Deadening of the Soul

Mad World by Gary Jules (originally by Tears for Fears)

For song, click here.

For lyrics, click here.

Over the past year or two, the song "Mad World" by Gary Jules has repeatedly showed up on my Pandora radio station. Although I never really paid attention to the lyrics, the melody always brought a strong melancholy feeling. Once I read the lyrics, I realized how dark of a song it was. The words are almost depressing, but I still love the song. I felt that it would be very interesting to analyze this song and decipher what the singer wanted the listener to feel and understand about the world. I interpreted the song to have a strong claim about our fast, modern world.

I believe that this song is about the way routine and work deadens people's spirits. It seems to be sung from the perspective of an outsider; someone who isn't ingrained into modern society. The song is about the repetitiveness of life, the dullness of living a lifestyle without surprises. "Worn out places, worn out faces... going nowhere, going nowhere," Jules sings in a sad melody. I think this symbolizes how systems and plans can make places seem to lose their place; a loss of character and singularity. People, too– he seems to be saying that routine works the life and joy out of humans. While this might be a little exaggerated, I think that it's true that a steady pattern in life can make us a little bit dull. Jules also says this: "No expression, no expression... no tomorrow, no tomorrow." I think that by this he is showing how routine can make life seem never-ending. He suggests that people going to work every day are expressionless, that they are no longer people– just automated bodies doing work. He is also saying that with this never-ending routine there are no surprises. Nothing new, nothing surprising, nothing special.

The music also plays a big part in delivering this gloomy message. It has a repetitive pattern, and the notes are low and calm. Jules seems to be declaring his claim in a tranquil, composed manner– even though the lyrics seem like they could be fluctuating in tone, more erratic. I listened to the original version of the song by Tears for Fears, but it seemed less touching because of this varying melody. Jules' music was deeper. As Willie Nelson said, "Music... is the one thing that can instantaneously travel to your soul." I think that Jules used this philosophy to create a beautiful piece of music that also transmitted an important message.

I feel like what Mad World says about routine is true, and it's inspired me to let more spontaneity into my life. I don't want to be expressionless and worn out, I want to live a life full of surprises! I'm usually kind of closed-minded, and this song woke me up to the drab life I'm living. I think that everyone should be open-minded, or else the world might be the horrid, boring, never-ending world that Mad World describes. We need to live as insiders and outsiders, in order to see the world from different perspectives and understand how others think and feel about things.

~Adrian