Songfacts®:

• The sleeve notes of the group's 1996 rarities album Saturnine Martial and Lunatic state that this was an homage to the style and work of British singer-songwriter Robert Wyatt. Tears for Fears' Roland Orzabal originally planned to offer the song to Wyatt before the band recorded it themselves. Wyatt's "Sea Song" was covered by the group as the B-side to this single in the UK. >>>

  Suggestion credit:
  Graham - Huddersfield, England
• Will Gregory of Goldfrapp played saxophone on this track, as he did on another song on Songs From The Big Chair, "The Working Hour."
• The introspective ballad finds the narrator taking a hard look at his beliefs, including whether his destiny is created through free will or determined by fate, and challenging the listener to do the same. Orzabal remains cryptic about the song's meaning, but it's one of his favorite tracks on the album. "Very simple, a nice sort of jazz swing to it," he said. "Now, I don't wanna harp on about the lyrics or anything like that, but I think that they are the most potent and powerful lyrics we've ever put onto vinyl."
• The liner notes specifically state: "Dedicated to Robert Wyatt (If he's Listening)." This is a reference to "Dedicated To You But You Weren't Listening" by Wyatt's former band Soft Machine.