Mad World by Gary Jules is a beautiful song from the brilliant film Donnie Darko. Records like this prove that you can do cover versions better then the original.

Yep, it is a good cover. I love the line 'The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had'. I must watch Donnie Darko again!

I'm with that

The song is used to fantastic effect in Donnie Darko, and is a corker in its own right. It started out at 15/1 to be christmas number one but the odds have now lengthened somewhat. The song was released in America at about the same time as Donnie Darko, but has only just got a publisher over here. If it gets to number one, my opinion of the singles chart might just change for the better. It could hardly get worse

im not sure i would say that its better than the original - i was a pretty big tears for fears fan.

but it is very good - and even though its slow and could be considered kinda boring i still find myself glued to the screen whenever i see it on a music channel

It's about time Tears for Fears got the recognition they have been denied for so long. This cover is a compliment to their fantastic song.

More proof that the 80s weren't that bad.

I agree, I used to love the Tears for Fears version, and indeed most of their songs from the 80s (Songs From the Big Chair is still one of my favourite albums) But this cover is really excellent. At the risk of being ridiculed, I also like Alex Parks version on her album, which is similar styling with the piano bit.

Personally I love the Alex Parks version. Its the only version ive heard that really gets the message of the song across.
Songbird. If people ridicule you for your musical preferences thats their problem, not yours

I only heard the Gary Jules version of Mad World a couple of days ago and I have to say its really, really good. I usually hate cover versions (ok I know there are a few exceptions) but this is one of the best covers I 've heard for ages. The vocal reminds me of Michael Stipe and the gentle piano in the background is just brilliant.

I too am a Tears for Fears fan, (Advice for the young at heart and Pale Shelter are two of my faves), and I completely agree with Marillion Fan that Gary Jules version is a compliment to Tears for Fears.

I'll be buying my copy on Monday hopefully with lots of other people - fingers crossed it does well, it would be great if it could get to number one!

Whitey

I've just dug out the Tears for Fears version. Have to admit it sounds very dated and emotionally flat after hearing Gary Jules' version.

Yeah I like this song, one of the covers this year.

Hopefully it should be a big hit as it deserves to be.

Listening to them both, I still much prefer the Tears For Fears by far. Although for anyone who isn't old enough to remember it from the first time round I can see the appeal of this new cover version. However, the less said about Alec Spark's version the better...

Have just heard the cover version on one of the mtv channels. It's a good cover, but along with the video it's so depressing! Prefer the original.

It's a beautiful song, but the video is awful!! It looks like the cheapest video ever made.

Im not one for slow and "boring" songs but this song has such meaning to it, I love this song, I never heard the original but the lyrics are brilliant!

But I must say the video isn't brilliant!

Fav lyric of the song: - "I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad, the dreams in which im dying are the best i've ever had." Masterpiece.

I'm amazed to find this song is also outselling the Crap Idols cover after 3 days of release, good stuff...

indeed - wasn't so convinced by the *everybody wants to rule the world* stuff, but *songs from the big chair* is a great album.

i was about to say perhaps they'll get a greatest hits out following this - but it already came out in October apparently.

Iain

its not great is it? it would have worked far better not to have him in it - perhaps just the footage to accompany the music.

Iain

That's one of my favourite songs from the 80s.

Yeah the video actually looks really cheap and doesn't compliment a great song particularly well.

Couldn't care less about that.

I long for the days when music was less about videos and more about the actual songs.

For some reason this doesn't bode well with me...

I can't help but think that the ill-timed release will somehow tarnish it's appeal.

Granted, the song DOES deserve airplay and a wider audience...but I always thought of it as a crackin' wee easter egg to be 'experienced' by those lucky pup's who happen to discover Donnie Darko.

Yup, I'm being a pompous elitist...but it's just got that 'to be found' feeling IMO.

It's been two years since I first first heard the track...and I now prefer the Tears For Fears version by many a mile...it's no Head Over Heel's but it's still remarkable all the same.

thats true - but visuals can add a lot - when the song was used in *donnie darko* the whole thing - the music, the visuals, and the whole revealing of the denoument to the film was fantastic - real hairs the back of your neck stuff.

Iain

what about us really pompous elitists who heard it first during an emotional end to an episode of *smallville*?

Iain

i love both versions, was just playing the original actually

the cover is great and came from a fantastic film, but bonus points to the original which is a classic.

Love the song, (both versions) but now it's in the "public domain" as it were, I now fear for the inevitable DJ Sammy/Scooter crappy dance remix.

Nothing is sacred anymore - just look at the Blue/Angie Stone/Stevie Wonder collaboration. Sorry to go off on a tangent, but it's another example of another musical crime perpetuated by Stevie Wonder. Is it unfair to criticize a formerly great artist for his latter day sins?

In this case, no.