Mad World
Encyclopedia
"Mad World" is a song by the British
band Tears for Fears
. Written by Roland Orzabal
and sung by bassist Curt Smith
, it was the band's third single release and first chart hit, reaching #3 on the UK Singles Chart
in November 1982. Both "Mad World" and its B-side
, "Ideas As Opiates", would turn up on the band's debut LP The Hurting
the following year. The song would eventually become Tears for Fears' first international hit, reaching the Top 40 in several countries between 1982 and 1983.
Nearly two decades later, the song made a popular resurgence when it was covered in a much slower, ballad
-like style by composers Michael Andrews
and Gary Jules
for the soundtrack
to the movie Donnie Darko
. This version reached #1 in the UK in December 2003, and became an international hit.
". The band instead decided it may be something people would like to hear on the radio and held back its release, waiting to issue the song as a single in its own right after re-recording it with Chris Hughes
, a former drummer with Adam and the Ants
.
The melody is reminiscent of the song "Matthew and Son
" by Cat Stevens
.
, author of The Primal Scream
. The lyric
"the dreams in which I'm dying are best I've ever had" suggests that dreams of intense experiences such as death will be the best at releasing tension.
on its initial release, the "World Remix" that was featured on the 7" double-single. This mix is very similar to the album version, with the most notable differences being the additional echo added to the intro and middle sections and the subtraction of a subtle keyboard part from the bridge. A later remix by noted British music producer Afterlife
was featured on the 2005
reissue of the Tears for Fears greatest hits collection Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82–92).
's book Prisoners of Pain and features lyrics related to the concept of primal therapy
. The song is musically sparse, featuring just a piano, drum machine, and saxophone. An alternative version of this song titled "Saxophones As Opiates" was included as a B-side on the 12" single and is mostly instrumental.
's "Let's Go To Bed" video.
The clip was directed by Clive Richardson who was notable for his work at that time with Depeche Mode
.
) / 812 213-7 (United States
)
7": Mercury / IDEA3 (Ireland
) / 6059 568 (Australia
, Europe
) / TOS 1411 (South Africa
)
7" Double Pack: Mercury / IDEA33 (United Kingdom)
12": Mercury / IDEA312 (United Kingdom) / 6400 677 (Europe)
and Gary Jules
for the film Donnie Darko
(2001). While the Tears for Fears
version featured various synthesizers and percussion, the Andrews/Jules version was stripped down; instead of a full musical backing, it used only a set of piano chords, a cello, and modest use of a vocoder
on the chorus. Their version was originally released on CD in 2002 on the film's soundtrack
, but an increasing cult following spawned by the movie's DVD release finally prompted Jules and Andrews to issue the song as a proper single. The release was a success in late 2003, becoming the Number One single
over the Christmas holiday in the UK
, a feat Tears for Fears themselves never accomplished. The music video, directed by Michel Gondry
, has since been very popular on YouTube
, with its most popular posting garnering over 39.5 million views as of October 10th, 2011 (see this link.). It is included on the DVD compilation Michel Gondry 2: More Videos (Before and After DVD 1)
. The song was later included in the commercial to the videogame Gears of War
.
The song experienced another resurgence in popularity after a version of it similar to the Andrews/Jules arrangement was performed by Adam Lambert
on Season 8
of American Idol
. A recording of this performance was subsequently released as a digital single and reached the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100
in 2009.
It is also featured on Alex Parks' debut album, Introduction, released on 24 November 2003.
On the V2
compilation album, Acoustic 3, the song features. It also features on Acoustic 04 and Now That's What I Call Music! 56 (UK series).
Susan Boyle
covered this slower version on her third studio album Someone To Watch Over Me released in 2011.
Marco Mengoni
covered the song in his tour Re Matto Tour.
)
CD2: Sanctuary / SANXD250X (United Kingdom)
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
band Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears are an English new wave band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith.Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, they were initially associated with the New Wave synthesiser bands of the early 1980s but later branched out into...
. Written by Roland Orzabal
Roland Orzabal
Roland Jaime Orzabal de la Quintana is an English musician, songwriter and record producer. He is known mainly as a co-founding member of Tears for Fears, of which he is the main songwriter and joint vocalist, but he has also achieved success as a producer of other artists.- Early career :Orzabal...
and sung by bassist Curt Smith
Curt Smith
Curt Smith is an English musician. He is best known for forming the band Tears for Fears, along with childhood friend Roland Orzabal. Also a solo artist, he released his third album Halfway, Pleased in May 2008....
, it was the band's third single release and first chart hit, reaching #3 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in November 1982. Both "Mad World" and its B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
, "Ideas As Opiates", would turn up on the band's debut LP The Hurting
The Hurting
The Hurting is the debut album by the British pop band Tears for Fears. It was released on 7 March 1983, and peaked at no. 1 on the UK Album Chart...
the following year. The song would eventually become Tears for Fears' first international hit, reaching the Top 40 in several countries between 1982 and 1983.
