Gary Jules (born in 1969 in Fresno, California as Gary Jules Aguirre) is an… Read Full Bio ↴Gary Jules (born in 1969 in Fresno, California as Gary Jules Aguirre) is an American singer-songwriter. He is best known for his cover of the Tears for Fears song Mad World, which was featured in the film Donnie Darko.

Gary Jules attended The Bishop's School in La Jolla, California. Some of his early projects/bands were The Ivory Knights, Our Town Pansies, Woodenfish and The Origin.

Jules started off his solo recording career with the debut Greetings from the Side. Originally released by A & M, this album slipped through the cracks due to neglect on the label's part, and Jules was dropped. In 2001, together with friend Michael Andrews, Gary Jules recorded Trading Snakeoil For Wolftickets. It was from this album that the remake of Tears for Fears' Mad World was subsequently used by Michael Andrews for Donnie Darko.

In December 2003, two years after Donnie Darko was released, Mad World finally reached the charts and became the Christmas Number One in the UK. In early 2004, the song surfaced in the US and Canada.

His most recent album, simply titled Gary Jules was released in 2006. The song Falling Awake from this album was recently used in the season 3 episode Six Days: Part Two of Grey's Anatomy.

Jules' Andrews' arrangement of "Mad World", was recently used in a trailer for the Gears of War for the XBOX 360, it was also used in a few episodes of CSI, Without a Trace, in some episodes of Dead Like Me, in an episode of Jericho, and an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Official Site: http://www.garyjules.com/

Dustcloud and the Honeybees
Gary Jules Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You always say "Life is hard" so it is
Then you disappear in a dust cloud
Spinning wheels and yarns
We sing a song
Then you disappear in a dust cloud
And I'm

Hanging on

Hanging on
All the wiser folks are gone
And I'm hanging on

The news is bad
It always was
It always will be

And when you day you find me in a crowd
Say it's good to see me
But my eyes are stinging
And it's hard to breathe
For the dust cloud rising
And the honeybees

Hanging on
Hanging on for so long
And I'm hanging on

Hanging on
Hanging on

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Gary Jules's Dustcloud and the Honeybees reflect a sense of disillusionment and struggle with the harsh realities of life. The repeated line "You always say 'Life is hard' so it is" reveals a pessimistic outlook on life, that the hardships one faces are predetermined and inescapable. The imagery of disappearing in a dust cloud and spinning wheels and yarns creates a sense of confusion and disorientation, suggesting that the struggles one faces are difficult to navigate and make sense of.

The chorus "Hanging on, hanging on, all the wiser folks are gone" highlights a feeling of isolation and a desire for guidance from those who have experienced similar struggles. The news being bad "it always was, it always will be" points to a cyclical nature of societal issues and challenges. The final verse mentions the honeybees, perhaps symbolizing the importance of small but vital aspects of life in the face of larger struggles.

Overall, Dustcloud and the Honeybees is a poignant reflection on the difficulties of life and the sense of being lost in the midst of these challenges.

Line by Line Meaning

You always say "Life is hard" so it is
Your attitude shapes your reality

Then you disappear in a dust cloud
You flee from your problems

Spinning wheels and yarns
You tell tall tales to avoid the truth

We sing a song
We try to lift our spirits

And I'm Hanging on
I'm barely holding on

All the wiser folks are gone
The people with good sense have left

The news is bad
The world is full of trouble and turmoil

It always was
This has always been the case

It always will be
It will never change

And when you say you find me in a crowd
If you happen to spot me in a group of people

Say it's good to see me
Say hello and be friendly