Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Encyclopedia
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a song by the British New Wave
band Tears for Fears
.
It was the band's ninth single release in the United Kingdom
(the third from their second LP: Songs from the Big Chair
) and seventh UK Top 40
chart hit, peaking at number two in April 1985. In the U.S., it was the lead single from the album and gave the band their first Billboard Hot 100
number-one hit on 8 June 1985, remaining there for two weeks. It also reached number-one on both the Hot Dance Music/Club Play and Hot Dance Singles Sales
charts in the U.S. The song has since become the pinnacle of Tears for Fears' chart success, its endurance allowing it to accumulate over two million radio broadcasts by 1994, according to BMI
.
In 1986, the song won "Best Single" at the Brit Awards
. Band member and co-writer Roland Orzabal
argued that the song deserved to win the Ivor Novello International Hit of the Year award, claiming that the winner - "19
" by Paul Hardcastle
- was not an actual song, but only a "dialogue collage."
. According to Roland Orzabal
, he initially regarded the song as a lightweight that would not fit with the rest of the album. It was producer Chris Hughes
who convinced him to try recording it, in a calculated effort to cross over into American chart success. Orzabal would later reveal in a radio interview that the beat from the song was "borrowed" from another UK Top 40 chart hit: "Waterfront
", by Simple Minds
who were recording their album Sparkle in the Rain
in the studio next door.
As was the case with the three hit singles from Tears for Fears' debut LP The Hurting
, the song featured bassist Curt Smith
on lead vocals.
for inclusion on the single's various 12" releases. The only other remix of note was one done by electronica
act The Chosen Few, included on the 2004
reissue of the greatest hits compilation Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82-92)
. No official radio edits or alternate 7" versions of the song have been issued. A version labeled as the 7" version is included on the 2006 remaster of "Songs from the Big Chair", but is actually the album version (a mistake; the album's liner notes show the track as "Everybody Wants to Run the World", but this song was not included).
The song was later partially re-recorded with a new lyric and released as "Everybody Wants to Run the World
" for the 1986 Sport Aid
fund-raising campaign, once again reaching the UK Top 5 in the process.
announcer Brian Perkins reading the Shipping Forecast
for the sea lanes around the United Kingdom
(see below). The title of the song is a play on the name of the Faroe Islands
("Faroes"), one of the places referenced in the forecast. This is one of the few songs in the Tears for Fears catalogue on which founding member Curt Smith
shares a writing credit. The song has since been included in the B-sides and rarities collection Saturnine Martial & Lunatic
as well as the remastered and deluxe edition reissues of Songs from the Big Chair
. "Pharaohs" is also included on the Groove Armada
compilation album Back to Mine.
"Pharaohs" shipping forecast read by Brian Perkins (BBC Radio 4, circa 1984):
"There are warnings of gales in Viking, Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Fisher, Dover, Wight, Portland, Plymouth, Finisterre, Sole, Lundy, Fastnet, Shannon, Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Bailey, Fair Isle, Faroes and Southeast Iceland.
The general synopsis at one eight double-O: low just north of Viking, nine double-seven, moving steadily east-northeast.
Low 300 miles south of Iceland. Atlantic low forming, moving steadily northeast.
A ridge of high pressure has swayed between North and South Utsire. The area forecast for the next twenty-four hours. Viking, Forties, Cromarty, Forth."
. It features Curt Smith
driving an antique Austin-Healey 3000
sports car around various Southern California
locales, including Salton Sea
and Cabazon
. Interspersed with these clips are shots of the full band performing the song in a London studio. Along with the clip for "Shout", the "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" video had a big hand in helping break Tears for Fears in America, due to its heavy amount of play on music video pioneer MTV
.
included a solo acoustic version of the song on his 2000 EP Aeroplane.
In addition, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" has been covered
by the following artists:
. It has since been included on a number of other film soundtracks, including:
The song appears in the initial trailer
for the blockbuster 1996 film Independence Day
, but was dropped from the final soundtrack in favor of "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
" by the band R.E.M. It can also be heard in the film Watchmen
as a Musak version without vocals, in a scene featuring billionaire/philanthropist Adrian Veidt, formerly the superhero Ozymandias.
The song also appears in the video game World in Conflict
as the main theme of the game. The song is used in several scenes and the end credits as part of the single-player campaign's narrative. Set in an alternate time-line in which World War III began in June 1989, the song can be heard on a radio during the Soviet Union
's invasion of Seattle, inside a US Army vehicle during a mission set in Southern France, and in the closing titles.
On the small screen, the song is perhaps best remembered for the eight seasons it served as the opening theme for the talk show Dennis Miller Live
. Other appearances include:
The song appears on the games, Karaoke Revolution Party, Rock Band 3
and is also listenable in the in-game radio of Saints Row 2
. It also has a 1800's-style remix in the game Bioshock Infinite
, as heard in a gameplay trailer.