Nearly two decades later, the song made a popular resurgence when it was covered in a much slower, ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
-like style by composers Michael Andrews
Michael Andrews (musician)
Michael Andrews is an American musician and film score composer. He is best known for a cover version of the Tears for Fears song "Mad World", which he recorded with Gary Jules for the Donnie Darko soundtrack, and which became a number one single in the UK in Christmas 2003.-Soundtrack...
and Gary Jules
Gary Jules
Gary Jules is an American singer-songwriter, best known for his cover of Tears for Fears' third single "Mad World", which he recorded together with friend Michael Andrews for the film Donnie Darko. It became the UK Christmas Number One single of 2003...
for the soundtrack
Donnie Darko (soundtrack)
The Donnie Darko soundtrack was created by Michael Andrews and released in 2002. It consisted of 16 instrumental tracks and two covers of "Mad World" by Tears for Fears.-Production:...
to the movie Donnie Darko
Donnie Darko
Donnie Darko is a 2001 American psychological thriller film written and directed by Richard Kelly and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Patrick Swayze, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Noah Wyle, Jena Malone, and Mary McDonnell...
. This version reached #1 in the UK in December 2003, and became an international hit.
Background
"Mad World" began life as the intended B-side for Tears for Fears' second single "Pale Shelter (You Don't Give Me Love)Pale Shelter
"Pale Shelter" is a song by the British band Tears for Fears. Written by Roland Orzabal and sung by bassist Curt Smith, it was originally the band's second single release in early 1982 - called at that time "Pale Shelter " - but would not find chart success until a reissue the following year...
". The band instead decided it may be something people would like to hear on the radio and held back its release, waiting to issue the song as a single in its own right after re-recording it with Chris Hughes
Chris Hughes (record producer)
Chris Hughes is a music producer and a former drummer for Adam and the Ants....
, a former drummer with Adam and the Ants
Adam and the Ants
Adam and the Ants were a British rock band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The original group, which existed from 1977 to 1980, became notable as a cult band marking the transition from the late-1970s punk rock era to the post-punk and New Wave era...
.
The melody is reminiscent of the song "Matthew and Son
Matthew and Son
- American LP release :- Personnel :* Cat Stevens: guitars, Piano, Hammond organ, vocals.* John Paul Jones, Bass guitar * All instruments arranged by Alan Tew.* Mike Hurst: Producer, engineer, liner notes....
" by Cat Stevens
Cat Stevens
Yusuf Islam , commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam....
.
Meanings
The song was influenced by the theories of Arthur JanovArthur Janov
Arthur Janov is an American psychologist, psychotherapist, and the creator of primal therapy, a treatment for mental illness that involves repeatedly descending into, feeling, and expressing long-repressed childhood pain. Janov directs a psychotherapy institute called the Primal Center in Santa...
, author of The Primal Scream
The Primal Scream
The Primal Scream is a book by Arthur Janov Ph. D, the inventor of Primal Therapy. It is subtitled Primal Therapy: The Cure for Neurosis. The book describes the experiences Arthur Janov had with 63 patients during his first 18 months discovering and practicing Primal Therapy...
. The lyric
Lyric
Lyric may refer to:* Lyric poetry is a form of poetry that expresses a subjective, personal point of view* Lyric, from the Greek language, a song sung with a lyre* Lyrics, the composition in verse which is sung to a melody to constitute a song...
"the dreams in which I'm dying are best I've ever had" suggests that dreams of intense experiences such as death will be the best at releasing tension.
Song versions
The 7" version of "Mad World" is the same mix of the song found on The Hurting. The song had only one remixRemix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
on its initial release, the "World Remix" that was featured on the 7" double-single. This mix is very similar to the album version, with the most notable differences being the additional echo added to the intro and middle sections and the subtraction of a subtle keyboard part from the bridge. A later remix by noted British music producer Afterlife
Afterlife (musician)
Afterlife is UK chillout producer/writer/remixer Steve Miller. He has had a number of tracks on the Cafe Del Mar series.Rachel Lloyd was one of the earliest vocalists on Miller's albums, including the track "Dub In Ya Mind"...
was featured on the 2005
2005 in music
-Events:*During the year 2005, 12 rock music albums scored number 1 in the USA. This was the first time even ten albums have scored number 1 since 1996.-January:...
reissue of the Tears for Fears greatest hits collection Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82–92).
B-side
"Ideas As Opiates" is a song that originally served as the B-side to the "Mad World" single. It would later be re-recorded for inclusion on The Hurting. The song takes its name from a chapter title in Arthur JanovArthur Janov
Arthur Janov is an American psychologist, psychotherapist, and the creator of primal therapy, a treatment for mental illness that involves repeatedly descending into, feeling, and expressing long-repressed childhood pain. Janov directs a psychotherapy institute called the Primal Center in Santa...
