Raoul and the Kings of Spain by Tears for Fears

Raoul and the Kings of Spain is the fifth album by the British pop-rock band Tears for Fears. Like the previous album, Elemental, it is essentially a solo effort by Roland Orzabal—neither album being made with the involvement of Curt Smith who had left the band at that time. The album, according to Orzabal, has a recurring theme of familial relationships and delves into his own Spanish heritage. The album's title was mooted as far back as the 1980s as a possible contender for the band's third album (The Seeds of Love). Raoul was originally Orzabal's name given at birth before being Anglicized by his parents to Roland (Orzabal later gave the name "Raoul" to his first son, born in 1993). The album was originally scheduled to be released by Mercury Records but the project was cancelled after Tears For Fears left the label to sign with Sony/Epic Records. The album was eventually released by Sony in October 1995 with a different track listing and new cover art. The album peaked at #41 in the UK and #79 in the US, but was more successful in continental Europe, reaching #23 in Italy, #13 in Belgium, and #5 in France. The album features a return by Oleta Adams, who had worked and toured extensively with the band for The Seeds of Love album, and here duets with Orzabal on the track "Me and My Big Ideas". The album was re-released in August 2009 by Cherry Pop Records, complete with seven bonus tracks. ℗ 1995 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.