Mad World
Josh Franklin 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 wanna drown my sorrow
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
Enlarging your world
Mad world
The song "Mad World" by Josh Franklin describes a bleak and melancholic world where people are leading aimless lives and are seemingly pained by emptiness. It seems everyone is in some kind of rat race, moving towards nowhere, with familiar worn-out faces. The lyrics suggest the existence of a void where even though people are working hard, and pushing themselves to do better, their efforts seem to be futile. The line "And I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad" is an ironic statement with an underlying message that highlights the absurdity of how people force themselves into societal standards.
Franklin's song goes further to describe the sad reality that despite the seemingly perfect picture painted on the outside, on the inside, the people are holding so much pain and sorrow that they are holding onto. The line "Their tears are filling up their glasses, no expression, no expression. Hide my head, I wanna drown my sorrow" implies that everyone is going through stuff they are unwilling to confront, and they prefer to mask their pain with a facade, thus hurting more. To add, the lyrics describe a society where individuality is not appreciated, and instead people follow the same tread claiming that it's the only way to survive, and this brings a sense of discomfort.
In conclusion, "Mad World" is an interpretation of how the world around us can be incredibly tumultuous, particularly with the various struggles people are battling while trudging along, seemingly happy in life. It is a commentary on how society often creates a cycle of melancholy and unhappiness despite pushing through the daily races.
Line by Line Meaning
All around me are familiar faces
I see people who I have seen before but who are not necessarily close to me
Worn out places, worn out faces
The places and people I see seem tired and rundown
Bright and early for their daily races
People are up and running around, but without any real purpose or goal
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Despite all their activity, they are not achieving anything significant or fulfilling
Their tears are filling up their glasses
People are crying and feeling emotional, and their tears are visible in the glasses or containers they are holding
No expression, no expression
Despite their sadness or distress, people have blank or neutral faces, showing no emotion
Hide my head, I wanna drown my sorrow
The singer feels overwhelmed by negative emotions and wants to escape them by hiding or drowning them out
No tomorrow, no tomorrow
The future seems bleak or nonexistent, with no hope for improvement or change
And I find it kinda funny
The artist has a sense of irony or detachment about what they are observing
I find it kinda sad
Despite the humor, the artist is still affected by the sadness they see
The dreams in which I′m dying
The singer has vivid dreams about their own death, which may be distressing or confusing
Are the best I've ever had
Despite the morbidity, these dreams are more compelling or satisfying than other dreams
I find it hard to tell you
The singer struggles to express or articulate their feelings
I find it hard to take
The sadness and frustration they see is difficult for the singer to handle
When people run in circles
People are going through the same routines and patterns without any variation or progress
It′s a very, very mad world, mad world
The artist sees the world as crazy, overwhelming, or out of control
Children waiting for the day they feel good
Kids are hoping to experience happiness or positive emotions, but it has not yet arrived
Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday
The specific occasion of the kids' waiting is their birthdays, which are meant to be joyful
And I feel the way that every child should
The singer empathizes with the kids' longing for happiness
Sit and listen, sit and listen
The kids are being told to be calm and attentive, but without any real excitement or engagement
Went to school and I was very nervous
When the artist was younger and in school, they were anxious and unsure of themselves
No one knew me, no one knew me
The artist felt invisible or overlooked by their peers and teachers
Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson
The singer is looking for guidance and instruction, but feels ignored or unimportant
Look right through me, look right through me
The artist feels ignored or invisible, as if they don't really exist
Enlarging your world
The phrase suggests opening up or expanding your perspective, perhaps in a positive way
Mad world
The world is still seen as crazy or overwhelming, but the phrase now also suggests a kind of resigned acceptance of that fact
Writer(s): Roland Orzabal
Contributed by Madison B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ntombi Kido Mazibuko
Dope cover...
Kimberley Higgins
Nice 🙏