's book Prisoners of Pain and features lyrics related to the concept of primal therapy
Primal therapy
Primal therapy is a trauma-based psychotherapy created by Arthur Janov, who argues that neurosis is caused by the repressed pain of childhood trauma. Janov argues that repressed pain can be sequentially brought to conscious awareness and resolved through re-experiencing the incident and fully...
. The song is musically sparse, featuring just a piano, drum machine, and saxophone. An alternative version of this song titled "Saxophones As Opiates" was included as a B-side on the 12" single and is mostly instrumental.
Music video
The promotional clip for "Mad World", filmed in late summer 1982, was Tears for Fears' first music video. It features a gloomy looking Curt Smith staring out a window, while Roland Orzabal performs a bizarre dance outside on a lakeside jetty. This dance was later parodied in The CureThe Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
's "Let's Go To Bed" video.
The clip was directed by Clive Richardson who was notable for his work at that time with Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
.
Track listings
7": Mercury / IDEA3 (United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
) / 812 213-7 (United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
)
- "Mad World" (3:32)
- "Ideas As Opiates" (3:54)
7": Mercury / IDEA3 (Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
) / 6059 568 (Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
) / TOS 1411 (South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
)
- "Mad World [World Remix]" (3:30)
- "Ideas As Opiates" (3:54)
7" Double Pack: Mercury / IDEA33 (United Kingdom)
- "Mad World" (3:32)
- "Mad World [World Remix]" (3:30)
- "Suffer The Children [Remix]" (4:15)
- "Ideas As Opiates" (3:54)
12": Mercury / IDEA312 (United Kingdom) / 6400 677 (Europe)
- "Mad World" (3:32)
- "Ideas As Opiates" (3:54)
- "Saxophones As Opiates" (3:54)
Chart positions
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
#3 |
| 1983 | Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
#5 |
| 1983 | German Singles Chart | #21 |
| 1982 | Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
#6 |
| 1983 | New Zealand Singles Chart | #25 |
| 1983 | South African Singles Chart South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... |
#2 |
| 1983 | Swiss Singles Chart | #10 |
Michael Andrews and Gary Jules version
"Mad World" would achieve a second round of success beginning almost twenty years later, after it was covered by Michael AndrewsMichael Andrews (musician)
Michael Andrews is an American musician and film score composer. He is best known for a cover version of the Tears for Fears song "Mad World", which he recorded with Gary Jules for the Donnie Darko soundtrack, and which became a number one single in the UK in Christmas 2003.-Soundtrack...
and Gary Jules
Gary Jules
Gary Jules is an American singer-songwriter, best known for his cover of Tears for Fears' third single "Mad World", which he recorded together with friend Michael Andrews for the film Donnie Darko. It became the UK Christmas Number One single of 2003...
for the film Donnie Darko
Donnie Darko
Donnie Darko is a 2001 American psychological thriller film written and directed by Richard Kelly and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Patrick Swayze, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Noah Wyle, Jena Malone, and Mary McDonnell...
(2001). While the Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears are an English new wave band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith.Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, they were initially associated with the New Wave synthesiser bands of the early 1980s but later branched out into...
version featured various synthesizers and percussion, the Andrews/Jules version was stripped down; instead of a full musical backing, it used only a set of piano chords, a cello, and modest use of a vocoder
Vocoder
A vocoder is an analysis/synthesis system, mostly used for speech. In the encoder, the input is passed through a multiband filter, each band is passed through an envelope follower, and the control signals from the envelope followers are communicated to the decoder...
on the chorus. Their version was originally released on CD in 2002 on the film's soundtrack
Donnie Darko (soundtrack)
The Donnie Darko soundtrack was created by Michael Andrews and released in 2002. It consisted of 16 instrumental tracks and two covers of "Mad World" by Tears for Fears.-Production:...
, but an increasing cult following spawned by the movie's DVD release finally prompted Jules and Andrews to issue the song as a proper single. The release was a success in late 2003, becoming the Number One single
Christmas number one single
The Christmas number one single is a single that reaches number one on the national pop music charts in the week immediately prior to Christmas. It is primarily a pop culture phenomenon in the United Kingdom and in the neighboring Republic of Ireland....
over the Christmas holiday in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, a feat Tears for Fears themselves never accomplished. The music video, directed by Michel Gondry
Michel Gondry
Michel Gondry is an Academy Award winning filmmaker, whose works include being a commercial director, music video director, and a screenwriter. He is noted for his inventive visual style and manipulation of mise en scène. - Life and career :...