The first two verses are heard in the Powerpuff Girls episode "The Powerpuff Girls Rule!!!" sung by Mojo Jojo (voice of Roger L. Jackson
).
The song was used in the beginning and during the credits of Mike Tollin
's ESPN
30 for 30
documentary about the USFL
.
A clip of the song played during the trailer for the TBS series "Glory Daze".
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears are an English new wave band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith.Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, they were initially associated with the New Wave synthesiser bands of the early 1980s but later branched out into...
.
It was the band's ninth single release in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(the third from their second LP: Songs from the Big Chair
Songs from the Big Chair
Songs from the Big Chair is the second album by the British rock band Tears for Fears. It was released in 1985 on Phonogram Records, and remains their highest selling album to date. The album peaked at no.2 in the UK and reached no.1 in the US...
) and seventh UK Top 40
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
chart hit, peaking at number two in April 1985. In the U.S., it was the lead single from the album and gave the band their first Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
number-one hit on 8 June 1985, remaining there for two weeks. It also reached number-one on both the Hot Dance Music/Club Play and Hot Dance Singles Sales
Hot Dance Singles Sales
Hot Dance Singles Sales is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States, established in 1985. It measures the sale of commercially released singles that deal with dance music and remixes...
charts in the U.S. The song has since become the pinnacle of Tears for Fears' chart success, its endurance allowing it to accumulate over two million radio broadcasts by 1994, according to BMI
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
.
In 1986, the song won "Best Single" at the Brit Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
. Band member and co-writer Roland Orzabal
Roland Orzabal
Roland Jaime Orzabal de la Quintana is an English musician, songwriter and record producer. He is known mainly as a co-founding member of Tears for Fears, of which he is the main songwriter and joint vocalist, but he has also achieved success as a producer of other artists.- Early career :Orzabal...
argued that the song deserved to win the Ivor Novello International Hit of the Year award, claiming that the winner - "19
19 (song)
"19" is a song by British musician Paul Hardcastle released as the first single from his self-titled third studio album Paul Hardcastle ....
" by Paul Hardcastle
Paul Hardcastle
Paul Hardcastle is an English composer and musician, specialising in the synthesizer.-Discography:In the early 1980s, Hardcastle played the keyboards on several singles on the Oval record label by the dance music groups Direct Drive and First Light, before going solo.He achieved some acclaim for...
- was not an actual song, but only a "dialogue collage."
Background
Ironically, considering the song's overwhelming success, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was somewhat of an afterthought during the recording of Songs from the Big ChairSongs from the Big Chair
Songs from the Big Chair is the second album by the British rock band Tears for Fears. It was released in 1985 on Phonogram Records, and remains their highest selling album to date. The album peaked at no.2 in the UK and reached no.1 in the US...
. According to Roland Orzabal
Roland Orzabal
Roland Jaime Orzabal de la Quintana is an English musician, songwriter and record producer. He is known mainly as a co-founding member of Tears for Fears, of which he is the main songwriter and joint vocalist, but he has also achieved success as a producer of other artists.- Early career :Orzabal...
, he initially regarded the song as a lightweight that would not fit with the rest of the album. It was producer Chris Hughes
Chris Hughes (record producer)
Chris Hughes is a music producer and a former drummer for Adam and the Ants....
who convinced him to try recording it, in a calculated effort to cross over into American chart success. Orzabal would later reveal in a radio interview that the beat from the song was "borrowed" from another UK Top 40 chart hit: "Waterfront
Waterfront (song)
"Waterfront" is a 1983 single from Simple Minds, the first release from the album Sparkle in the Rain.Featuring a new, rockier sound, "Waterfront" scaled the charts in various countries around the world, including hitting #1 for two weeks in New Zealand. It also reached #13 on the UK Singles Charts...
", by Simple Minds
Simple Minds
Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
who were recording their album Sparkle in the Rain
Sparkle in the Rain
Sparkle In The Rain is the sixth studio album by Simple Minds, released in 1984. It peaked at number one in the UK album charts on 18 February 1984.-Album profile:Sparkle In The Rain, Simple Minds' US breakthrough album, is a rock-oriented album...
in the studio next door.
As was the case with the three hit singles from Tears for Fears' debut LP The Hurting
The Hurting
The Hurting is the debut album by the British pop band Tears for Fears. It was released on 7 March 1983, and peaked at no. 1 on the UK Album Chart...
, the song featured bassist Curt Smith
Curt Smith
Curt Smith is an English musician. He is best known for forming the band Tears for Fears, along with childhood friend Roland Orzabal. Also a solo artist, he released his third album Halfway, Pleased in May 2008....
on lead vocals.
