Michael Andrews and Gary Jules version 'Mad World' ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. The music video was directed by Clive Richardson who was notable for his work at that time with Depeche Mode.ħ-inch: Mercury / IDEA3 ( United Kingdom) / 812 213–7 ( United States)ħ-inch: Mercury / IDEA3 ( Ireland) / 6059 568 ( Australia, Europe) / TOS 1411 ( South Africa)ħ-inch double pack: Mercury / IDEA33 (United Kingdom)ġ2-inch: Mercury / IDEA312 (United Kingdom) / 6400 677 (Europe) The woman who's having the birthday party in the video is my mum.' A brief party scene in the video features friends and family of the band, including Smith's mother as well as his then-wife Lynne.Īccording to Curt Smith, 'When we made the video in a country estate on the cheap, we bussed all our friends and family up from Bath and had a fun day. It was Tears for Fears' first music video, and features Curt Smith staring out of a window while Roland Orzabal dances outside on a lakeside jetty. The promotional video for 'Mad World' was filmed in late summer 1982, in the grounds of Knebworth House. That's the chapter from Janov, and it's really a reference to people's mindsets, the way that the ego can suppress so much nasty information about oneself – the gentle way that the mind can fool oneself into thinking everything is great. An alternative version of this song titled 'Saxophones as Opiates' was included as a B-side on the 12-inch single and is mostly instrumental. The song is musically sparse, featuring just a piano, drum machine, and saxophone. The song takes its name from a chapter title in Arthur Janov's book Prisoners of Pain and features lyrics related to the concept of primal therapy. 'Ideas as Opiates' is a song that originally served as the B-side to the 'Mad World' single, and was later re-recorded for inclusion on The Hurting.

Reception Ĭash Box said that the song 'grows on you, expanding from a soft dance tune to a shy Britisher's confessions of his darkest dreams.' B-side The lyric 'the dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had' suggests that dreams of intense experiences such as death will be the best at releasing tension. The song was influenced by the theories of Arthur Janov, author of The Primal Scream. Not that Bath is very mad – I should have called it 'Bourgeois World'! That came when I lived above a pizza restaurant in Bath and I could look out onto the centre of the city. The band then opted to re-record 'Mad World' with producers Ross Cullum and Chris Hughes, the latter a former drummer with Adam and the Ants. 'Mad World' was intended to be the B-side for the band's second single ' Pale Shelter (You Don't Give Me Love)', but their record company stated that 'Mad World' could be a single in its own right. After a few false starts with Orzabal on vocals, he suggested Smith sing it and 'suddenly it sounded fabulous'. 'Mad World' was originally written on acoustic guitar when Orzabal was 19 after being inspired to write a new wave song in the vein of Duran Duran's ' Girls on Film'.

9 Michael Andrews and Gary Jules version.

The cover photo was taken at Round Pond in Kensington Gardens (London, England). A 2021 rendition of the song was included on Demi Lovato's album Dancing with the Devil. 'Mad World' has since been covered by various artists, including a 2001 version recorded by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules for the soundtrack of the film Donnie Darko a 2003 single release of the song reached number one in the UK for three consecutive weeks and won Orzabal his second Ivor Novello Award. This single was also the band's first international success, reaching the Top 40 in several countries in 1982–83. Both 'Mad World' and its B-side, 'Ideas as Opiates', appeared on the band's debut LP The Hurting (1983).

Written by Roland Orzabal and sung by bassist Curt Smith, it was the band's third single release and first chart hit, reaching number three on the UK Singles Chart in November 1982. Together with Skoove you can learn to play the song ‘Mad World’ on the piano easily.' Mad World' is a 1982 song by British band Tears for Fears. Cheat sheetĪfter releasing his own solo album under his own name, Orzabal and Smith got back together and worked on another Tears for Fears album, “Everybody Loves a Happy Ending” in 2004. This song is great to improve your piano technique! Learn to play different broken chords in the left hand while you play a complex tune in the right. Finally in 2001, he released his first solo album under his own name, “Tomcats Screaming Outside”. But Orzabal continued to use the name Tears for Fears and put out albums called “Elemental” (1993) and “Raoul and the Kings of Spain” (1995) which were essential solo albums.

After a whole decade of great success, Orzabal and Smith had disagreements and went separate ways in the early 1990’s.

Gary jules mad world piano sheet music