, has since been very popular on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, with its most popular posting garnering over 39.5 million views as of October 10th, 2011 (see this link.). It is included on the DVD compilation Michel Gondry 2: More Videos (Before and After DVD 1)
Michel Gondry 2: More Videos (Before and After DVD 1)
Michel Gondry 2: More Videos is a DVD compilation of music videos and short films by director Michel Gondry. It was released in April 2009 and includes videos which were not included on Gondry's Directors Label DVD. The compilation includes nearly three hours of videos and never-before-seen...
. The song was later included in the commercial to the videogame Gears of War
Gears of War
Gears of War is a military science fiction third-person shooter video game developed by Epic Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios...
.
The song experienced another resurgence in popularity after a version of it similar to the Andrews/Jules arrangement was performed by Adam Lambert
Adam Lambert
Adam Mitchel Lambert is an American singer, songwriter, and actor from San Diego, California. In May 2009, he finished as the runner-up on the eighth season of American Idol...
on Season 8
American Idol (season 8)
The eighth season of American Idol premiered on January 13, 2009, and concluded on May 20, 2009. Judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson continued to judge the show's contestants, along with Ryan Seacrest as host. The season introduced Kara DioGuardi as the fourth judge on the Idol...
of American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
. A recording of this performance was subsequently released as a digital single and reached the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in 2009.
It is also featured on Alex Parks' debut album, Introduction, released on 24 November 2003.
On the V2
V2
V2* V2 receptor, a protein that acts as receptor for arginine vasopressin* V2 Records, a record label* V2: Vertical Velocity, a roller coaster at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom* V2 word order, the verb-second word order of Germanic languages...
compilation album, Acoustic 3, the song features. It also features on Acoustic 04 and Now That's What I Call Music! 56 (UK series).
Susan Boyle
Susan Boyle
Susan Magdalane Boyle is a Scottish singer who came to international public attention when she appeared as a contestant on the TV programme Britain's Got Talent on 11 April 2009, singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from ...
covered this slower version on her third studio album Someone To Watch Over Me released in 2011.
Marco Mengoni
Marco Mengoni
Marco Mengoni is an Italian singer. He rose to fame in 2009, after winning the third season of Italian talent show The X Factor. The following year he ranked third in the 60th Sanremo Music Festival with the song "Credimi ancora". As of January 2011, he has sold a total of 220,000 copies in Italy...
covered the song in his tour Re Matto Tour.
Track listings
CD1: Sanctuary / SANXD250 (United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
)
- "Mad World" (3:06)
- "No Poetry" (3:59)
- "Mad World [Alternate Version]" (3:37)
CD2: Sanctuary / SANXD250X (United Kingdom)
- "Mad World [Grayed Out Mix]" (6:45)
- "The Artifact & Living" (2:26)
- "Mad World [Video]" (3:20)
Chart positions
| Chart (2003/2004/2007/2009/2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 1 |
| USA Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks | 30 |
| Australian Singles Chart | 28 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 13 |
| Belgium Flanders Singles Chart | 23 |
| Canadian Digital Singles Chart Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
1 |
| Danish Singles Chart | 6 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 4 |
| French Digital Singles Chart | 11 |
| German Singles Chart | 3 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 2 |
| Portuguese Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 10 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 53 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 37 |
Year-end
| End of year chart (2004) | Position |
|---|---|
| German Singles Chart | 14 |
| Chart (2000–2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Top 100 Songs of the Decade | 53 |
Chart positions for Adam Lambert's version
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Hot 100 | 10 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 19 |
| U.S. Billboard Pop 100 | 30 |
Popular culture
- In late 2006, a condensed version of the Andrews/Jules cover of "Mad World" was featured in the award-winning commercial for the video game Gears of WarGears of WarGears of War is a military science fiction third-person shooter video game developed by Epic Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios...
. - In addition to its usage in numerous advertisements and fan-made YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
videos, the Andrews/Jules cover has also become a popular choice for background music in television dramasDramatic programmingDramatic programming in the UK, or television drama and television drama series in the US, is television program content that is scripted and fictional along the lines of √a traditional drama. This excludes, for example, sports television, television news, reality show and game shows, stand-up...
, having appeared in the following series among others: Being Human (U.S.), Brothers & Sisters, Cold Case, CSICSI: Crime Scene InvestigationCSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
, Dead Like MeDead Like MeDead Like Me was an American-Canadian comedy-drama television series starring Ellen Muth and Mandy Patinkin as grim reapers who reside and work in Seattle, Washington. Filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, the show was created by Bryan Fuller for the Showtime network, where it ran for two seasons...
, SmallvilleSmallville (TV series)Smallville is an American television series developed by writers/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar based on the DC Comics character Superman, originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The television series was initially broadcast by The WB Television Network , premiering on October...
, The OC, and The MentalistThe MentalistThe Mentalist is an American police procedural television series which debuted on September 23, 2008, on CBS. The show was created by Bruno Heller, who is also the show's executive producer...