Meanings
Song versions
For such a popular song, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" has seen relatively few remixes. Extended, instrumental, and "urban mix" versions were done by producer Chris HughesChris Hughes (record producer)
Chris Hughes is a music producer and a former drummer for Adam and the Ants....
for inclusion on the single's various 12" releases. The only other remix of note was one done by electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
act The Chosen Few, included on the 2004
2004 in music
See also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
reissue of the greatest hits compilation Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82-92)
Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82-92)
Tears Roll Down is a compilation album released by the British band Tears for Fears in 1992.The album contains all the Top 20 hits up to that point released in the U.K. and internationally, and one new single, "Laid So Low ", which also made the Top 20 in the U.K...
. No official radio edits or alternate 7" versions of the song have been issued. A version labeled as the 7" version is included on the 2006 remaster of "Songs from the Big Chair", but is actually the album version (a mistake; the album's liner notes show the track as "Everybody Wants to Run the World", but this song was not included).
The song was later partially re-recorded with a new lyric and released as "Everybody Wants to Run the World
Everybody Wants to Run the World
"Everybody Wants to Run the World" is a re-recording of the song "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", originally written by Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley and Chris Hughes of the British band Tears for Fears and featured on the band's 1985 second LP Songs from the Big Chair.The re-jigged single was...
" for the 1986 Sport Aid
Sport Aid
Sport Aid was a charitable event held on May 25 1986, raising $37m to support famine relief in Africa, and is the sporting event with the most participants in history....
fund-raising campaign, once again reaching the UK Top 5 in the process.
B-side
"Pharaohs" is an instrumental that served as the B-side to the "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" single. The only voice heard is a recording of BBC RadioBBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
announcer Brian Perkins reading the Shipping Forecast
Shipping Forecast
The Shipping Forecast is a four-times-daily BBC Radio broadcast of weather reports and forecasts for the seas around the coasts of the British Isles. It is produced by the Met Office and broadcast by BBC Radio 4 on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The forecasts sent over the Navtex...
for the sea lanes around the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(see below). The title of the song is a play on the name of the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
("Faroes"), one of the places referenced in the forecast. This is one of the few songs in the Tears for Fears catalogue on which founding member Curt Smith
Curt Smith
Curt Smith is an English musician. He is best known for forming the band Tears for Fears, along with childhood friend Roland Orzabal. Also a solo artist, he released his third album Halfway, Pleased in May 2008....
shares a writing credit. The song has since been included in the B-sides and rarities collection Saturnine Martial & Lunatic
Saturnine Martial & Lunatic
Saturnine Martial & Lunatic is the second official compilation album released by the British band Tears for Fears. It is a collection of B-sides and rare tracks, spanning some ten years of recording from the band's Mercury/Phonogram era.-Track listing:...
as well as the remastered and deluxe edition reissues of Songs from the Big Chair
Songs from the Big Chair
Songs from the Big Chair is the second album by the British rock band Tears for Fears. It was released in 1985 on Phonogram Records, and remains their highest selling album to date. The album peaked at no.2 in the UK and reached no.1 in the US...
. "Pharaohs" is also included on the Groove Armada
Groove Armada
Groove Armada is an English electronic music duo from London, England comprising Andy Cato and Tom Findlay. They are perhaps best known for their singles "I See You Baby" and "Superstylin'"...
compilation album Back to Mine.
"Pharaohs" shipping forecast read by Brian Perkins (BBC Radio 4, circa 1984):
"There are warnings of gales in Viking, Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Fisher, Dover, Wight, Portland, Plymouth, Finisterre, Sole, Lundy, Fastnet, Shannon, Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Bailey, Fair Isle, Faroes and Southeast Iceland.
The general synopsis at one eight double-O: low just north of Viking, nine double-seven, moving steadily east-northeast.
Low 300 miles south of Iceland. Atlantic low forming, moving steadily northeast.
A ridge of high pressure has swayed between North and South Utsire. The area forecast for the next twenty-four hours. Viking, Forties, Cromarty, Forth."
Music video
The promotional clip for "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", filmed in early 1985, was the third Tears for Fears clip directed by famed music video producer Nigel DickNigel Dick
Nigel Dick is an English music video and film director, writer and musician based in Los Angeles, California. He directed the Band Aid video "Do They Know It's Christmas?", as well as over 300 other music videos.Nigel Dick should not be confused with the Australian Dr...
. It features Curt Smith
Curt Smith
Curt Smith is an English musician. He is best known for forming the band Tears for Fears, along with childhood friend Roland Orzabal. Also a solo artist, he released his third album Halfway, Pleased in May 2008....
driving an antique Austin-Healey 3000
Austin-Healey 3000
The Austin-Healey 3000 is a British sports car built from 1959 to 1967, and is the best known of the "big" Healey models. The car's bodywork was made by Jensen Motors, and the vehicles were assembled at the BMC Abingdon works....
sports car around various Southern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
locales, including Salton Sea
Salton Sea
The Salton Sea is a shallow, saline, endorheic rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in California's Imperial Valley. The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink in the Colorado Desert of Imperial and Riverside counties in Southern California. Like Death...
and Cabazon
Cabazon Dinosaurs
Cabazon Dinosaurs, also referred to as Claude Bell's Dinosaurs, are enormous, sculptured roadside attractions located in Cabazon, California and visible to the immediate north of Interstate 10. The site features Dinny the Dinosaur, a 150-ton building shaped like a larger-than-life-sized...
