Mad World

If you love Andrews' arrangement of Tears for Fears' "Mad World" as much as I do, check out Tears for Fears "Gold" collection (a double-disk set) available on Amazon. The last song on Disk 2 is a live 6-minute version of "Mad World" arranged like this, as a quiet ballad. Of course, the upbeat original single release is included on that Gold collection as well. Although the special live version is not available as a download, I can highly recommend the "Gold" collection since it contains all their 80's and 90's hits and a thoughful sampling of their excellent post-90's material, plus the price is very reasonable. Just thought I'd throw this in, since so many people dig this version and will appreciate hearing Tears for Fears do the tune they wrote in a similar style. By the way, note that the "Donnie Darko" soundtrack disk is the movie's (excellent) score but contains none of the big radio hits heard in the movie, although it does contain this version and an alternate take of "Mad World". You can find a list of the songs in used in the movie in the reviews for the soundtrack album. Peace.

Saw the Donnie Darko Movie, a couple of times before I realized I had heard this song before. While Mad world is not bad in it's original version, this one is definitely a keeper, it slows down and gives the air of melancholy clearly inherent on the original. Simply a great version.

This song makes makes you feel outside yourself. His voice is like velvet. It's a mellow song with deep, deep roots.

I love this song, but I'm way more excited about it being DRM Free.

I don't know how long Amazon has been offering DRM Free Music, but wow, I'm excited. I've been waiting years for this. When Napster went legitimate, I bought a song that I wanted to use to make a music video montage for my family. I quickly learned that I couldn't use the song I'd just purchased because of the DRM. That is, I couldn't dub it over to a DVD (maybe VHS; it seems that long ago.) I don't know how long Napster has been legitimate, but that is how long I've waited to purchase music.

Since that time, I have not bought a single album or song. I refused to buy albums because I usually liked only one or two songs, and I never bought another single from Napster or iTunes or any of the other digital music sites because they all came with DRM. Those days are apparently past.

I just read about DRM Free music being available today on Amazon, and I immediately came here to buy Mad World.

I've been digitally recording music for years from subscription music services simply because I could get songs DRM Free, not to mention the songs were also free. Too bad the quality wasn't the greatest. Anyway, all along I would have much rather just purchased the songs, but until now, they haven't been available DRM Free.

It seems the music industry has finally pulled their heads out, and I'm ready to buy all the songs I've already recorded because I want the better quality. DRM has been the only thing holding me back for many years.

Moving beautiful melody sung by Gary Jules. Lyrics have insight on our world. Check out the upbeat(music anyway) 1983 Tears for Fears original for contrast.