Paul McCartney talking about Tears for Fears in 1989 

I love the way he uses "Tribute" and "Stole" in the same sentence! Talk about a backhanded compliment!

Paul McCartney had a mullet, Roland Orzabal had a mullet, case closed.

I saw Tears For Fears in concert two years ago. And it was one of the best concerts I have ever seen in my life. I always liked them, but they were better than I even expected.

Being a musician and audiophile for over 50 years, I never once thought TFF sounded like the Beatles. Paul putting the icing on a cupcake question.

well maybe Little Richard should put in a royalty for some of Paul's vocals

Tears For Fears and their song Sowing The Seeds Of Love are two of THE most underrated things about music EVER!!

*Jeff Lynne has entered the chat*

Tears for Fears are really incredible, they are sensational❤❤

Right, cause The Beatles never "stole" from anyone. Wow, I can't believe he can say this with a straight face. And the room laughing along... Twilight Zone.

Wait till you hear the Gallagher brothers

Lovely interview... I have heard that Paul McCartney loved TFF's 'Songs from the Big Chair' album and had written a signed note to Curt Smith praising it (it is on the album's 25th anniversary, inner sleeve notes). Curt recollects this but he cursed himself by mentioning that he lost that note. In terms of 'Seeds of Love', it was meant to be a Beatles pastiche. Roland used to boast back then about being the John Lennon to Curt's more Paul McCartney personality.

All he had to say was that they did a nice job on the song, instead of struggling to pay them a compliment, which has tended to do over his career.

Paul there, never one to turn down a royalty check.

I remember the first time I heard “Sowing The Seeds Of Love.” I was walking up from a nap on the couch and it was playing on the radio. I probably spent 20 seconds trying to figure out what Beatles song I was hearing before I finally realized it wasn’t The Beatles at all!

Tears for Fears have been influenced by many bands and artists, and the Beatles are one obvious influence on many of their tracks.

The song was obviously about the acid house explosion as it was described as the second summer of love, especially with the “dj’s the man we love most” I also liked the “kick out the style, bring back the jam” line. Sowing the seeds of love really did sum up the late 80s, great times.

I think he's talking about Sowing The Seeds Of Love, which I never hear unless I play my CD. Corporate radio keeps playing Everybody Wants To Rule The World instead.

Paul has always been a guy who immersed himself into his music whilst maintaining a bit of distance from his contemporaries. He has never said that his era was unbeatable nor been overly impressed by much. ("Yeah good, I like Freddie and Brian. Pink Floyd yeah, I remember they using the Abbey Road studios when we were there and chatting with the boys). Always understated and grounded.

I had the good fortune of having pizza with Roland Orzabal in 2001 when he made a visit to my office to promote his solo record “Tomcats Screaming Outside “. We chatted about Curt, who was not in Tears at that moment, Bob Geldof over a charity re-recording called “Everybody Wants To Run The World” he hated that Geldof talked him into doing (Roland took my 12” copy and pretended to break it over his knee) and even Paul McCartney came up over a studio mixing console Roland purchased from him. This video made me think of that. I’ll never forget the date I met Roland because it was 9/10/2001. Less than 24 hours before the world changed.

You end up liking these successful musicians more when they take the high road instead of this. The correct answer would be more like "I hear certain parts that are very reminiscent, but overall, they still have their own unique sound.

"Everybody wants to rule the world" may have been taken from the Clash's "Charlie Don't Surf." Joe Strummer used to tell a story of running into one of the lads (not sure which) from TFF in a pub and Joe jokingly said the lad owed him for that line. IIRC, the lad agreed and bought Joe a pint. Also, I get an "I Am The Walrus" vibe listening to "Sowing the Seeds of Love."

Saw them a couple of years back and was really impressed how good they still are. Recommended if you get the chance.

Paul, dont get me started on the Beatles and their thievery! Chuck Berry, Everly Brothers, Jackie Deshannon, little Richard…….some of the licks were straight ripped!!!

