Mad World
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Mad World Lyrics
All around me are familiar faces
Worn-out places, worn-out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head, I wanna drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow
[Hook]
And I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take
When people run in circles, it's a very, very
Mad world, mad world
[Verse 2]
Children waiting for the day they feel good
Happy birthday, happy birthday
And to feel the way that every child should
Sit and listen, sit and listen
Went to school and I was very nervous
No one knew me, no one knew me
Hello, teacher, tell me what's my lesson
Look right through me, look right through me
About
This is a cover song, originally written and sung by a British synthpop duo Tears for Fears.
“Mad World” basically the song describes the mad world we live in today. Every day, people go to work in jobs they hate and society is essentially going nowhere.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
Michael Andrews and Gary Jules recorded this cover of “Mad World” for the Jake Gyllenhaal film Donnie Darko (2001). Andrews had been hired to soundtrack the film and included this song for an otherwise instrumental album. He said that of all the songs he could have chosen, he believed this was the right one:
That self-absorbed adolescent angst, all sad and morose – it was perfect for that climactic moment in the film.
When “Mad World” became the UK’s Christmas number 1 in 2003, Andrews told the BBC that he believed its success was down to its relatable content:
I think it’s a really beautiful example of a person struggling with the fact that life is mad. I honestly think it’s one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard and the way it’s stripped down now just pins people.“ He went on to say, "Every so often a song with just vocals, piano and cello creeps up on you and says something about who you are, where you’re going which stops you in your tracks.
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