Tears for Fears–still ruling the world, Manila included

CURT Smith of Tears for Fears. MAGIC LIWANAG

As I sang along to Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” in the sea of people at Smart-Araneta Coliseum, I had one thought running in my head: Thank you, Dad.

It was only through my father that I came to appreciate Tears for Fears’ music. On long, annual road trips to my mom’s hometown of Binmaley, Pangasinan, Dad would always have the CD ready to play to keep him awake. My siblings and I grew up listening to him belt out “Shout” and all the other tracks on the album “Tears Roll Down: Greatest Hits ’82-’92.”

Last Aug. 11, it was my turn to belt out these songs—at least, the ones I know—during the band’s second concert day here in Manila. What I could sing along to were the ones usually met with the loudest roars and a collective standing ovation: “Advice for the Young at Heart,” “Sowing the Seeds of Love,” “Mad World,” “Change,” “Head Over Heels,” “Pale Shelter” and “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.”

Some songs were vaguely familiar (“Memories Fade,” “Badman’s Song,” “Break It Down Again”); the others, I was hearing for the first time (“Closest Thing to Heaven,” “Call Me Mellow,” “Everybody Loves A Happy Ending,” “Secret World”)—but I was dancing to  every one of them.

Aside from Per Sorensen of Fra Lippo Lippi fame, Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith were joined by British singer Carina Round, who provided backup vocals and sung the parts Oleta Adams originally performed in “Woman In Chains.”

Pleasant surprise

Roland Orzabal of Tears for Fears. MAGIC LIWANAG

A pleasant surprise was the band’s cover of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” a slower, more soulful version. As Smith would later reveal, “Now the people who were here yesterday (Aug. 10, the first day of their Manila leg) are going to be pissed we didn’t sing that.”

They also announced that all of the proceeds of their T-shirt sales would go to victims of the recent floods.

As the show appeared to come to a close after the song “Head Over Heels,” the crowd started to chant different variations of “No!” “Encore!” “More!” and even began singing in unison a few lines from the chorus of “Shout” (let’s face it, we weren’t going to let them leave without singing that song).

Of course, the band obliged, and Smith even came out wearing a fresh, Philippine flag-inspired shirt. They officially ended their two-day Manila concert with “Woman In Chains” and—what else?—“Shout.”

And that last song I shamelessly belted out, possibly even louder than my dad does inside the car.