Mad World
Gary Jules Lyrics
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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 Gary Jules' "Mad World" depict a world filled with familiarity yet weariness, as people go about their daily routines with no purpose or direction. The phrase "worn out places, worn out faces" suggests that the endless grind of life has taken a toll on people, leaving them despairingly unexpressive. The line "their tears are filling up their glasses, no expression, no expression" shows that people have given up hope and simply go through the motions without any real emotion. The singer even feels the urge to drown his sorrows, highlighting the bleak outlook of the song. The line "no tomorrow, no tomorrow" emphasizes the sense of hopelessness, suggesting that there is nothing to look forward to.
Interestingly, the chorus of the song is a stark contrast to the rest of the lyrics. The singer finds it "kinda funny, kinda sad" that the dreams in which he dies are the best he's ever had. This is a major shift from the depressing first verse, suggesting that the world's conditions are so bad that even death is preferable to life. The repeated phrase "mad world" reinforces this idea, as the repetition emphasizes that the world is indeed mad or insane. The song also touches on childhood experiences, with the line "children waiting for the day they feel good, happy birthday, happy birthday" suggesting that even children's happiness is fleeting and temporary.
Line by Line Meaning
All around me are familiar faces
I see the same people every day
Worn out places, worn out faces
The environment and the people are old and tired
Bright and early for their daily races
People are up in the morning and head to work
Going nowhere, going nowhere
People's lives lack direction and purpose
Their tears are filling up their glasses
People are unhappy and emotionally drained
No expression, no expression
People do not show any emotion
Hide my head, I want to drown my sorrow
The singer is feeling down and wants to escape from his emotions
No tomorrow, no tomorrow
There is no hope for the future
And I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad
The artist has conflicting emotions about what he sees
The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had
The artist only finds comfort in his dreams
I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take
The singer finds it difficult to express his emotions
When people run in circles it's a very very
The repetitive and monotonous lives are unbearable
Mad world, mad world
The world is crazy and chaotic
Children waiting for the day, they feel good
Kids are happy and optimistic
Happy birthday, happy birthday
The occasion is worth celebrating
And I feel the way that every child should
The artist remembers what it's like to feel positive and carefree
Sit and listen, sit and listen
Kids are attentive and curious
Went to school and I was very nervous
The singer was anxious at school
No one knew me, no one knew me
The singer felt invisible and alone
Hello teacher, tell me what's my lesson?
The artist seeks guidance
Look right through me, look right through me
The artist feels disregarded
Enlarge your world
The artist seeks a way out of this narrow and depressing life
Mad world
The world is crazy and depressing
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Roland Orzabal
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind