The Hurting
Encyclopedia
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 album was certified Platinum by the BPI in January 1985.
The album contained Tears For Fears' first three hit singles – "Mad World
", "Change
", and "Pale Shelter
" – all of which reached the Top 5 in the UK.
The album was remastered and reissued in 1999, and included four remixes as bonus tracks and an extensive booklet which described the recording process of the album.
† The original cassette version of the album featured a bonus track – "Change (New Version)" – which was an earlier mix.
† The 1999 remastered version of the album incorrectly credits Curt Smith
as co-writer and Mike Howlett
as producer of "Pale Shelter" (Long Version). As confirmed on the original releases, Smith did not write any of the tracks for The Hurting and this version of "Pale Shelter" is actually the 1983 12" extended version of the song, which was produced by Chris Hughes and Ross Cullum. Howlett produced the original 1982 version.
†† "The Way You Are" was originally a non-album track, though the 12" version was included on the remastered version of The Hurting in 1999.
Single
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by the British pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
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 released on 7 March 1983, and peaked at no. 1 on the UK Album Chart. The album was certified Platinum by the BPI in January 1985.
The album contained Tears For Fears' first three hit singles – "Mad World
Mad World
"Mad World" is a song by the 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 #3 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1982. Both "Mad World" and its B-side, "Ideas As Opiates", would turn up...
", "Change
Change (Tears for Fears song)
"Change" is a song by the British band Tears for Fears. Written by Roland Orzabal and sung by bassist Curt Smith, it was the band's fourth single release. It would eventually become the second hit from their debut LP The Hurting and second UK Top 5 chart hit, following the success of "Mad World"...
", and "Pale Shelter
Pale Shelter
"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 - called at that time "Pale Shelter " - but would not find chart success until a reissue the following year...
" – all of which reached the Top 5 in the UK.
The album was remastered and reissued in 1999, and included four remixes as bonus tracks and an extensive booklet which described the recording process of the album.
Original release
- "The Hurting" – 4:20
- "Mad WorldMad World"Mad World" is a song by the 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 #3 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1982. Both "Mad World" and its B-side, "Ideas As Opiates", would turn up...
" – 3:35 - "Pale ShelterPale Shelter"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 - called at that time "Pale Shelter " - but would not find chart success until a reissue the following year...
" – 4:34 - "Ideas as Opiates" – 3:46
- "Memories Fade" – 5:08
- "Suffer the ChildrenSuffer the Children (song)"Suffer the Children" is a song by the British band Tears for Fears. Written and sung by Roland Orzabal, it was the band's first release, recorded in Bath, England shortly after the 1981 breakup of Orzabal and Curt Smith's previous band Graduate...
" – 3:53 - "Watch Me Bleed" – 4:18
- "ChangeChange (Tears for Fears song)"Change" is a song by the British band Tears for Fears. Written by Roland Orzabal and sung by bassist Curt Smith, it was the band's fourth single release. It would eventually become the second hit from their debut LP The Hurting and second UK Top 5 chart hit, following the success of "Mad World"...
" † – 4:15 - "The Prisoner" – 2:55
- "Start of the Breakdown" – 5:00
† The original cassette version of the album featured a bonus track – "Change (New Version)" – which was an earlier mix.
1999 Remastered and Expanded
As above, appending four tracks:- "Pale Shelter" (Long Version)† – 7:09
- "The Way You AreThe Way You Are (Tears for Fears song)"The Way You Are" is a song by the British band Tears for Fears. It was the band's sixth single release overall and their fourth UK top 40. The song was written by the full band while on tour in support of their debut LP The Hurting in 1983 and was recorded immediately after the tour's end. Bassist...
" (Extended)†† (EliasManny EliasManny Elias is an English drummer, notable for being the original drummer with Tears for Fears during the 1980s.Originally a member of the rock band Interview from Bath, Somerset. Elias began working with Tears For Fears in 1982 and drummed on the albums The Hurting and Songs From The Big Chair,...
/Orzabal/Smith/StanleyIan StanleyIan Stanley is an English musician, songwriter and record producer...
) – 7:43 - "Mad World" (World Remix) – 3:42
- "Change" (Extended Version) – 6:00
† The 1999 remastered version of the album incorrectly credits 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....
as co-writer and Mike Howlett
Mike Howlett
Mike Howlett is a Fijian-born musician, Grammy Award winning producer and teacher based in the United Kingdom and Australia....
as producer of "Pale Shelter" (Long Version). As confirmed on the original releases, Smith did not write any of the tracks for The Hurting and this version of "Pale Shelter" is actually the 1983 12" extended version of the song, which was produced by Chris Hughes and Ross Cullum. Howlett produced the original 1982 version.
†† "The Way You Are" was originally a non-album track, though the 12" version was included on the remastered version of The Hurting in 1999.
Personnel
- Roland OrzabalRoland OrzabalRoland 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...
– vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, rhythm programming, lead vocals on tracks 1, 4-7, and 10 - Curt SmithCurt SmithCurt 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....
– vocals, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, lead vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
on tracks 1, 2, 3, 8, and 9 - Ian StanleyIan StanleyIan Stanley is an English musician, songwriter and record producer...
– keyboard programming, computer programming - Manny EliasManny EliasManny Elias is an English drummer, notable for being the original drummer with Tears for Fears during the 1980s.Originally a member of the rock band Interview from Bath, Somerset. Elias began working with Tears For Fears in 1982 and drummed on the albums The Hurting and Songs From The Big Chair,...
– drummingDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, rhythm programming
Additional personnel
- Chris HughesChris Hughes (record producer)Chris Hughes is a music producer and a former drummer for Adam and the Ants....
– rhythm programming, tuned percussion, conducting - Ross Cullum – jazz high, dynamic toggle
- Mel CollinsMel CollinsMel Collins is a British saxophonist and flautist and session musician.He has worked in a wide variety of contexts ranging from R&B and blues rock to jazz, but is perhaps known for his work in progressive rock, as with King Crimson, Camel and the Alan Parsons Project.-Career:Collins has worked...
– saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
s - Phil PalmerPhil PalmerPhilip 'Phil' John Palmer is a sideman and session guitarist in jazz and rock who has toured, recorded, and worked with numerous famous artists...
– palmer pickingGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Caroline Orzabal – child vocal on "Suffer the Children"
Charts
Album| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | UK | 1 |
| US | 73 |
Single
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | "Mad World" | 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 ... |
3 |
| 1983 | "Pale Shelter" | UK Singles Chart | 5 |
| "Change" | UK Singles Chart | 4 | |
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock | 22 | ||
| U.S. Billboard Pop Singles | 73 |
Certifications
| Organization | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| BPI – UK | Platinum | 29 January 1985 |
| RIAA – USA | Gold | 1 December 1993 |