The Way You Are (Tears for Fears song)

Single infobox
Name = The Way You Are


Artist = Tears for Fears
from Album =
B-side = "The Marauders"
Released = November 21 1983
Format = 7", 12"
Recorded = 1983
Genre = New Wave
Length = 4:53
Label = Mercury
Writer = Roland Orzabal
Curt Smith
Ian Stanley
Manny Elias
Producer = Chris Hughes
Ross Cullum
Last single = "Pale Shelter" (1983)
This single = "The Way You Are" (1983)
Next single = "Mothers Talk" (1984)

"The Way You Are" is a song by the British band Tears for Fears. It was the band's sixth single release overall and their fourth UK top 40 hit. The song was written by the full band while on tour in support of their debut LP "The Hurting" in 1983 and was recorded immediately after the tour's end. Bassist Curt Smith provides lead vocal on the song. The release was intended to act as a stopover between albums, mainly to keep the group in the public spotlight. Despite its modest chart success, the song failed to appear on compact disc until the release of the b-sides and rarities collection "Saturnine Martial & Lunatic" in 1996.

Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith have been uncompromising in their dislike for the song in the years following its release, Orzabal stating it was "the point we realized we had to change direction", while Smith was even more direct in proclaiming it "the worst thing we've done".

Track listings

7": Mercury / IDEA6 flagicon|UK / 814 954-7 flagicon|Australia flagicon|Europe
# "The Way You Are" (4:53)
# "The Marauders" (4:14)

;2x7": Mercury / IDEAS6 flagicon|UK
# "The Way You Are" (4:53)
# "The Marauders" (4:14)
# "Change [Live in Oxford] " (4:36)
# "Start of the Breakdown [Live in Oxford] " (5:53)

;12": Mercury / IDEA612 flagicon|UK / 814 954-1 flagicon|Netherlands / 818 087-1 flagicon|Germany
# "The Way You Are [Extended Version] " (7:33)
# "The Marauders" (4:14)
# "Start of the Breakdown [Live in Oxford] " (5:53)

;12": Mercury / 15PP-42 flagicon|Japan
# "The Way You Are [Extended Version] " (7:33)
# "Pale Shelter [New Extended Version] " (6:41)
# "The Marauders" (4:14)
# "We Are Broken" (4:03)
# "Start of the Breakdown [Live in Oxford] " (5:53)

Chart positions