Suffer the Children (song)

Single infobox
Name = Suffer the Children


Artist = Tears for Fears
from Album = The Hurting
B-side = "Wino"
Released = November 1981
August 19 1985
Format = 7", 12"
Recorded = 1981
Genre = New Wave
Length = 3:36
Label = Mercury
Writer = Roland Orzabal
Producer = David Lord
This single = "Suffer the Children"
(1981)
Next single = "Pale Shelter (You Don't Give Me Love)"
(1982)Extra chronology 2
Type = single
Last single = "Head Over Heels"
(1985)
This single = "Suffer the Children" (second release)
(1985)
Next single = "Pale Shelter (You Don't Give Me Love)
(third release)"
(1985)Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = single


Lower caption = 1985 re-release cover
Border =

"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. The song would eventually be re-recorded for inclusion on Tears for Fears' debut LP "The Hurting" (1983).

Background

The song's title bears resemblance to a passage in the Biblical book of Matthew (19:14), in which Jesus Christ teaches on the innocence of children. According to Orzabal:

ong versions

The original 7" version of "Suffer The Children" is distinct from the version found on "The Hurting" by the inclusion of an extra Curt Smith-sung lyric at the beginning of the song. The 12" single features both a remix and an instrumental version of the song.

B-side

"Wino" is a short, acoustic song that served as the b-side to "Suffer The Children". The style of the song, minus synthesizers or production of any sort, is uncharacteristic of the band's overall body of work. It remains unreleased on CD to this day.

Reissue

In 1985, following up on the massive success of the band's second LP "Songs from the Big Chair", Mercury Records reissued the single complete with a new picture sleeve. It barely missed the UK Top 50 after failing to chart altogether the first time around. This release featured the same formats and track listings as the original.

Track listings

7": Mercury / IDEA1 flagicon|UK
# "Suffer the Children" (3:36)
# "Wino" (2:17)

12": Mercury / IDEA12 flagicon|UK
# "Suffer the Children [Remix] " (4:15)
# "Suffer the Children [Instrumental] " (4:26)
# "Wino" (2:17)

Chart positions