. Interspersed with these clips are shots of the full band performing the song in a London studio. Along with the clip for "Shout", the "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" video had a big hand in helping break Tears for Fears in America, due to its heavy amount of play on music video pioneer MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
.
Track listings
The single was released on a wide variety of formats in the UK, including a standard 7", a 7" double pack, two separate 12" versions, and a 10" single.2x7": Mercury / IDEA99 (UK)
- "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (4:10)
- "Pharaohs" (3:42)
- "Everybody Wants to Rule the World [Urban Mix]" (6:06)
- "Interview Excerpt" (7:30)
12": Mercury / IDEA912 (UK)
- "Everybody Wants to Rule the World [Extended Version]" (5:43)
- "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (4:10)
- "Pharaohs" (3:42)
12": Mercury / IDER912 (UK)
- "Everybody Wants to Rule the World [Urban Mix]" (6:06)
- "Everybody Wants to Rule the World [Instrumental]" (4:26)
Cover versions
Tears for Fears bassist Curt SmithCurt Smith
Curt Smith is an English musician. He is best known for forming the band Tears for Fears, along with childhood friend Roland Orzabal. Also a solo artist, he released his third album Halfway, Pleased in May 2008....
included a solo acoustic version of the song on his 2000 EP Aeroplane.
In addition, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" has been covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by the following artists:
- Alpha RevAlpha RevAlpha Rev is an American alternative rock band from Austin, Texas, fronted by Casey McPherson .-History:Casey McPherson started Alpha Rev in 2005 after the breakup of his previous band Endochine, which had toured with Staind, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pete Yorn and Bob Schneider.Alpha Rev released...
has covered the song during their live conerts. - American singer Gloria GaynorGloria GaynorGloria Gaynor is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits; "I Will Survive" , "Never Can Say Goodbye" , "Let Me Know " and "I Am What I Am" .-Early career:Gaynor was a singer with the Soul...
, on her 1986 album The Power Of Gloria Gaynor. - British guitarist Hank MarvinHank MarvinHank Brian Marvin is an English guitarist, best known as the lead guitarist for The Shadows. The group, which primarily performed instrumentals, was formed as a backing band for vocalist Cliff Richard...
, on his 1992 album Into the Light. - American smooth jazzSmooth jazzSmooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
act FattburgerFattburgerFattburger is a jazz group, best categorized in the jazz-funk, contemporary jazz, or jazz fusion subgenres. The band was formed by saxophonist Hollis Gentry, keyboardist Carl Evans Jr., bassist Mark Hunter, drummer Kevin Koch, and guitarist Steve Laury in San Diego during the early 1980s...
, on their 1996 album All Natural Ingredients. - British entertainer Shane RichieShane RichieShane Richie is an English actor, comedian, singer and media personality, known for his portrayal of the character Alfie Moon in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders.-Early life and career beginnings:...
, on his 1998 album The Album. - Jamaican reggaeReggaeReggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
artist Ken BootheKen BootheKen Boothe OD is a Jamaican recording artist.-Biography:Ken Boothe was born in the Denham Town area of Kingston in 1948, the youngest of seven children, and began singing in school...
, on the 2001 compilation album The Reggae Rocks: The Tide Is High - A Tribute to Rock 'N' Roll. - Brazilian multi-instrumentalistMulti-instrumentalistA multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
Emmerson Nogueira, on his 2003 album Versao Acustica, Vol. 3. - American alternative rockAlternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
duo JamisonParkerJamisonParkerJamisonParker was an American Alternative Rock duo in the early to mid 2000s, consisting of singer/guitarist Jamison Covington and guitarist/bassist/drummer Parker Case...
, on the 2005 compilation album Punk Goes 80'sPunk Goes 80'sPunk Goes 80s is part of the Punk Goes... compilation series created by Fearless Records, featuring cover versions of songs from the 1980s. It was released on June 7, 2005.-Track listing:...
. - British singer-songwriterSinger-songwriterSinger-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Christian BurnsChristian BurnsChristian Burns is an English musician and the son of Tony Burns of "The Signs", a Liverpool-based rock band signed to Decca Records in the 1960s.-Career:...
, on the soundtrack to the 2005 film Sky HighSky High (2005 film)Sky High is a 2005 American comedic superhero family film about an airborne school for teenage superheroes. It was directed by Mike Mitchell and written by Paul Hernandez, Robert Schooley, and Mark McCorkle...
