Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - (Tears for Fears) Everybody Wants to Rule the World 

12 years later and I would still kill for a studio version of this.

Just found this in 2023. Amazing.

This might be the best cover of this song I've ever heard. I didn't think it could sound the same without a synthesizer. Naw. It just had to be done with the right heart.

Big ups to the drummer for Charlie Wattsing the shit out of a drum machine part, and more importantly for wearing an MDC t-shirt

Drummer is killin

It makes it so much better when the band actually likes and knows the song.

2007-2012 was the golden age of indie rock

Ted Leo just seems like the nicest guy ever

it's funny how James Canty, who has a CV that stacks up against most in guitar music post 1960, radiates pure 'dad who won a contest' energy here

Keep coming back for drums.

This is actually a damn good cover of this song

Never heard of these guys, im here chere checking out the covers because Low were here. This is a bloody top shelf effort. The drums are perfect and the Pharmacists pass muster. Hats off blokes.

I still think this is the best cover performance Ive ever seen.

incredible cover. essence of the song, and the essence of the pharmacists.

maybe the best AV Club cover ever?

im 42 and will never stop watching this

Holy drummer!?!?!. That sounds so hard to play. Killer cover.

the guitar's just so damn crunchy that every time I hear Ted start strumming real hard before the bridge I just wanna stand up and scream

Thanks to his dad and thanks to my dad for showing us really good music. They made us.

This drummer is sick

I am only hearing this for the first time today. Excellent cover.

I can’t get enough of this! Well done!

Can't believe it's been so long ago since they did this .

One of my favorites covering my favorite!

I think that's my favorite song.

This is the best cover of the song

Brilliant cover of a brilliant tune! Gotta say, closed my eyes and it was Joe Jackson covering. And I mean that as a high complement!

No doubt! Tough beat and he nailed it!

There's just something about Chris on the drums and the way this is recorded. It's so rad.

can't believe this was over 10 years ago

Ohhhhhh so good...only took me 10 years to see it

Please remember that these guys have truly seen the test of time. Ted and the Pharmacists were originally a band that favored the sounds of Thin Lizzy, and still do, Chris Wilson is one of my favorite drummers. We sometimes talked about the sacrifices musicians make in spite of their personal relationships. My favorite album is called Biomusicology. I have personally seen SO MANY BANDS, including American Princes dissolve because they have "grown up." Oh and to those guys that were legacy students because of your parents... yes, you know who you are Princes. Finally, Lucas Hunsicker, we were pals through junior high and then the rest of our lives.

Apparently Weezer decided to cover this recently. They didn't realize the definitive cover of this song had already been made.

awesome!

Fucking great drumming

I love TFF and this is a great cover. I listen to it often.

Great cover. I liked that.

Thank you so much for reuploading this!!!

Really nice.. I had't heard of him before, but sounds great, and a little likeJoe Jackson.

so beautiful

Goddamn this cover is so good!

Could NOT remember the name of this super collection. Thanks AV Club, and Ted Leo for leading me back. 🎯

This is so damn good.

That was so Cool. This is my favorite song as well..

This is very, very good.

I'm a very impossible to please person when it comes to TFF covers, but this is pretty great.

Fantastic.

Living With The Living (2007) is the moment when this band should have gone huge. Ted was punk rock, when everybody was afraid of punk rock. Then came 2008, financial crash and all sorts of BS that Ted was warning us about. Start with: Sons Of Cain, Army Bound Finish with: Tora And The Toradeore, C.I.A. Check out The Both album (2013), Ted Leo & Aimee Mann, 2 great talents with something to say.

Great performance!

This is great.

Damn, this is prime stuff.

Really good cover!!!!

my favorite version of the song

This should have far more views when compared to some of the other Undercover videos

Great!

this is one of the better jobs anyone did

man they nailed it. ever hear is cover of paul's "back seat of my car" he did for a best show wfmu comp. its stellar. and available

Leo really did his homework on this

groovy

This is wicked good indeed. And nary a synth to be found.

WOW!!!

that drummer!

Best cover out there... looked and looked this is it. Weezer's cover pales in comparison.

Come to think of it, it's quite a Ted Leo-ish song chords wise. Anyhow, one of my favorite non-conformist punk bands covering one of my favorite non-conformist pop bnands is a treat.

heck yeah Marty!

This is fuckin awesome

00:17 I love this riff so much. Anyone know the track?

Wooow i'm a big fan of TFF. But this is the way we should cover a song!!

His favorite song, my favorite cover version of that song.

Just as good if not better

Great cover from Steg!

ted leo incl pharmacists fuckin kick ass

My friends say, "All Ted Leo songs all sound alike." I say, "So?"

1:07 yes

Just great!!!

this drum beat... it's hard as fuck to do!!

Fucking loved this

Drummer rules

Is this a great cover of Tears For Fears, or the greatest cover of Tears For Fears?

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

That's some subtle product placement at 0:40....

Not bad!

Drummer is wearing Millions of Dead Cops T-shirt.

The drummers MDC shirt in this setting makes me laugh

drums are loud. dig this

Iirc this won for season 1, right?

1:06 if you’re impatient

Wonder why the mixer panned the guitars backwards? Are their amps cross-room?

13...

Get this guy doing some Joe Jackson covers! Great job tho

It was the first one, and only good one.

I never knew Waldo from where’s Waldo played guitar (IK he’s Wally for some of y’all)

Not a fan of that song but that cover kicked ass

1:05

Yeah, man! Goode shite

I like this one more than the original. Sorry.

- Steven Universe comments pending -

Grizzly Adams rules.

Who do you guys think sponsored this ?

The drums are obviously altered but still insanely groovy.