. The Lambert version has appeared in ERER (TV series)ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
, FlashForwardFlashforwardA flashforward is an interjected scene that takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media. Flashforwards are often used to represent events expected, projected, or imagined to occur in the future...
, General HospitalGeneral HospitalGeneral Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
, and HouseHouse (TV series)House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
. Curt SmithCurt SmithCurt Smith is an English musician. He is best known for forming the band Tears for Fears, along with childhood friend Roland Orzabal. Also a solo artist, he released his third album Halfway, Pleased in May 2008....
sang this song on the television show PsychPsychPsych is an American detective comedy-drama television series created by Steve Franks and broadcast on USA Network. It stars James Roday as Shawn Spencer, a young crime consultant for the Santa Barbara Police Department whose "heightened observational skills" and impressive detective instincts...
. - It is used on BroadwayBroadway theatreBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
as the closing number in Butley starring Nathan LaneNathan LaneNathan Lane is an American actor of stage and screen. He is best known for his roles as Mendy in The Lisbon Traviata, Albert in The Birdcage, Max Bialystock in the musical The Producers, Ernie Smuntz in MouseHunt, Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls, Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to...
(2006). - The Andrews/Jules version was used in the July 28, 2010, episode of So You Think You Can DanceSo You Think You Can Dance (U.S. TV series)So You Think You Can Dance is an American dance competition and reality show that airs on Fox in the United States.The series first premiered on July 20, 2005, and was created by American Idol producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and is produced by 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions...
by choreographer Stacey TookeyStacey TookeyStacey Tookey is a dancer and choreographer born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta. Emmy-nominated Tookey is best known for her frequent appearances as a Resident Choreographer and Guest Judge on the Canadian and American versions of the television show So You Think You Can Dance. Tookey served as...
in a routine about homelessness, performed by Billy BellBilly BellWilliam Edward Bell was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played four seasons in the National Hockey Association and six in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Wanderers, Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators. He won the Stanley Cup in 1924 with the Canadiens.-Career...
and Ade Obayomi. - The 2011 game Gears of War 3Gears of War 3Gears of War 3 is a third-person shooter video game developed by Epic Games and published by Microsoft Studios exclusively for the Xbox 360. Originally due for release in April 2011, the game was delayed and eventually released on September 20, 2011....
contains a distinct instrumental cover of Gary Jules' version. - UFC fighter Chris LebenChris LebenChristian Cyrus Leben is an American mixed martial artist currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he fights as a middleweight....
used the Gary Jules version as his walkout theme at UFC 138UFC 138UFC 138: Leben vs. Muñoz was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on November 5, 2011 at LG Arena in Birmingham, England. The event aired on the same day, via tape delay, on Spike TV in the U.S. and live on Sportsnet in Canada...
.
Other versions and covers
In addition to the Andrews/Jules version, "Mad World" has been recorded over the years by the following artists:- French artist Nicola SirkisNicola SirkisNicola Sirkis Nicola Sirkis Nicola Sirkis (born 22 June 1959 in Antony, Hauts-de-Seine, is the frontman and singer of the French rock band Indochine. He is the only remaining member of the original line-up of the band which he formed in 1981 with a friend, Dominique Nicolas, soon to be joined by...
, frontman of the new waveNew Wave musicNew Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band IndochineIndochine (band)Indochine is a French new wave/rock band, formed in 1981. The band was very successful in France in the 1980s, as well as other parts of continental Europe and Latin America, with songs like L'Aventurier and Canary Bay...
, on his solo album Dans La Lune... (1992) - American industrial rockIndustrial rockIndustrial rock is a musical genre that fuses industrial music and specific rock subgenres. Industrial rock spawned industrial metal, with which it is often confused...
band Kill Switch...KlickKill Switch...KlickKill Switch...Klick, also known as KsK and Kill Switch is the name of an American industrial rock band. The band is best known for its releases on Cleopatra Records and Go-Kustom Rekords. KsK was formed in 1991 by D.A...
, on the Cleopatra RecordsCleopatra RecordsCleopatra Records is a Los Angeles-based independent record label.- History :Founded in 1992 by Brian Perera, it specializes in gothic rock, hard rock, heavy metal and reissues of out-of-print music...
compilation New Wave Goes To Hell (1998) - German DJ Pulsedriver'sPulsedriverSlobodan Petrovic Jr. is a Yugoslavian-German electronic dance music DJ, producer and is the founder of Aqualoop Records in 2000. He is best known by his alias, Pulsedriver.-Early life & career:...
popular remix of Nu Romantix's cover, on the compilation album Dos Or Die Fresh Cuts (2001) - American alternative rockAlternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band FinchFinch (U.S. band)Finch was an American rock band from Temecula, California. The band released an EP Falling Into Place and two full-length albums, What It Is to Burn and Say Hello to Sunshine before declaring a hiatus in 2006. Finch reformed in 2007, playing a reunion show on November 23 at the Glasshouse in...