. - American rockRock musicRock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
singer Patti SmithPatti SmithPatricia Lee "Patti" Smith is an American singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist, who became a highly influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album Horses....
on her April 2007 album TwelveTwelve (Patti Smith album)Twelve is an album by Patti Smith, released April 17, 2007 on Columbia Records. As the title suggests, the album contains twelve tracks, all of which are cover versions. It debuted on Billboard 200 at number 60, with 11,000 copies sold in its first week...
. - American jazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
trio The Bad PlusThe Bad PlusThe Bad Plus are a jazz trio from the United States, consisting of pianist Ethan Iverson, bassist Reid Anderson, and drummer Dave King, originating from Minneapolis, MN.-History:...
on their 2007 release ProgProg (album)Prog is the fifth studio album recorded by jazz trio The Bad Plus. Like previous Bad Plus recordings, Prog features several covers including "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears, "Life on Mars?" by David Bowie, and "Tom Sawyer" by Rush...
. - American indie pop-rock group Clare & the ReasonsClare & the ReasonsClare and the Reasons are a Brooklyn based band, fronted by collaborators Clare Manchon and Olivier Manchon. Their debut LP, The Movie, which included contributions from Van Dyke Parks and Sufjan Stevens, was released to much acclaim. They released their second album, Arrow, on Frog Stand Records...
on the re-release of their album The Movie. - A Swedish language version, titled "Alla vill ha hela världen," appears on the 2009 album En hand i himlen by Jonathan JohanssonJonathan Johansson (musician)Jonathan Johansson, born August 29, 1980, is a Swedish musician and singer-songwriter from Malmö. He is currently on Hybris Records.Pitchfork describes his music as containing "the bruised emotionalism and chilly synthcraft of his Swedish language debut, En hand i himlen ."His single "Aldrig...
. - American finger-style guitarist Andy McKeeAndy McKeeAndy McKee is an American fingerstyle guitarist, currently signed to the American record label .His style of playing and his compositions have earned him a considerable international fanbase...
on his 2010 album, JoylandJoyland (album)-Track listing:-Andy McKee: Joyland:Andy McKee: Joyland is a documentary film, released on the DVD portion of the album. The documentary follows McKee as he returns to the music store in which he taught guitar lessons, tours his home recording studio, and leads up to the release of Joyland.The... - The dark cabaret duo The Dresden DollsThe Dresden DollsThe Dresden Dolls are an American musical duo from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 2000, the group consists of Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione...
insert a musical quotation of it, with different but similar lyrics, in their song "My Alcoholic Friends" from their 2006 album Yes, Virginia.... - In 2010, Australian actor/singer Jason DonovanJason DonovanJason Donovan is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 million records, and his début album Ten Good Reasons was one of the highest-selling albums of 1989...
recorded a cover version of "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" for his 80s covers album "Soundtrack of the 80s". - American R&B group Dru HillDru HillDru Hill is an American singing group, most popular during the late 1990s, whose repertoire included R&B, soul, and gospel music. Founded in Baltimore, Maryland, and active since 1992, Dru Hill recorded seven Top 40 hits, and is best known for the R&B #1 hits "In My Bed", "Never Make a Promise", ...
on their 2010 album InDRUpendance Day. - New Zealand R&B singer J.Williams released a cover called "Want to Rule the World" in 2011
- American pop punk group Relient KRelient KRelient K is an American rock band formed in 1998 in Canton, Ohio by Matt Thiessen, Brian Pittman, and Matt Hoopes during the band's junior year in high school and their time at Malone University...
recorded a cover of the song for inclusion on their 2011 EP, Is for KaraokeIs for KaraokeIs For Karaoke is a 2011 cover album by American rock band Relient K. The first seven songs were released on July 28 as Is for Karaoke EP, and on October 4 the remaining songs were released as Is for Karaoke Pt...
. - American R&B singer Kevin CossomKevin CossomKevin 'K.C.' Cossom is an American singer, Grammy-nominated songwriter, producer and arranger. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and raised in Orlando, Florida, Cossom has written for a variety of artists including Keri Hilson and Mary. J Blige...
released a cover called "Rule the World" on his mixtape, By Any Means. on March 2011. - American country popCountry popCountry pop, with roots in both the countrypolitan sound and in soft rock, is a subgenre of country music that first emerged in the 1970s. Although the term first referred to country music songs and artists that crossed over to Top 40 radio, country pop acts are now more likely to cross over to...
singer Jaron and the Long Road to LoveJaron and the Long Road to LoveJaron David Lowenstein is an American singer who formerly recorded with his identical twin brother, Evan, in the musical duo Evan and Jaron. As Jaron and the Long Road to Love, he released his debut single, "Pray for You," to country radio in November 2009...
played the song on his YouTube channel.
