Mad Mad World
James and the Drifters Lyrics
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Two people cried
Most people were silent
I remember the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita
Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty
And to impress him, takes on his multiarmed form and says
Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds
I supposed we all felt that, one way or another
He just wants to cry
Feel so good, feel so clean
Feel your own sweet dreams
Mad man
Mad man
Mad, mad, mad, mad man
Mad man
Mad man
Mad man
Mad man
Mad man
Mad man
The lyrics to James and the Drifters' song "Mad Mad World" appears to be a reflection on various emotions and reactions to the world's current state. The first three lines describe how people react to the events around them - two laugh while two cry, but most remain silent. This could be interpreted as people being unsure of how to react to the madness occurring around them. Then, the lyrics shift to a reference from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita, which describes Vishnu's attempt to convince the Prince to do his duty. Vishnu transforms into his multiarmed form and declares himself as the destroyer of worlds, implying that even gods had to make difficult decisions that could result in destruction.
The lyrics continue with the line "I supposed we all felt that, one way or another," suggesting that the destruction described in the Bhagavad Gita is relevant to the contemporary world as well. The lyrics then transition to describing a "mad man" who feels his hands and cries, then wants to experience feeling "so good" and "clean" and achieving his own "sweet dreams." The repeated phrase "Mad man" serves as a sort of chorus to emphasize this character's internal struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Two people laughed
Only a few found happiness in this chaotic world
Two people cried
Only a few expressed their pain and sorrow in this mad world
Most people were silent
The majority remained indifferent or felt powerless in this crazy world
I remember the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita
This line reminds me of a powerful message from a sacred text
Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty
A divine being is urging a noble person to fulfill their responsibilities
And to impress him, takes on his multiarmed form and says
Through a stunning display of power, Vishnu shows his true nature
Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds
Vishnu reveals the terrifying potential of destruction that exists in the universe
I supposed we all felt that, one way or another
We can all relate to the sense of awe and fear that comes from confronting the unknown
The mad man felt his hands
Even the insane can experience a fleeting moment of clarity or sensation
He just wants to cry
The mad man feels overwhelmed and hopeless like many of us do
Feel so good, feel so clean
It feels wonderful and pure to experience positive emotions or sensations
Feel your own sweet dreams
Hold on to your personal aspirations and hopes as a source of comfort in this mad world
Mad man
The insane person stands out as a symbol of how crazy the world is
Mad man
The same mad person continues to embody the absurdity and chaos around us
Mad man
The repeated use of this phrase reinforces the message of the song about how disturbed and broken the world is
Mad man
This last line brings the song to a somber and unresolved conclusion, suggesting that the madness continues
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Diego Chacon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Will Carter
Awesome! Mike seems a really genuine guy, knows what he's talking about and really knows how to put on a show, he's the one who got me interested in drifting.
Lancia Racer
Mad Mike and Ken Block should do a drift off competition
Lancia Racer
Awesome cars
Rafkoo
What's with the dark tinted footage? Reupload.
DJRuben GamingTV
Video is very Gray like To Gray tint