Change

The song Change, released by Tears for Fears in early 1983, became a turning point for the band, marking their first foray into the United States charts by reaching the Billboard Hot 100 in August of that same year. This track, written by Roland Orzabal and featuring vocals by Curt Smith, was the second successful single from their debut album, The Hurting, following in the wake of Mad World. Its international reach was considerable, managing to place among the top forty in various countries. Curiously, Orzabal described the lyrics as lacking particular depth, calling them "cheap pop lyrics". The version we hear on The Hurting represents a significant improvement over what they had done previously, according to the composer himself.

The recording of Change, which took place in the United Kingdom in January 1983 with The Conflict as the B-side, features different versions. The 7-inch edition is a slightly edited version of the one that appears on the album. There is also an extended mix, labeled "New Version" on the cassette edition of The Hurting, which, despite its title, actually precedes the 7-inch version and includes alternative lyrics. The production of the song was handled by Chris Hughes and Ross Cullum. A critic from Record Mirror, Mark Cooper, praised the musical foundation as "possibly a masterpiece", although he noted that the song as a whole lacked "real character". The music video was directed by Clive Richardson, known for his early work with Depeche Mode.