Mad World
So there's this song called Mad World.
I like it, it kind of takes me back to my angsty, super-cynical teenage days, but in a good way.
It shows up on multiple Pandora stations that I listen to fairly regularly. Today my Zoe Keating station played me a different cover of it by Alex Parks (youtube-link), so I googled it to see who the original artist was. I'd assumed that it was written by Gary Jules (youtube-link), but it turns out that his version is a slowed down cover of an old Tears for Fears song! (youtube-link)
Then I found the wikipedia entry for it... turns out a LOT of people have covered it.
In addition to the Andrews/Jules version, "Mad World" has been recorded over the years by the following artists:
French artist Nicola Sirkis, frontman of the new wave band Indochine, on his solo album Dans La Lune... (1992)
American industrial rock band Kill Switch...Klick, on the Cleopatra Records compilation New Wave Goes To Hell (1998)
German DJ Pulsedriver's popular remix of Nu Romantix's cover, on the compilation album Dos Or Die Fresh Cuts (2001)
American alternative rock band Finch, on their EP Rolling Stone Acoustic Session (2002)
British singer-songwriter Alex Parks, on her debut album, Introduction (2003)
American industrial act Brainclaw, (2004)
American metalcore band Evergreen Terrace, on their album Writer's Block (2004)
German punk rock band Die Toten Hosen, on their live DVD Rock am Ring 2004 (2004)
Polish gothic rock band Closterkeller, on their EP Reghina (2004)
Australian art rock band The Red Paintings, on their EP Walls (2005)
German DJ Jan Wayne, on his single "Mad World" (2005)
American singer-songwriter Sara Hickman, on her double album Motherlode (2006)
Canadian rock bassist Ken Tizzard, on his album Quiet Storey House... An Introduction (2006)
German a cappella group Wise Guys, on their album Radio (2006)
American dark cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls featuring Trash McSweeney, on their live DVD Live at the Roundhouse (2007)
Canadian folk-singer Tara MacLean, on her EP Signs of Life (2007) and her album Wake (2008)
German vocal band Gregorian, on their album Masters of Chant Chapter VI (2007)
Italian dark wave band SPECTRA*paris, a side project of Kirlian Camera, on their album Dead Models Society (2007)
Canadian jazz singer Shannon Butcher, on her album Words We Both Could Say (2008)
Israeli actress/singer Melanie Peres, on the soundtrack to the movie Lost Islands (2008)
Norwegian singer Erlend Bratland, on his debut album True Colors (2008)
Swedish blackened death metal band Zonaria, on their second album The Cancer Empire (2008)
Italian singer-songwriter Elisa, on her sixth album Heart (2009)
British Dj Andy Hunter released a remix of "Mad World" as a single
American operatic soprano Renée Fleming, on her 2010 album Dark Hope
The Dresden Dolls (youtube), Brainclaw (industrial)(direct mp3 link), Zonaria (Swedish blackened death metal)(youtube-link), Gregorian (yes, chant)(youtube-link), Pulsedriver (youtube-link)(euro-techno)...
Now I feel the need to track down all the different versions.
I like it, it kind of takes me back to my angsty, super-cynical teenage days, but in a good way.
It shows up on multiple Pandora stations that I listen to fairly regularly. Today my Zoe Keating station played me a different cover of it by Alex Parks (youtube-link), so I googled it to see who the original artist was. I'd assumed that it was written by Gary Jules (youtube-link), but it turns out that his version is a slowed down cover of an old Tears for Fears song! (youtube-link)
Then I found the wikipedia entry for it... turns out a LOT of people have covered it.
In addition to the Andrews/Jules version, "Mad World" has been recorded over the years by the following artists:
French artist Nicola Sirkis, frontman of the new wave band Indochine, on his solo album Dans La Lune... (1992)
American industrial rock band Kill Switch...Klick, on the Cleopatra Records compilation New Wave Goes To Hell (1998)
German DJ Pulsedriver's popular remix of Nu Romantix's cover, on the compilation album Dos Or Die Fresh Cuts (2001)
American alternative rock band Finch, on their EP Rolling Stone Acoustic Session (2002)
British singer-songwriter Alex Parks, on her debut album, Introduction (2003)
American industrial act Brainclaw, (2004)
American metalcore band Evergreen Terrace, on their album Writer's Block (2004)
German punk rock band Die Toten Hosen, on their live DVD Rock am Ring 2004 (2004)
Polish gothic rock band Closterkeller, on their EP Reghina (2004)
Australian art rock band The Red Paintings, on their EP Walls (2005)
German DJ Jan Wayne, on his single "Mad World" (2005)
American singer-songwriter Sara Hickman, on her double album Motherlode (2006)
Canadian rock bassist Ken Tizzard, on his album Quiet Storey House... An Introduction (2006)
German a cappella group Wise Guys, on their album Radio (2006)
American dark cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls featuring Trash McSweeney, on their live DVD Live at the Roundhouse (2007)
Canadian folk-singer Tara MacLean, on her EP Signs of Life (2007) and her album Wake (2008)
German vocal band Gregorian, on their album Masters of Chant Chapter VI (2007)
Italian dark wave band SPECTRA*paris, a side project of Kirlian Camera, on their album Dead Models Society (2007)
Canadian jazz singer Shannon Butcher, on her album Words We Both Could Say (2008)
Israeli actress/singer Melanie Peres, on the soundtrack to the movie Lost Islands (2008)
Norwegian singer Erlend Bratland, on his debut album True Colors (2008)
Swedish blackened death metal band Zonaria, on their second album The Cancer Empire (2008)
Italian singer-songwriter Elisa, on her sixth album Heart (2009)
British Dj Andy Hunter released a remix of "Mad World" as a single
American operatic soprano Renée Fleming, on her 2010 album Dark Hope
The Dresden Dolls (youtube), Brainclaw (industrial)(direct mp3 link), Zonaria (Swedish blackened death metal)(youtube-link), Gregorian (yes, chant)(youtube-link), Pulsedriver (youtube-link)(euro-techno)...
Now I feel the need to track down all the different versions.