TEARS FOR FEARS – Woman in chains (1989)

“Woman in Chains” is a song by English band Tears for Fears, released as the second single from their third studio album, The Seeds of Love (1989). It has been described as a “feminist anthem”. It was an international success, reaching the top 40 in several countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, France, and the Netherlands.

The studio cut features Phil Collins on drums. “Tears for Fears just wanted me to do that big drum thing from ‘In the Air Tonight’…” Collins recalled. “‘We want you to come in here in a big way.'” The song prominently features vocals by Oleta Adams, who went on to achieve a successful solo career. It was re-released in 1992 – with a different B-side and now credited to “Tears for Fears featuring Oleta Adams” – to capitalise on the singer’s solo success and to promote the Tears for Fears compilation Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82–92). This time, it reached number 57 in the UK.

“Woman in Chains” was recorded as a duet. Orzabal explained the impetus for the lyric to Melody Maker: “I was reading some feminist literature at the time and I discovered that there are societies in the world still in existence today that are non-patriarchal. They don’t have the man at the top and the women at the bottom. They’re matricentric—they have the woman at the centre and these societies are a lot less violent, a lot less greedy and there’s generally less animosity… but the song is also about how men traditionally play down the feminine side of their characters and how both men and women suffer for it…. I think men in a patriarchal society are sold down the river a bit—okay, maybe we’re told that we’re in control but there are also a hell of a lot of things that we miss out on, which women are allowed to be”.

You better love loving and you better behave You better love loving and you better behave Woman in chains Woman in chains

Calls her man the great white hope Says she’s fine, she’ll always cope Ohh, woman in chains Woman in chains

Well I feel lying and waiting is a poor man’s deal (a poor man’s deal) And I feel hopelessly weighed down by your eyes of steel (your eyes of steel) Well it’s a world gone crazy Keeps woman in chains

Oh oh oh oh oh Woman in chains Woman in chains

Trades her soul as skin and bones Sells the only thing she owns, oh oh Woman in chains Woman in chains

Men of stone Men of stone Oh, no no no

Well I feel Deep in your heart there are wounds time can’t heal And I feel Somebody somewhere is trying to breathe Well you know what I mean It’s a world gone crazy Keeps woman in chains

It’s under my skin but out of my hands I’ll tear it apart but I won’t understand I will not accept the greatness of man

It’s a world gone crazy Keeps a woman in chains Gone crazy, keeps woman in chains

So free her (repeat)