, on their EP Rolling Stone Acoustic Session (2002) - British singer-songwriterSinger-songwriterSinger-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Alex ParksAlex ParksAlex Parks is an English singer-songwriter. She is best known for winning Fame Academy in 2003, for her singles, and for the albums, Introduction and Honesty.-Biography:...
, on her debut album, Introduction (2003) - American industrialIndustrial musicIndustrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
act BrainclawBrainclawBrainclaw is an industrial/electronic music project initially created at Ithaca College, NY in 1989 by David Giuffre. The band is now composed of David and Tara Giuffre. Notable songs are "Insekt/Angel" and "When The Dark Rains Come" which were used on the DVD releases of The Matrix Revolutions,...
, (2004) - American metalcoreMetalcoreMetalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
band Evergreen TerraceEvergreen Terrace (band)Evergreen Terrace is a five-piece melodic hardcore/metalcore band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1999, they are named after the street on which The Simpsons claim residence...
, on their album Writer's Block (2004) - German punk rockPunk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Die Toten HosenDie Toten HosenDie Toten Hosen is a German punk band from Düsseldorf. They have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.The band's name literally means "The Dead Pants" in English, although the phrase "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "nothing going on" or "boring"...
, on their live DVD Rock am Ring 2004 (2004) - Polish gothic rockGothic rockGothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
band ClosterkellerClosterkellerClosterkeller is a Polish Gothic rock band from Warsaw. It was formed in 1988 by Przemysław Guryń, Jacek Skirucha, and the vocalist Anja Orthodox. Despite many changes in the band's line-up it has created a characteristic sound. Orthodox is the only member of the original line-up, performing...
, on their EP Reghina (2004) - Australian art rockArt rockArt rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, with influences from art, avant-garde, and classical music. The first usage of the term, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, was in 1968. Influenced by the work of The Beatles, most notably their Sgt...
band The Red PaintingsThe Red PaintingsThe Red Paintings are an Orchestral art rock band originally formed 1999 in Geelong, Victoria but have been based over the last few years in Los Angeles, USA. The band consists of lead vocalist and songwriter Trash McSweeney on guitar, sequencing and samples, Trash also is the brainchild behind all...
, on their EP WallsWalls EPWalls EP is the sixth release by the Brisbane band The Red Paintings. Released in Australia on 23 May 2005, it is considered their first major breakthrough, and was receeived with praise and favourable reviews.-Critical Response:...
(2005) - German DJ Jan WayneJan WayneJan Wayne is a German electronic dance music DJ and producer, noted for his remixes.-Singles:*2001 - "Total Eclipse of the Heart" - UK #28 *2002 - "Because the Night" - UK #14*2002 - "Only You"*2002 - "More Than a Feeling"...
, on his single "Mad World" (2005) - American singer-songwriter Sara HickmanSara HickmanSara Hickman is a rock/folk/pop/children's music singer, songwriter, and artist.-Biography:Hickman was born in Jacksonville, North Carolina. She grew up in Houston, Texas, where she attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts as a vocal major. In 1986, she graduated from the...
, on her double album Motherlode (2006) - Canadian rock bassistBassistA bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Ken TizzardKen TizzardKen Tizzard is a Canadian rock bassist.He was a member of The Watchmen, one of Canada's most successful alternative rock bands of the 1990s. Following that band's breakup in late 2003, he spent time with Thornley, who released their debut album in 2004...
, on his album Quiet Storey House... An Introduction (2006) - German a cappellaA cappellaA cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
group Wise GuysWise Guys (band)The Wise Guys are a band that began in early 1990 in Cologne, Germany. They are an a cappella group.-History of the Group:Apart from Ferenc Husta and Nils Olfert, the members all attended the Hildegard-von-Bingen-Gymnasium in Cologne from 1981 to 1990. With their schoolmates Clemens Tewinkel and...
, on their album RadioRadio (Wise Guys)Radio is the ninth album of the German a cappella group Wise Guys. It is built in the form of a radio broadcast: between each individual piece come jingles and other small tidbits, such as the news or sports. This stands as the first concept album of the Wise Guys...
(2006) - Australian Idol (season 5) contestant Ben McKenzie (2007)
- American dark cabaretDark CabaretDark cabaret may be a simple description of the theme and mood of a cabaret performance, but more recently has come to define a particular musical genre which draws on the aesthetics of the decadent, risqué German Weimar-era cabarets, burlesque and vaudeville shows with the stylings of post-1970s...
duo The Dresden DollsThe Dresden DollsThe Dresden Dolls are an American musical duo from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 2000, the group consists of Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione...
featuring Trash McSweeney, on their live DVD Live at the RoundhouseLive at the RoundhouseLive at the Roundhouse is a live concert DVD by American dark cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls.On November 3 and 4, 2006, The Dresden Dolls performed at London's recently restored Roundhouse venue...
