The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
All around me are familiar faces
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 want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow
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
Enlarge your world
Mad world
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 want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow
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
Enlarge your world
Mad world
Lyrics submitted by Emilia-san, edited by paryafarrokhi, sjihaat, JojoBearBinx
Mad World Lyrics as written by Roland Orzabal
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sentric Music
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
I love this song, and I've put alot fo thought into it.
The first part (lines 1-8) are about a funeral. He is sitting at the funeral, and he sees the familiar faces of friends and relatives. The reference to filling glasses with tears is not talking about drinking glasses, but rather they are crieing and getting tears all over their eye glasses. The blank expressions show that it is a solemn event, and the guy is clearly sad by wanting to hide his sorrows. He wants to be string and hide it, but he feels very strong emotions.
The chorus, about his dreams, reveals the confusion going on in his head. He doesn't know how to feel in his time of despair.
When the song talks about children waiting for the day they're happy, I think he is talking about himself. Either he is a child, or he is comparing himself to a child waiting for his birthday. The "sit and listen" part is , in the child metaphor, about how kids are made to behave. From older person perspective, he feels like he's being told how to feel by the people around him, but really he wants to feel his own way.
I think that the lines about going to school once again bring up the child metaphor. Children literally do go to school and talk to teachers, but I think it really means that "going to school" is returning to life after the loss of a loved one. He feels awkward, and unsure of himself, and people always would offer their condolences and pity him, which actually makes him feel alienated. He doesn't want any special treatment.
"Hell teacher, tell me whats my lesson" means that he could be praying to God, or just looking for guidance in his life after he was torn apart by his sorrows. He wants God, or whoever can help him to "look right through him" and understand how he feels, because, as I said before, he feels alienated.
The sing finishes with another chorus. I find it a bit hard o interpret, but, as I said before, it reveals his confusion and mixed emotions. When the lyrics talking about running in circles, I think it could be referring to the "circle of life", but I'm really not sure.
There'er my thoughts, enjoy!
wow i never considered the first verse in the way you did, as a funeral. great interpretation! you've completely changed my mind about that verse :)<br /> <br /> the only place i reckon you got it wrong was in the second verse, about the child. I think the first four lines of that verse really tell it all. <br /> 'Made to feel the way that every child should' really sums it up. The first part of that verse really says that every child (read: every person) should be able to feel safe and happy and wanted (happy birthday: on your birthday you are the centre of attention). 'Children waiting for the day they feel good' could be read as people waiting...<br /> <br /> the second half of that verse is a bit harder to work out. i think you may have gotten it right, but it might mean that he longs for his childhood (the good times), when the biggest obstacles were things like your first day of school, or trying to do well in class etc<br /> <br /> so maybe the first half of that verse is using childhood as a general metaphor for life, and the second half is referring directly to the artist's longing for childhood to return, because adult life is too difficult. <br /> <br /> the chorus is pretty hard to decipher, but i guess it does reflect his alienation as you say; how he finds it 'hard to take' or to understand adult life, therefore causing a longing for childhood.<br /> <br /> hope this helped :)
I think the part about "Look right through me, look right through me" tells shows that he isn't getting the help he needs for feeling alienated. I think that in simple and casual situations, such as the classroom, he is being ignored, even though this seems to be his time of need. This especially makes sense if you take the funeral interpretation, because I see it as though he has just lost one or both of his parents. While other children wait for their birthdays because they know they will be extra happy and recieve extra attention, I think this person is so low that he is simply waiting for an average day to feel average again. He doesn't need or want extra hype as the other kids do on their birthdays- he just wants to rise from his slump and feel normal again after his loss.
Your being way too literal most of the song is metaphorical and its definatly about existance.
Not exactly my interpretation, but pretty close! Your view of the song is very interesting, and it's just has possible. While sometimes a little literal about the lyrics, it's wise just the same.
That's a very insightful idea on what this song means... I agree with maniacle on what the second verse could mean. <br /> I don't think you're being too literal, and when I first heard this song that it kind of the idea that came to my head.
unless tears for fears [or whoever actually wrote it] themselves ave given a public explanation of the song, it is likely that no one will ever really know exactly what the song means. As for Canadian_Bacon, it may not be what the original writer is trying to say, but it does make a lot of sense. i've been very gray today thinking about my deceased boyfriend, and this song has been stuck in my head. That's why i came to this site to see what others have to say about it. Canadian_Bacon describes how i feel almost to a tee.
i accidently heard this song and cant even remember how i heard it but just automatically liked it. i could never figure out what the hell it was about all i knew or thought was it was definately about something depressing. while i agree with maniacle's 1st version, after reading gogators theory.. i totally think that could be what it means!! my dad died in a car accident 1 month before i turned 13 years old. and how gogators interpretation of the rest of the lyrics is absolutely identical to how i felt at that time in my life!! i can remember when i returned to school i felt that no one understood what i was mentally and emotionally going through. i would look at the other kids and wish i could be like them (not knowing what it feels like to lose a parent suddenly) and be jealous of them because they had both of their parents still. and didnt have to endure all the pain and misery that came along with it. i felt alone and wanted to die literally!! maybe the song doesnt necessarlly mean its about his parent dying but it could definately be about a death of a friend or someone. i dont know but i knew there was something about this song that drew me to it and couldnt put my finger on it exactly or even figure out what the hell it meant but i think i might of got an idea!!!
I don't think this has to do with a funeral at all. This isn't a temporary feeling he's having at the moment of a funereal This is his depressed perception of the world (the dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had). So the best dreams of his entire life were about dying. This is a life perception.
@Canadian_Bacon I think the last line is moving on to his fear for the future.
@Canadian_Bacon Wow I never would have thought of that