10 Covers You Keep Mistaking For The Original Song
3. Mad World - Gary Jules
Original Artist: Tears for Fears
Mad World by Gary Jules is a genuinely sad and moving song that has been relegated to little more than joke fodder for the internet in recent years. And while this identity has taken of a life of its own, the song originally rose to prominence as a result of its featured inclusion on the soundtrack for the hit film Donnie Darko. This identity for the song would gain a cult following in its own right in the early 2000s
When both of these things are factored in, it can be easy for some to either forget, or not realize that it is actually a cover. The original, much more upbeat version of Mad World was released by the new wave group Tears for Fears in 1982, whereas Donnie Darko would not be released until 2001.
Ironically, the funky 80s version of the song is much easier to take seriously than its fiercely solemn cover these days.