Live cover performances
- Star Search winner and Season 7 American Idol runner-up, David ArchuletaDavid ArchuletaDavid Archuleta, is a former United States Air Force Airman of Okinawan stationary troops and is currently an American male kickboxer.-Biography:...
performed a cover of the song on his "The Other Side Of Down Asian Tour".
- American indie pop-rock group Clare & the ReasonsClare & the ReasonsClare and the Reasons are a Brooklyn based band, fronted by collaborators Clare Manchon and Olivier Manchon. Their debut LP, The Movie, which included contributions from Van Dyke Parks and Sufjan Stevens, was released to much acclaim. They released their second album, Arrow, on Frog Stand Records...
covered the song during their performance at the Slaughtered Lamb, Clerkenwell, London, on December 6, 2007, and on BBC2's The Culture ShowThe Culture ShowThe Culture Show is a weekly BBC Two Arts magazine programme. It is broadcast in the UK on Thursday nights at 7pm, focusing on the best of the week's arts and culture news, covering books, art, film, architecture, music, visual fashion and the performing arts...
on July 15, 2008. The studio version appears on the re-release of their album The Movie.
- American rock singer Don HenleyDon HenleyDonald Hugh "Don" Henley is an American singer, songwriter and drummer, best known as a founding member of the Eagles before launching a successful solo career. Henley was the drummer and lead vocalist for the Eagles from 1971–1980, when the band broke up...
performed the song live during his 2007 tour and during his 2009 tour in Hollywood, Florida. He also performed the song live in Orlando, Florida at Sapphire on May 13, 2009, at the Amway 50th Anniversary concert in Grand Rapids, Michigan on November 7, 2009 and at the State Farm National Agency Convention at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 30, 2011.
- American rock group Alpha RevAlpha RevAlpha Rev is an American alternative rock band from Austin, Texas, fronted by Casey McPherson .-History:Casey McPherson started Alpha Rev in 2005 after the breakup of his previous band Endochine, which had toured with Staind, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pete Yorn and Bob Schneider.Alpha Rev released...
started covering the song in 2008 and it has become a staple of their live performances.
- Season 8 American Idol winner Kris AllenKris AllenKristopher Neil "Kris" Allen is an American musician and singer-songwriter from Conway, Arkansas, and the winner of the eighth season of American Idol...
performed a cover of the song at promotional radio events and during his 2010 tour. He also began performing a mashupMashup (music)A mashup or bootleg is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another...
of the song with Michael Jackson'sMichael JacksonMichael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
"The Way You Make Me FeelThe Way You Make Me Feel"The Way You Make Me Feel" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. Released by Epic Records in November 1987, it was the third single from Jackson's seventh studio album Bad. Written and composed by Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones , the song is credited as being a pop and R&B...
" in Temecula, California on November 20, 2010.
- American rock group Ted Leo and the PharmacistsTed Leo and the PharmacistsTed Leo and the Pharmacists are an American rock band formed in 1999 in Washington, D.C. and currently recording for Matador Records. They have released six full-length studio albums and have toured internationally...
performed a cover of the song for The A.V. Club'sThe A.V. ClubThe A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
Undercover series.
- Nigel Hall - Portland, ME solo artists and sometimes member of Rustic OvertonesRustic OvertonesRustic Overtones is a rock/jazz/funk band from Maine active from 1993–2002 and 2007–present. They were the first group to perform live on XM Satellite Radio, and their 2007 album Light At The End was the fastest-selling local disc ever in the state of Maine....
and SouliveSouliveSoulive is a funk/jazz trio that originated in Woodstock, New York, and is known for its solos and catchy, upbeat songs. The band consists of Eric Krasno , Alan Evans , Neal Evans...
. It was often performed during the Royal Family Ball in early 2010 with Neal Evans of SouliveSouliveSoulive is a funk/jazz trio that originated in Woodstock, New York, and is known for its solos and catchy, upbeat songs. The band consists of Eric Krasno , Alan Evans , Neal Evans...
on bass/keys, Eric Krasno of SouliveSouliveSoulive is a funk/jazz trio that originated in Woodstock, New York, and is known for its solos and catchy, upbeat songs. The band consists of Eric Krasno , Alan Evans , Neal Evans...
on guitar, and Adam Deitch of the John Scofield Trio on drums.
- NasNasNasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
performed a rap version of the song.
Sampling
- American hip-hop artist NasNasNasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
used a sample in his song "Rule" from his 2001 StillmaticStillmaticStillmatic received generally positive reviews from most music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 69, based on 12 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews"...
album. - Sampled by OutkastOutKastOutkast is an American hip hop duo based in East Point, Georgia, consisting of Atlanta native André "André 3000" Benjamin and Savannah, Georgia-born Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. They were originally known as Two Shades Deep but later changed the group's name to OutKast...
for their song "Da Art of Storytellin' (Pt. 1)Da Art of Storytellin' (Pt. 1)"Da Art of Storytellin' " is the third and final single to be released from hip-hop duo OutKast's third studio album, Aquemini. It was released as a single in 1999, but failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, although it managed to peak at #67 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart...