This is Billy. Paul McCartney died in car crash on September 11 1966.

I wonder if Little Richard said the same about McCartney?

Paul was about 47 at the time of this interview.

I forget sometimes that when McCartney was younger, he had an edge about him, you can see why him and John would become very good friends.

Quite ridiculous for anyone who knows anything about TFF to say they don't sometimes sound like The Beatles. Throughout their whole body of work, no, but on STSOL, that song is absolutely and obviously doing a Beatles vibe. Some later songs, like "Everybody Loves a Happy Ending" and "Secret World" also notably have show some Beatles influence as well.

This is so overblown - yes it's in somewhat of a "Sgt Pepper style" in some ways, but that's it. It's a good song all on its own. My biggest complaint about it is that it was over-produced, trying to cram more and more things into it - like a painter who keeps trying to improve a great painting and overdoes it

'Seeds Of Love' is basically 'I Am The Walrus' with a different chorus. Same beat, same vocal style, same musically.

Tears for Fears are brilliant and criminally underrated.

Which Beatles song did Tears for Fears “Sowing to Seeds of Love” sample?

Frank Zappa’s album ‘ were only in it for the money’ was a direct dig at the Beatles and their quest to remain relevant during the psychedelic era

Billy Shears is mighty full of himself.

It's like asking if the Beatles were ripping off the Beach Boys on Back In The USSR.

After Sowing The Seeds Of Love came out, I read an interview with Roland and Curt where they mentioned that upon the release of their previous two albums, McCartney had graciously sent them a note wishing best of luck. But they noticed that McCartney didn't pass along his best wishes for STSOL.

The ego is always to the fore. TFF were unlike the Beatles or Macca musically.

La canción de la que habla es mejor que cualquiera que el ha escrito en los últimos 30 años .. que se baje de su nube

He's talking about Sewing the Seeds of Love, which was a Beatles tribute. My copy of Now that's what I call music 16 said so.

Everybody Loves a Happy Ending has even more Beatles/Wings flavored tracks. “Sacred World” would have fit in nicely on Venus and Mars.

He put in for a royalty, but it was stolen by a one-legged woman.

There are no great artists who didn't "borrow" or "steal" from other great artists. Literally not possible and McCartney knows this better than most, so a total non-issue.

It's a very good album.

Just happy tears for the early to mid eighties. A great time, many happy memories. Good luck all. It’s shit now.

Seeds of Love is the master peace of TFF. The most beatlesque part of it is a tiny guitar riff near the middle of the song, which I always thought the volume too low... And this low volume for such an awesome riff is strange. Very strange.

He was peak bobble-head here!

Paul and the word humble will never be used in the same sentence...Oops.

Did Paul ever get his royalty check?

I didn’t know Sowing the seeds of love was a Beatles like song! Is there one particular song that it sounds like?

Seeds is actually a more complex score than most Beatles tunes. To say nothing of the immaculate production. Paul probably wishes he wrote it for his own record around that fallow time in his career.

Billy pulling a fast one, again.......

Macca is a class act

STSOL sounds like For No One for the chorus.

I always wondered what he thought of The Stone Roses' first album.....

I’d listen to Tears for Fears over the Beatles any day. I have been a fan since 1983 and I have never once thought they stole from the freaking Beatles. What a joke.

Nowhere Man please listen..

I have that poster

"Kick out the Style get back to The Jam"

They could at least play it live.

Biiillllyyyyy Shhheeeerrrrssss.......Billy and the pepperpots = sgt pepper.

And Oasis?????

Be afraid Tears for Fears. Look what happened with Bitter Sweet Symphony, by the Verve

Exactly how Don Henley would have handled it. Right Don?

That's not paul from early sixtys

All the greats are inspired by or "stole" from someone else and built upon it

The reason the Beatles split up was because no stadium was big enough for Lennon & McCartney's ego. 😅

Tears for fears who are they kidding he said, shows u how much he genuinely knows about music,,, 😂😂😂😂

Thank god tears for fears didn't borrow the Eagles sound.

