"The Way You Are" is a song by the English new wave band Tears for Fears. It was the band's sixth single release overall and their fourth UK Top 40 hit. Released as a single in November 1983, it was intended as a stopgap between the band's first and second albums, mainly to keep the group in the public eye, and was not included on the band's second album.
The song is the only one to be written by the full band, including keyboardist Ian Stanley and drummer Manny Elias. It was written while on tour in support of the band's debut album The Hurting in 1983. Produced by Chris Hughes and Ross Cullum, who produced The Hurting, the song utilised sampled voices and rhythms. Bassist Curt Smith performs lead vocal on the song.
Both it and the instrumental B-side "The Marauders" were later included on the band's 1996 B-sides and rarities collection Saturnine Martial & Lunatic, and on the 2006 Deluxe Edition reissue of Songs from the Big Chair. The extended 12" version of the song was included on the 1999 remastered version of The Hurting.
Band members Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith have been uncompromising in their dislike for the song in the years following its release, Orzabal stating it was "the point we realized we had to change direction", while Smith was even more direct in proclaiming it "the worst thing we've done". Smith reaffirmed this position in a 2014 interview with Consequence of Sound.
7": Mercury / IDEA6 (United Kingdom) / 814 954-7 (Australia, Europe)
Credits adapted from Tidal.