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
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“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
<b>"All around me are familiar faces Worn out places, worn out faces"</b> Everyday he sees the same things, and the same people and he is realizing life has become a constant, daily chore. <b>"Bright and early for their daily races Going nowhere, going nowhere"</b> Everyday, people try to outdo the last by getting up early and working extra hard, but they won't get any farther because life is a vicious circle, and you can't escape day and night. <b>"Their tears are filling up their glasses No expression, no expression"</b> People grow tired and sad of completing the same ritual over and over and over again, but you can't stop it, it's inevitable. <b>"Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow No tomorrow, no tomorrow"</b> He realizes how terrible it is to get up and do something only to do it again the day after that, and the day after that. <b>"And I find it kind of funny I find it kind of sad"</b> It is a silly thought that every person on Earth does everything to get nowhere, but it's still really depressing that it is like that. <b>"The dreams in which I'm dying Are the best I've ever had"</b> He finds that he likes the dreams in whick he's dying because he's finally out of the monotonus, repetitive psychical world. <b>"I find it hard to tell you I find it hard to take"</b> He hates the idea of it. <b>"It's a very, very Mad world Mad world"</b> Duh. <b>"Children waiting for the day they feel good Happy birthday, happy birthday"</b> Kids wait for their birthday because they feel special, and happy about getting to be a year older, but it's just another ring in the tree, and it means nothing because it's going to happen again and again, just like everything else. <b>"Made to feel the way that every child should Sit and listen, sit and listen"</b> Kids are just raised to be replacements of their parents and just sit with the other children and listen. <b>"Went to school and I was very nervous No one knew me, no one knew me"</b> Obvious. <b>"Hello teacher, tell me, what's my lesson? Look right through me, look right through me"</b> He asks the teacher a question but she just "looks right through him" because he is just another member of the class and isn't important as an individual.
So it's all just about being a number and unimportant and repeating the same day over and over again but still not getting anywhere. Ahh this song makes me cry, I can't listen to it.
@BarbieIsMyHomegirl <br /> I love your analysis and i think you got it pretty much spot on except that in the line “look right through me” i believe that instead of the teacher looking through him and not seeing him as an individual, it sounds to me like he’s begging the teacher to see through his perfect student facade( hello teacher, tell me what’s my lesson ) although you interpritation makes sense