Tears for Fears – Sowing the Seeds of Love
A kaleidoscopic protest anthem with Beatles flair
Released in August 1989, “Sowing the Seeds of Love” marked a bold new chapter for Tears for Fears. As the lead single from their third album The Seeds of Love, it arrived four years after the massive success of Songs from the Big Chair, and it made one thing clear: Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith weren’t interested in playing it safe. Instead, they leaned into lush psychedelia, political commentary, and studio experimentation—crafting one of the most ambitious pop singles of the decade.
Politics, protest, and planting hope
Written during the week of Margaret Thatcher’s 1987 re-election, the song channels Orzabal’s frustration with the political climate into a call for unity and compassion. The lyrics are direct and biting, with lines like “Politician granny with your high ideals, have you no idea how the majority feels?” and “Kick out the style, bring back the jam,” a jab at Paul Weller’s shift from The Jam to The Style Council. But it’s not all cynicism—the repeated mantra of “sowing the seeds of love” suggests hope, growth, and the possibility of change.
Chart success and visual flair
The song was a commercial success, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. (held off the top spot by Janet Jackson’s “Miss You Much”) and #5 in the UK. It also charted in the Top 10 across Europe, including Canada, Ireland, Italy, and the Netherlands.
The offical music video, directed by Jim Blashfield, is a surreal, collage-style animation that blends live action with stop-motion and hand-drawn elements. It features Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith performing amid a whirlwind of symbolic imagery—sunflowers blooming, clocks spinning, and abstract political metaphors unfolding in vibrant, layered visuals. The video’s bold, experimental style earned it two MTV Video Music Awards for Best Breakthrough Video and Best Special Effects, and it remains one of the most visually distinctive clips of the late ’80s
Legacy of a lush revolution
More than three decades later, “Sowing the Seeds of Love” stands as one of Tears for Fears’ most daring and enduring works. It’s a song that dares to be big—musically, lyrically, and emotionally. And in doing so, it captures a moment when pop music wasn’t afraid to be political, psychedelic, and profoundly hopeful all at once.
