November 1, 2014
Mad World
Ever felt like you have been cocooned in a moment so deep, with a random shiver creeping up to the very core of your spine and then realised that you have surrendered yourself to an almost invisible connection that unbeknownst to your conscious self, you had shed a tear or two, for no reason at all?
A rather unexpected re-emergence of Mad World, originally covered by Gary Jules did that to me; although, for some reason, I had the image of Michael Stipe from REM in my head. This time, I saw it in the latest season of The Voice during the knock-out rounds and for some reason, I got lost in it. I was lost in the music, the lyrics and particularly the beautiful voice of Taylor John Williams.
It was a song I hadn’t heard in a long, long time. A song I had almost forgotten about, yet the first few sentences of the lyrics brought some nostalgic connection from a long-time ago. Moments I can’t quite pinpoint, but moments that somehow felt familiar. It was a strange feeling. A really strange, but the sweetest feeling.
It could also have been the way Taylor brought it to live so beautifully. 3 days later, and this song continues to play in my head.
All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for the daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head I wanna drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow
And I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of 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 to 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 kind of funny
I find it kind of 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, mad world, mad world
Hi I love Taylor’s performance too.
Although I am more familiar with Tears For Fears version more in the 80s. But must admit at that age the song did not resonate with me as it does now.
I was mesmerized with Taulor’s rendition. I also just realized I like his look-vulnerable and asexual. And his voice was very good but at this moment I cannot pick out if it was blind however I felt it was so haunting.
Night night
There is just something about that song…like you said, haunting. Haunting is the right word. Taylor does look vulnerable, doesn’t he! I don’t find him the cutest, but there is something about him that is really special. His voice is just amazing!!