" from their album AqueminiAqueminiAquemini is the third studio album by hip hop duo OutKast, released September 29, 1998 on LaFace Records. The title is a portmanteau of the two performers' Zodiac signs: Aquarius and Gemini...
.
In other media
A unique extended edit of the song was featured at the end of the 1985 film Real GeniusReal Genius
Real Genius is a 1985 satirical comedy film directed by Martha Coolidge. The film's screenplay was written by Neal Israel, Pat Proft and Peter Torokvei. It stars Val Kilmer and Gabriel Jarret....
. It has since been included on a number of other film soundtracks, including:
- Real GeniusReal GeniusReal Genius is a 1985 satirical comedy film directed by Martha Coolidge. The film's screenplay was written by Neal Israel, Pat Proft and Peter Torokvei. It stars Val Kilmer and Gabriel Jarret....
(1985) Closing Credits - Peter's FriendsPeter's FriendsPeter's Friends is a 1992 British comedy-drama film written by Rita Rudner and her husband Martin Bergman, and directed and produced by Kenneth Branagh....
(1992) - Romy and Michele's High School ReunionRomy and Michele's High School ReunionRomy and Michele's High School Reunion is a 1997 comedy film starring Lisa Kudrow, Mira Sorvino, Janeane Garofalo, Camryn Manheim, and Alan Cumming directed by David Mirkin. The plot revolves around two 28-year-old women who appear to have achieved very little success in life and decide to invent...
(1997) - Click (2006)
- World in ConflictWorld in ConflictWorld in Conflict, or WiC, is a real-time tactical video game developed by the Swedish video game company Massive Entertainment and published by Ubisoft for Microsoft Windows. The game was released in September 2007...
(2008 video game) - Saints Row 2Saints Row 2Saints Row 2 is an open world action-adventure video game developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ for the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 systems. It is the second title in the Saints Row series, after the release of Saints Row in 2006. It is succeeded by Saints Row: The...
(2008 video game) - WatchmenWatchmen (film)Watchmen is a 2009 superhero film directed by Zack Snyder and starring Malin Åkerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Patrick Wilson. It is an adaptation of the comic book of the same name by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons...
(2009) - Middle Men (film) (2010)
The song appears in the initial trailer
Trailer (film)
A trailer or preview is an advertisement or a commercial for a feature film that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema. The term "trailer" comes from their having originally been shown at the end of a feature film screening. That practice did not last long, because patrons tended to leave the...
for the blockbuster 1996 film Independence Day
Independence Day (film)
Independence Day is a 1996 science fiction film about an alien invasion of Earth, focusing on a disparate group of individuals and families as they converge in the Nevada desert and, along with the rest of the human population, participate in a last-chance counterattack on July 4 – the same...
, but was dropped from the final soundtrack in favor of "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
"It's the End of the World as We Know It " is a song by the rock band R.E.M., which appeared on their 1987 album Document, the 1988 compilation Eponymous, and the 2006 compilation And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S Years 1982–1987...
" by the band R.E.M. It can also be heard in the film Watchmen
Watchmen (film)
Watchmen is a 2009 superhero film directed by Zack Snyder and starring Malin Åkerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Patrick Wilson. It is an adaptation of the comic book of the same name by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons...
as a Musak version without vocals, in a scene featuring billionaire/philanthropist Adrian Veidt, formerly the superhero Ozymandias.
The song also appears in the video game World in Conflict
World in Conflict
World in Conflict, or WiC, is a real-time tactical video game developed by the Swedish video game company Massive Entertainment and published by Ubisoft for Microsoft Windows. The game was released in September 2007...
as the main theme of the game. The song is used in several scenes and the end credits as part of the single-player campaign's narrative. Set in an alternate time-line in which World War III began in June 1989, the song can be heard on a radio during the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
's invasion of Seattle, inside a US Army vehicle during a mission set in Southern France, and in the closing titles.
On the small screen, the song is perhaps best remembered for the eight seasons it served as the opening theme for the talk show Dennis Miller Live
Dennis Miller Live
Dennis Miller Live is a weekly talk show on HBO, hosted by comedian Dennis Miller. The show ran 215 episodes from 1994 to 2002, and received five Emmy awards, plus an additional 11 Emmy nominations...
. Other appearances include:
- USA NetworkUSA NetworkUSA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
Television Series PsychPsychPsych is an American detective comedy-drama television series created by Steve Franks and broadcast on USA Network. It stars James Roday as Shawn Spencer, a young crime consultant for the Santa Barbara Police Department whose "heightened observational skills" and impressive detective instincts...
