THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

24-Tears for Fears-Sowing the Seeds of Love.

1989-Number 5 single.

Best Bit-At 3.08. Many songs have a strong Beatles influence, this ones the best.

Tears for Fears (see also best songs 640) were formed in Bath, Somerset, England, in 1981 by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith. The pair split in 1991, but got back together in 2000, and at the time of writing they remain active. In total there have been four members of Tears for Fears come and go, with Roland Orzabel being the bands one constant. Prior to forming Tears for Fears, both Orzabal and Smith had both been members of the English New Wave quintet ‘Graduate,’ who released one studio Album ‘Acting My Age’ in 1980. Orzabal has also issued one solo studio Album under his own name called ‘Tomcats Screaming Outside,’ in 2001. Away from Tears for Fears Curt Smith has released four solo studio Albums between 1993-2013, and another Album in 1998 called ‘Mayfield,’ which was a short lived project Smith became involved in with three others.

‘Sowing the Seeds of Love’ was co-written by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, with the pair producing, along with Dave Bascombe. The song was the first of four singles released from the bands third studio Album ‘The Seeds of Love,’ from September 1989, and was a major hit worldwide, including reaching Number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in America.

‘Sowing the Seeds of Love’ was mainly written by Roland Orzabal in June 1987 during the week of the UK General Election, in which Margaret Thatcher, (1925-2013) and the ‘Conservative Party’ won a third consecutive term in office. This event prompted Orzabal to take a keen interest in politics, especially in ‘socialism.’ The line ‘Politician granny with your high ideals, have you no idea how the majority feels?’ is a direct reference to Thatcher being re-elected.

The songs title was inspired by a radio programme that Orzabal had heard around that time about Cecil Sharp (1859-1924) who was an English born collector of Folk songs. One of these songs was called ‘The Seeds of Love,’ (first documented in 1689) which Sharp had learned about from a gardener called Mr. England. Evidently Sharp had heard John England singing the song, and that inspired him to find out more about other traditional English Folk songs. Orzabal acknowledges their chance meeting in the lyrics with the line,’Mr. England sowing the seeds of love.’

For me though the best lyrics in the song are ‘Kick out the Style, bring back the Jam,’ this cheekily references that when the English singer/songwriter Paul Weller was in his Rock band ‘The Jam,’ (see also best songs 670-94 and 59) many of the songs he wrote with them were highly politicised, but after leaving them to form his next group ‘The Style Council,’ he had mellowed, and was now writing about love and romance.

Musically ‘Sowing the Seeds of Love’ has been (and correctly so) compared to the later 1960’s work of the Beatles, (see also best songs 599-319-238-218-157-141-80-51-10 and 5) for example the brief trumpet line is very similar to the one that can be heard in ‘Penny Lane'(1967.) Curt Smith who must have been in a ‘bullish’ mood at the time has said,’With ‘Sowing The Seeds Of Love’ we felt it was sufficiently different for us to release as a single. People can say it sounds like ‘I Am The Walrus,’ or whatever, but in sound quality alone it’s miles ahead of anything like that.’

‘Sowing the Seeds of Love’ is a political protest song. It is telling us that if we don’t agree with those who make the rules then we should not remain quiet. We should make our voices heard, as it will lead to a change for the better, if enough of us make the effort.

‘High time, we made a stand, and shook up the views of the common man. The love train rides from coast to coast, DJ’s the man we love the most.’