Advice for the Young at Heart explained

Advice for the Young at Heart
Cover:	Advicefortheyoungatheart.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Tears for Fears
Album:	The Seeds of Love
B-Side:	"Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams" "Music for Tables"
Released:	19 February 1990
Genre:	Blue-eyed soul jazz pop
Length:	4:55 (album version) 4:49 (7" version)
Label:	Fontana
Producer:	Tears for Fears Dave Bascombe
Prev Title:	Woman in Chains
Prev Year:	1989
Next Title:	Famous Last Words
Next Year:	1990

"Advice for the Young at Heart" is a song by the English band Tears for Fears, taken from their 1989 album The Seeds of Love. It was released as the third single from the album in February 1990.

The song was written by Roland Orzabal and keyboardist/singer Nicky Holland. The lead vocal was sung by Curt Smith (the only track on The Seeds of Love album that he sang solo lead vocals on).

The single only reached #89 in the US Billboard 100 but was a Top 40 hit in the UK (#36), France (#31), Canada (#25) and The Netherlands (#22), and a Top 20 hit in Ireland (#15). In 1992, when Tears for Fears released Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82–92), "Advice for the Young at Heart" was re-released in Brazil.

While the album version was mixed by David Bascombe, the single version was mixed by Bob Clearmountain. The single mix was included on the 2020 deluxe edition of The Seeds of Love.

Music video

The video for the song was filmed in Florida and was directed by Andy Morahan.^[1] It features a wedding interspersed with shots of the band performing.

Critical reception

David Giles of Music Week presented "Advice for the Young at Heart" as a "fairly lightweight track" from the parent album, "less pompous than [Tears for Fears] are capable of and produced with such tender care that you can almost smell the polish"; however, he criticized the commercial strategy of releasing the song under multiple formats.^[2]

Track listings

CD single

1. "Advice for the Young at Heart" — 4:49
2. "Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams" — 4:16
3. "Music for Tables" — 3:32
4. "Johnny Panic And the Bible of Dreams" (instrumental) — 4:18

7" single

1. "Advice for the Young at Heart" — 4:45
2. "Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams" — 4:16

12" single

1. "Advice for the Young at Heart" — 4:49
2. "Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams" — 4:16
3. "Music for Tables" — 3:32

Personnel

Personnel are taken from the single CD liner notes and The Seeds Of Love album liner notes (except for the vocals, which are taken from the description of the song on YouTube, in particular, the version in this citation). The lead vocals are uncredited, but are done by Curt Smith.

• Curt Smith – bass, lead vocals
• Roland Orzabal – guitar, drum programming, keyboards,
• Simon Clark – hammond organ
• Nicky Holland – piano, backing vocals
• Maggie Ryder – backing vocals

Chart

Chart (1990)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[3]	116
Canada (RPM)^[4]	25
Italy (FIMI)^[5]	49
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[6]	89
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks^[7]	24

Notes and References

1. Web site: mvdbase.com - Tears For Fears - "Advice for the young at heart". Music Video DataBase. Garcia. Alex S. November 1, 2015.
2. Singles . David . Giles . . 24 February 1990 . 25 . 31 August 2023.
3. Web site: ARIA Singles Chart w/c 4-6-1990. ARIA, via Imgur.com. 7 January 2020.
4. RPM > Top Singles - Volume 52, No. 1, May 19, 1990. RPM. 30 November 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150518075110/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.1243&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=akohg9sbuegd39gpdrppgau281. 18 May 2015.
5. Web site: Hit Parade Italia > Indice per Interprete: T. Italian. Intercom. 7 January 2020.
6. Billboard > Tears for Fears Chart History > Hot 100. Billboard. 7 January 2020.
7. Billboard > Tears for Fears Chart History > Adult Contemporary. Billboard. 7 January 2020.