Season 5, Shawn 2.0 (Sept. 1, 2010) Highlighted with an acoustic performance by guest star Curt Smith as himself. - TNTTurner Network TelevisionTurner Network Television is an American cable television channel created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner...
original movie Pirates of Silicon ValleyPirates of Silicon ValleyPirates of Silicon Valley is a 1999 made-for-television film directed by Martyn Burke and based on the book Fire in the Valley: The Making of The Personal Computer by Paul Freiberger and Michael Swaine. The film documents the impact on the development of the personal computer of the rivalry between...
(1999) - TV series NUMB3RSNUMB3RSNumb3rs is an American television drama which premiered on CBS on January 23, 2005, and concluded on March 12, 2010. The series was created by Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton, and follows FBI Special Agent Don Eppes and his mathematical genius brother, Charlie Eppes , who helps Don solve crimes...
, Episode #224 (2006). - TV promo for The West Wing
- TV commercials for the phone service 10-10-987 (2004)
- Malcolm in the MiddleMalcolm in the MiddleMalcolm in the Middle is an American television sitcom created by Linwood Boomer for the Fox Network. The series was first broadcast on January 9, 2000, and ended its six-and-a-half-year run on May 14, 2006, after seven seasons and 151 episodes...
episode Lois Battles Jamie - The song has recently been used in promotional clips for the XM Radio program "Life's Work with Lisa Belkin" heard on the Take FiveTake Five (XM)Take Five was the name of XM Satellite Radio's women's talk & entertainment. It was launched in the Fall of 2005 as XM's attempt to reach out to potential female subscribers. It heavily touted itself as the home of The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Tyra Banks Show's audio simulcasts...
channel. The program deals with women trying to balance career and family. On the clip, the line from the song "Welcome to your life" is used. - The Will Dailey cover appeared on the TV promo for Kid NationKid NationKid Nation is an American reality television show hosted by Jonathan Karsh that premiered on the CBS network on September 19, 2007 created by Tom Forman Productions and Endemol USA and aired on Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET...
. - Cold Case season one episode Greed
- Featured twice in The WireThe WIREthe WIRE is the student-run College radio station at the University of Oklahoma, broadcasting in a freeform format. The WIRE serves the University of Oklahoma and surrounding communities, and is staffed by student DJs. The WIRE broadcasts at 1710 kHz AM in Norman, Oklahoma...
.
- ERER (TV series)ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
Season 4, Episode 12, The bar scene where Elizabeth Corday and Peter Benton plays Dart
The song appears on the games, Karaoke Revolution Party, Rock Band 3
Rock Band 3
Rock Band 3 is a music video game, developed by Harmonix Music Systems. The game was initially published and distributed by MTV Games and Electronic Arts, respectively, with Mad Catz taking over both roles a year later. It is the third main game in the Rock Band series...
and is also listenable in the in-game radio of Saints Row 2
Saints Row 2
Saints Row 2 is an open world action-adventure video game developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ for the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 systems. It is the second title in the Saints Row series, after the release of Saints Row in 2006. It is succeeded by Saints Row: The...
. It also has a 1800's-style remix in the game Bioshock Infinite
BioShock Infinite
BioShock Infinite is an upcoming first-person shooter video game, and the third game in the BioShock series. Previously known as "Project Icarus", it is being developed by Irrational Games for a 2012 release on the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms...
, as heard in a gameplay trailer.
The first two verses are heard in the Powerpuff Girls episode "The Powerpuff Girls Rule!!!" sung by Mojo Jojo (voice of Roger L. Jackson
Roger L. Jackson
Roger Labon Jackson is an American voice actor. He is best known for voicing the killer Ghostface in the Scream films, leaving him to keep an unknown identity to withhold the mystery of Ghostface...
).
The song was used in the beginning and during the credits of Mike Tollin
Mike Tollin
Michael "Mike" Tollin is an American film director and film/television producer. His career highlights included Radio, Coach Carter, and Varsity Blues. He frequently collaborates with Brian Robbins in which they own a production company together called Tollin/Robbins Productions...
's ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
30 for 30
30 for 30
30 for 30 is the umbrella title for a series of documentaries airing on ESPN and its sister networks. The series, which premiered in October 2009 and concluded in December 2010, chronicles 30 stories from the "ESPN era," each of which detail the issues, trends, people, teams, or events that...
documentary about the USFL
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
.
A clip of the song played during the trailer for the TBS series "Glory Daze".
Charts
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
2 |
| Australian Singles Chart Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... |
2 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 19 |
| Canadian Singles Chart RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
1 |
| France Singles Chart | 18 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
11 |
| Netherlands Singles Chart | 2 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
2 |
| New Zealand Single Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 13 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales Hot Dance Singles Sales Hot Dance Singles Sales is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States, established in 1985. It measures the sale of commercially released singles that deal with dance music and remixes... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Rock Tracks | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
2 |
External links
- Cover version by Clare and the Reasons
- [ Review at Allmusic.com]
- Curt Smith discusses Everybody Wants To Rule The World - RetroRewind interview