Everybody Wants to Rule the World

The harmony is deceptively simple — built on standard diatonic chords in D major — but gains its distinctive character from the shuffle feel and the way the guitar figure weaves through the chord tones. The avoidance of minor-key drama in favor of bright major tonality creates an ironic contrast with the lyrics about power and corruption, a hallmark of Tears for Fears' sophisticated pop craft.

The song was a last-minute addition during the recording sessions for Songs from the Big Chair. It began when Roland Orzabal played two chords on his acoustic guitar for producer Chris Hughes, who immediately saw its commercial potential. Despite Orzabal's initial indifference toward the track — partly because the original chorus lyric was 'Everybody wants to go to war' — Hughes convinced him to develop and record it. After completing their regular sessions at 6 p.m., they would spend an hour reviewing recordings, which helped Orzabal create the song's distinctive guitar figure and finalize the title.

Tears for Fears crafted this new wave masterpiece as a last-minute addition to Songs from the Big Chair, blending an infectious shuffle groove with lyrics exploring humanity's desire for dominance. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 and has since been recognized as one of the greatest songs of the 1980s.