(2007) - Canadian folk-singer Tara MacLeanTara MacLeanTara MacLean is a Canadian singer and songwriter...
, on her EP Signs of LifeSigns of Life (Tara MacLean EP)Signs of Life is an EP by Canadian singer/songwriter Tara MacLean, released in 2007 .-Track listing:#"Wait It Out" — 3.58Tara MacLean, Jeremy Fisher#"If I Don't Have You" — 3.13Tara MacLean#"Mad World" — 4.19Roland Orzabal...
(2007) and her album WakeWake (Tara MacLean album)Wake is an album by Canadian singer/songwriter Tara MacLean, released April 22, 2008 .-Track listing:#"Wait It Out" — 3.58Tara MacLean, Jeremy Fisher#"Capsize" — 0.00Tara MacLean#"Things Outstanding" — 0.00Tara MacLean...
(2008) - German vocal band GregorianGregorian (band)Gregorian is a German band headed by Frank Peterson that performs Gregorian chant-inspired versions of modern pop and rock songs. The band features both vocal harmony and instrumental accompaniment.- Band history :...
, on their album Masters of Chant Chapter VIMasters of Chant Chapter VIMasters of Chant Chapter VI is the ninth album by German band Gregorian. It was released on 28 September 2007.- Track listing :# "Guide Me God" # "Miracle of Love" # "Dreams" # "The Circle"...
(2007) - Italian dark wave band SPECTRA*paris, a side project of Kirlian CameraKirlian Camera (band)Kirlian Camera is an Italian group playing mostly electronic darkwave music.- History :The group was founded in 1980 by Angelo Bergamini, and was a pioneering act of the Italian synthpop scene, eventually being the first Italian group to be signed to Virgin Records.Between 1982 and 1984, Bergamini...
, on their album Dead Models Society (2007) - Israeli actress/singer Melanie PeresMelanie PeresMelanie Peres is an Israeli singer, actress and model.- Life and career :Peres was born Melanie Mariam Thanee Frasch in Berlin, Germany, named after the singer Melanie Safka to hippie parents Peter and Nurith Frasch...
, on the soundtrack to the movie Lost Islands (2008) - Norwegian singer Erlend BratlandErlend BratlandErlend Bratland is a Norwegian singer who is known for winning Norske Talenter, a Norwegian television talent series, on May 9, 2008 at the age of 16.-Background:...
, on his debut album True Colors (2008) - Swedish blackened death metal band ZonariaZonariaZonaria is a melodic death metal band from Umeå, Sweden, formerly known as Seal Precious. The band is currently signed to Century Media Records.-Background:...
, on their second album The Cancer EmpireThe Cancer EmpireThe Cancer Empire is the second major label release by Swedish metal band Zonaria and the first to be released on their new label, Century Media Records. It was recorded at Studio Fredman with Fredrik Nordström...
(2008) - Australian Idol (season 7) contestant Nathan Brake (2009)
- Italian singer-songwriterSinger-songwriterSinger-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Elisa, on her sixth album HeartHeart (Elisa album)Heart is the sixth studio album from Italian singer–songwriter Elisa. It was released on 13 November 2009 in Italy.-Commercial performance:...
(2009) - Adam LambertAdam LambertAdam Mitchel Lambert is an American singer, songwriter, and actor from San Diego, California. In May 2009, he finished as the runner-up on the eighth season of American Idol...
(as a contestant) during American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
in 2009 and an acoustic rendition on his Acoustic Live!Acoustic Live!Acoustic Live! is the first extended play by American singer Adam Lambert, released on December 6, 2010. The EP features acoustic versions of four songs from Lambert's debut album, For Your Entertainment, as well as his show-stopping "Mad World" rendition.-Critical reception:The album has since...
EP - British DJ Andy Hunter released a remix of "Mad World" as a single
- American operaOperaOpera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
tic sopranoSopranoA soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
Renée FlemingRenée FlemingRenée Fleming is an American soprano specializing in opera and lieder. Fleming has a full lyric soprano voice.Fleming has performed coloratura, lyric, and lighter spinto soprano repertoires. She has sung roles in Italian, German, French, Czech, and Russian, aside from her native English. She also...
