Comment: The Evolution of Tears for Fears vis a vis Emotional Growth

And no, that isn't the topic of anyone's music history PhD. YET.

So I’m listening to Pandora radio after a long absence, and although it’s repetitive, it is nice to immerse oneself in the era of one’s choice. It’s helping me with National Novel Writing Month, (37, 376 words, yeah baby!) because I’m writing an opaquely-veiled work of fiction based on my life. (Ah, narcissism.)

Anyway, I’ve basically been kind of inventorying my life over the past twenty five years and it’s pretty interesting to play around with it and embellish anything I feel like; hey, it’s fiction! Love that freedom. A lot of memories are bubbling up.

But I also feel like I’m watching myself grow up. I was once so angry, so fucked up, so full of drama and angst. And now? Not so much. I’m generally happy and thus have less drama, angst and anger. This is a good thing.

It’s kind of like Tears for Fears. Alert readers of a certain age will remember that early TFF was a MAJOR angst fest. “Mad World,” “Suffer the Children”, “Watch me Bleed”?! And the whole album was called “The Hurting”, FFS.

Heavy indeed.

But over the years, those TFF boys really lightened up. “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” evolved into the total Beatles rip-off lovefest “Sowing the Seeds of Love.” They even have an album/CD called “Everyone Loves a Happy Ending.”

And as I read and write my way through my life thus far, I find that I’ve mellowed out just like those pre-emo/new romantic/new wave/fabulously-depressed tenors. (Weren’t they both tenors? That’s the high male voice, right? I'm sorry but you're just going to have to look that one up yourself.)

I may not be as interesting and compelling as I used to be, but I sleep better at night and I’m happy to be alive. And though I still listen to old and angsty Tears for Fears, I think I’ve found my happy ending, too.