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/
Mad World
Gary Jules Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow
And I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda 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
Children waiting for the day, they feel good
Happy birthday, happy birthday
And I 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
And I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda 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
Enlarge your world
Mad world
The lyrics of Mad World by Gary Jules speak about the bleak and hopeless existence that many people fall into due to societal pressures and expectations. The first stanza describes people going about their daily routines, lives that are devoid of meaning and purpose. They wear worn-out faces and go nowhere, their tears filling up their glasses. The singer's response to this is to want to hide his head and drown his sorrows, indicating a sense of hopelessness and a desire to escape from reality.
The second stanza shifts to focus on children waiting for their birthdays, an occasion typically associated with joy and celebration. However, the singer notes that the children are merely sitting and listening, also emphasizing the lack of fulfillment and happiness in their lives. The third line, "Went to school and I was very nervous," highlights the anxiety and fear that many people feel when confronted with new situations or environments. The singer's attempt to seek guidance and understanding from his teacher is futile, as the teacher looks right through him.
The chorus then repeats the phrase "Mad world," with the singer finding it both funny and sad that the dreams in which he's dying are the best he's ever had. This line suggests that death may appear as a desirable alternative to the emptiness and despair of life. The final line, "Enlarge your world," seems like a plea for a greater sense of purpose and understanding, for people to break out of the confines of their mundane existence and explore new and meaningful avenues.
Line by Line Meaning
All around me are familiar faces
The people around me are known to me
Worn out places, worn out faces
The surroundings and people are old and tired
Bright and early for their daily races
They wake up early to start their busy routine
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their lives have no purpose
Their tears are filling up their glasses
They are sad and crying
No expression, no expression
Their faces show no emotion
Hide my head, I want to drown my sorrow
I want to escape from my sadness
No tomorrow, no tomorrow
There is no hope for the future
And I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad
I have mixed feelings about this situation
The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had
Even in my dreams, death seems better than life
I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take
It's difficult for me to express my emotions and handle this
When people run in circles it's a very very
When people repeat their actions, it's a
Mad world, mad world
Crazy and chaotic world
Children waiting for the day, they feel good
Kids are looking forward to happy times
Happy birthday, happy birthday
Celebrating their special day
And I feel the way that every child should
I too wish for happiness like any child
Sit and listen, sit and listen
They are obedient and attentive
Went to school and I was very nervous
I was scared when I went to school
No one knew me, no one knew me
No one was familiar with me
Hello teacher, tell me what's my lesson?
Asking the teacher about the topic of the lesson
Look right through me, look right through me
The teacher did not acknowledge my presence
Enlarge your world
Expand and broaden your perspective
Mad world
This world is crazy and unpredictable
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sentric Music
Written by: Roland Orzabal
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind