<P> "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was somewhat of an afterthought during the recording of Songs from the Big Chair . According to Roland Orzabal, he initially regarded the song as a lightweight that would not fit with the rest of the album . Originally, the lyrics of the song were "everybody wants to go to war", which Orzabal felt was lacklustre . It was producer Chris Hughes who convinced him to try recording it, in a calculated effort to gain American chart success . </P> <P> It was written and recorded in two weeks and was the final track to be added to the Songs from the Big Chair album . The shuffle beat was alien to our normal way of doing things . It was jolly rather than square and rigid in the manner of' Shout', but it continued the process of becoming more extrovert . </P> <P> The concept is quite serious--it's about everybody wanting power, about warfare and the misery it causes . </P> <P> "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a new wave song set in the key of D major with a 12 8 time signature and a tempo of 112 beats per minute . The band have stated that the driving shuffle rhythm was influenced by Simple Minds "Waterfront", released in 1983 . </P>

Everybody wants to rule the world what is the song about