Tears For Fears "The Hurting" - The Best Emotional Synth-Pop Album

 

 

From reading this blog one or more times, I'm sure by now you've realized I have a few "favorite traits" when it comes to the music I enjoy- particularly when it comes to the lyrics. Sure, I can enjoy some "I like rock 'n' roll and beer" type music as much or more than the next person, but the bands and musicians that claw their way into the deepest part of my soul, and mean the most to me are the ones whose lyrics are much more thought-provoking, and emotional. 

If you're like me in that way, Tears For Fears' debut album, The Hurting, is definitely for you. Released on March 7th, 1983 (a Pisces album, through and through), The Hurting gave listeners a lot of different feelings, many of which they were probably unprepared to feel or deal with. Some critics completely missed the point, in my opinion, calling them "Joy Division copycats" and whiny, self-absorbed, depressed teenagers (though they were in their early twenties at the time). But if I had the chance I'd love to ask them- Why aren't we allowed to indulge, wallow, or revel in our own sadness and personal crises when we listen to or make music? (Clearly they weren't fans of goth music). Because for many of us, that's precisely what creativity and expression is for. 

Part of that negative critical reception is probably what made The Hurting fall by the wayside after the release of their biggest and most pop-oriented record, Songs From The Big Chair (1985). With chart-smashing songs like "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", The Big Chair helped Tears For Fears break out into the mainstream. So in today's world, The Hurting has become much more of a "cult classic". But I'm here to tell you why it's even more special than their most famous record, and why you should know it. 

For some of you, "Mad World" may be the only track you recognize upon a first glance. Even for my generation, it's become very well-known, and a "meme" in some cases... At this point I'd like to mention my distain for the Gary Jules cover, from the Donnie Darko film, as I believe it completely takes away the irony that lies in the song's new wave, dancable, happy beat, paired with the existential, depressing lyrics. Anyways... For other long-time TFF fans like myself, I'm sure The Hurting is so much more than just "Mad World", and holds a very special place in our hearts. I hope after reading and listening, many of you will be inclined to feel similarly about the whole record. 

The lyrical themes of the record cover many dark, painful, or taboo subjects of the human experience that many are afraid or too traumatized by to talk about. There is the loss of a friend or romantic breakup in "Memories Fade", which I personally still can't listen to without getting chills or choked up, even after hearing it so many times. "No don't pretend you can justify the end, memories fade but the scars still linger", ending the song, and leaving us with that feeling anyone who's ever loved and lost can understand. Or there's the talk of childhood trauma, in a very personal way, in "Suffer the Children", where you can tell this definitely comes from a very real place for lyricist Roland Orzabal. This one is also quite hard to listen to for some, and goes well-beyond the usual feelings of an absent parent or parents, and goes so far as to question why he should have even been born, if no one was going to take care of him ("And it's so unfair... when you gave him his life"). 

A personal favorite, and perhaps my favorite TFF song period, is the third track, "Pale Shelter". It is another song partially dealing with parental issues and a lack of love and care as a child, but can also be thought of in a romantic, more grownup way. I'm more inclined to view it in the latter way, but fully respect Orzabal's original thought as it relates to his dark upbringing. It is everything an 80's new wave song should be, in that it has a catchy and fully dancable synth beat, but it has the introspective, thoughtful lyrics that fully fit the description of "sophisticated pop". The music video, with its unique use of paper airplanes, is a favorite of mine to see projected on the wall at my local new wave music video night at the club. Check out the song and video for yourself, below. 

Overall, The Hurting is an incredibly revealing album, that makes us face a lot of dark or unpleasant feelings from childhood to adulthood, that without an excellent synth-pop beat, we probably wouldn't be comfortable dealing with. Orzabal's ability to make listeners connect with him and fellow bandmate, Curt Smith, on experiences seemingly specific to them, lies in his amazingly poetic, emotional songwriting skills. It is a skill that pairs well specifically with this type of music (new wave, synth-pop, goth, darkwave), and is a large part of the reason we love it. While many will remember Tears For Fears for Songs From The Big Chair and their still artfully crafted pop-hits, it is The Hurting than remains many fans' favorite, especially those with a bleeding heart, and a melancholic disposition. 

Thank you all for reading, as always, and please do check out The Hurting, start to finish, in all its heart-wrenching glory. Have a thoughtful and emotionally enlightening weekend! 

Roland Orzabal (left) and Curt Smith (right), of Tears For Fears photographed in 1983.