I cant operate on this failure when all I wanna be is in command.

Yeah sowing the seeds of love is a bit strawberry fields forever. The clever copy, the genius steals. Noel gallagher is a genius!

Wait till you hear....LITERALLY EVERYBODY ELSE 😅

But Tears for Fears was actually good!

Grew up with the Beatles, love tears for fears and never ever heard the the connection in their music. I think Paul's being a bit selfish there.

1989 talking about tears for fears ha ha ha 😂 lol

As if the Beatles hadn't stolen...They stole a lot and with style too

The Beatles copied others in their first albums.

i know..... for the love of GOD....turn the record over !..... problem is.... radio doesn't have dj's anymore... it's all preprogrammed by some corporate entities 😡

tune

Tears for fears 😂😂😂😂 What ever happened to them

That paul McCartney album he was promoting, was absolutely horrendous. I was forced to listen to the WHOLE ENTIRE crappy album by my 3rd grade teacher.😭

Tears for Fears are Miles better in my opinion.

Here’s a little perspective about Sir Paul. The Beatles disbanded in 1970, 19 years before this interview. That same year, in 1989, Nirvana released his debut album. Nirvana ended in 1994 with Kurt Cobain’s death. 30 years later, Paul McCartney is still active and doing wold tours.

Macca has borrowed plenty.... but thats an inconvenient truth right?

Beatles "stole" many a harmony from Buddy and the Everly Bros.....

What! Tears for Fears I thought they were Tears for Beers! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Hey! Did you hear that new Beatle song? It’s called Everybody wants the Beatles to rule the world. Paul wants every thing. Didn’t he have enough. There is nothing that is original. I’m sure cave men had some good Beatles songs in mind.🤣✌️✌️💰💰

Always nicest Beatle.

I hear ya Paul, such a weak follow-up to one of the greatest albums of all-time (Songs From The Big Chair) smh. Other than Tears Roll Down, it remains unlistenable for me.

Yeah, but good thing TFF didn't do a ripoff of "Eleanor Rigby". Paul would have come after them with an army of lawyers.

Paul was copying the Everly Brothers and Chuck Berry. Its almost like he has a arrogant attitude about Tears for Fears who had more popular music then him in 1989.

I don't agree,they have a very different sound.😁🌞

For me, that was probably the worst song on the album, the rest is brilliant.....and not like the beatles!

Paul McCartney is so arrogant. It’s no wonder the Beatles all fought. In my opinion , his solo music sucks. I’m so Beatled out! There is other music out there I think Johns, and Georges solo music was way better! Tears For Fears was a unique band. When did harmonies become The Beatles?🤢🤮

Tears for Fears sounded nothing like Beatles

Can't stand him

I can't imagine Macca listening to the Doors - it's weird to hear "The Doors" emerge from his mouth.

The Beatles the Big Bang of rock and roll, The Beatles always The Beatles. You can’t beat them How ever You try. There were three more who contributed. Tell me what other band had that grandiose lineup. ”If You go carrying pictures of Plink Floyd You ain’t gonna make it with anyone anyhow”.

How exactly were TFF a copy of the Beatles? I don't hear it in the slightest.

Sorry Paul, but the Beatles borrowed or stole nuances from many different artists. Not to mention that MR. Martian used many fundamental orchestral techniques. Nobody just comes up with an original idea, all music is always built upon the music that influences the current songwriter. His pallet is resting on his influence from previous music. Not to mention we only have 12 notes in Western Music. I love the Beatles and all the boys. There is no denying that Paul and John were genius musicians and song writers, George was a genius as well and nobody can hold a candle to Ringo his drumming is sublime and incredible. Nevertheless, both Paul and John were ego maniacs, it shows how insecure Paul was in 1989, to do anything but compliment the guys from TFF’s, shows what an ass he was in 1989.