, on her 2010 album Dark HopeDark HopeDark Hope is a 2010 album of indie rock titles sung by operatic soprano Renée Fleming.The album was the idea of Peter Mensch and Cliff Burnstein; after listening to Fleming's performance of "In the Pines" on Elvis Costello's TV show Spectacle, they approached Fleming and producer David Kahne... - 2010 UK X FactorThe X Factor (UK)The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
contestant Aiden Grimshaw during the first live show. - Danish producer Michael ParsbergMichael ParsbergMichael Parsberg is a Danish trance and house producer and DJ.Parsberg has been the co-producer behind successful Danish acts such as Safri Duo, DJ Encore and Barcode Brothers, and has remixed numerous of Danish and international artists like Shakira, Infernal and Aqua.-Singles:* 1993 "Anal Snax"...
featuring Safri DuoSafri DuoSafri Duo is a Danish percussion duo composed of Uffe Savery and Morten Friis . Initially classically oriented, by 1999 they were discovered by a label executive working on classical music. After being signed, a track mixing both tribal sound and modern electronica was set to be released in 2000...
and Isam BIsam BachiriIsam Bachiri is a Danish vocalist, rapper and songwriter for the multi-award winning hip hop group Outlandish. His family hails from Nador in the north-eastern part of Morocco.-Early life:...
(2010) - German indie rockIndie rockIndie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band Blackmail (band)Blackmail (band)Blackmail is a German indie rock band from Koblenz, Germany which was started briefly in 1993. Blackmail are singer Mathias Reetz, brothers Kurt Ebelhäuser and Carlos Ebelhäuser and drummer Mario Matthias...
, released as free download on their websiteWebsiteA website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
(2006) - Italian singer Marco MengoniMarco MengoniMarco Mengoni is an Italian singer. He rose to fame in 2009, after winning the third season of Italian talent show The X Factor. The following year he ranked third in the 60th Sanremo Music Festival with the song "Credimi ancora". As of January 2011, he has sold a total of 220,000 copies in Italy...
,on his live album Re matto liveRe matto liveRe matto live is the first live album by Italian singer Marco Mengoni, released on 19 October 2010 by Sony Music. It features songs from his previous EPs, Re matto and Dove si vola, as well as covers of popular songs, originally performed by Italian singers such as Mina and Mia Martini, or by...
(2010) - Managing editor of Boing BoingBoing BoingBoing Boing is a publishing entity, first established as a magazine, later becoming a group blog.-History:...
, Rob Beschizza along with Heather Beschizza created a chip tunes version in 2011 Classic Arcade Game Deaths - American pianist Louis DurraLouis DurraLouis Durra is an American jazz pianist and composer living in Los Angeles. His biological father was saxophonist Trevor Koehler.-as leader:* The Best Of All Possible Worlds -- CD, 2011* Mad World EP -- CD, 2011...
, in an instrumental trio version released on "Mad World EP" and "Arrogant Doormats" (2011). - Contestants from The Glee ProjectThe Glee ProjectThe Glee Project is an American reality television series from Oxygen. It serves as an audition for the FOX TV series Glee. Although originally planned to begin broadcasting in late May 2011, The Glee Project premiered on June 12, 2011...
, a musical reality show, performed "Mad World" in the third episode (2011). - Late Taiwanese singer Ah Sang (阿桑) did covered the song for Mandarin version, on her second and final album Loneliness in Singing (寂寞在唱歌) (2005).
- Drum and bugle corps The CavaliersThe CavaliersThe Cavaliers may refer to:*The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps*J. Frank Wilson and The Cavaliers*The Sensations, a group initially known as The Cavaliers...
played it in their 2010 show, "Mad World".
Samples and quotations
- ProzakProzak (rapper)Steven T. Shippy, better known by his stage name Prozak, is an independent rapper and film director from Saginaw, Michigan. He is signed to Tech N9ne's Strange Music label through a distribution deal, as well as being a member of the rap groups Project: Deadman and Bedlam...
samples the song on the track "American Princess", from the Strange MusicStrange MusicStrange Music is an American independent record label specializing in hip hop music. It was founded by Tech N9ne and Travis O'Guin in 1999. It is currently distributed through Fontana Distribution.-History:...
compilation Strictly Strange 08 (2008). - British dubstepDubstepDubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals"....
artist The Bug, with vocalist Warrior QueenWarrior Queen (singer)Warrior Queen is a vocalist in reggae influenced styles including dub and dubstep. She has collaborated with artists such as The Bug, Sunship, Vex'd, and Skream...
, included the song "Insane" on the album London ZooLondon Zoo (album)-Release history:-External links:* at Ninja Tune...
(2008). The song ends with a quote from Mad World. - The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle CorpsThe Cavaliers Drum and Bugle CorpsThe Cavaliers are a World Class drum and bugle corps based in Rosemont, Illinois and founded in 1948 by Donald Warren, and are a member corps of Drum Corps International, marching music's major league. The Cavaliers are currently under the direction of Adolph DeGrauwe...
featured the track in their 2nd place 2010 show, also entitled "Mad World". - OrbitalOrbitalOrbital may refer to:In chemistry and physics:* Atomic orbital* Molecular orbitalIn astronomy and space flight:* Orbit* Orbital resonance* Orbital period* Orbital plane * Orbital elements* Orbital speed...
sampled the song on "The Moebius", the first song on their debut album.