. Smith has co-written several of the band's songs, and sings lead vocals on the hits "Mad World", "Pale Shelter", "Change", "The Way You Are", "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", and "Advice for the Young at Heart".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roland Orzabal</span> English musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everybody Wants to Rule the World</span> 1985 single by Tears for Fears

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tears for Fears discography</span> Cataloguing of published recordings by Tears for Fears

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Head over Heels (Tears for Fears song)</span> 1985 single by Tears for Fears

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pale Shelter</span> 1982 single by Tears for Fears

"Pale Shelter" is a song by the British band Tears for Fears. Written by Roland Orzabal and sung by bassist Curt Smith, it was originally the band's second single release in early 1982. The original version of the song, entitled "Pale Shelter (You Don't Give Me Love)", did not see chart success at the time of its original UK release. However, it did later become a top 20 hit in Canada and a top 75 hit when it was reissued in the UK in 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mothers Talk</span> 1984 single by Tears for Fears

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Advice for the Young at Heart</span> 1990 single by Tears for Fears

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Break It Down Again</span> 1993 single by Tears for Fears

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raoul and the Kings of Spain (song)</span> 1995 single by Tears for Fears

"Raoul and the Kings of Spain" is a song by English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released as the first single from their 1995 album of the same name. Upon its release, the single reached number 31 in the United Kingdom and would be the band's last top-40 hit there for 10 years, until 2005's "Closest Thing to Heaven". The song also reached number 39 in the Wallonia region of Belgium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Wainwright (musician)</span> Musical artist

Michael Wainwright is a singer-songwriter from Canada. He has released two albums, The Circus Is Coming To Town and Wainwright. He is the background vocalist and opening act for Tears For Fears.

<i>Rule the World: The Greatest Hits</i> 2017 greatest hits album by Tears for Fears

Rule the World: The Greatest Hits is a greatest hits album by English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released in 2017 by Virgin EMI Records. The compilation is an updated version of 1992's Tears Roll Down , including almost every track from that album, plus additional singles from the three studio albums released after Tears Roll Down and two new songs: "Stay" and "I Love You but I'm Lost". The latter was released as a digital single on 13 October 2017.

<i>The Tipping Point</i> (Tears for Fears album) 2022 studio album by Tears for Fears

The Tipping Point is the seventh studio album by the English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released on 25 February 2022 through Concord Records. It is the band's first studio album since Everybody Loves a Happy Ending, released almost 18 years prior. Work on the album commenced in 2013, but the project endured numerous delays and setbacks between touring; disagreements that bandleaders Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith had with their record label and management; and the death of Orzabal's wife, which influenced many of the songs on the album. The bulk of the album was completed in 2020 and 2021.

References

  1. 1 2 Garcia, Thania (7 October 2021). "Tears for Fears announce first album in 17 years 'The Tipping Point'". Billboard . Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  2. ↑ "BBC Radio 2 - the Zoe Ball Breakfast Show, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Tears for Fears".
  3. ↑ Kreps, Daniel (7 October 2021). "Tears for Fears announce first album in 17 years". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  4. ↑ "The Official Charts Company (Singles Downloads) - 15 October 2021". The Official Charts Company. 15 October 2021.
  5. ↑ "The Official Charts Company (Singles Sales) - 15 October 2021". The Official Charts Company. 15 October 2021.
  6. ↑ "Tears for Fears Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  7. ↑ Select the right category
  8. ↑ Select the right category
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.