Gary Jules | Mad World
Gary Jules and Michael Andrews’ cover of Tears for Fears’ “Mad World” - recorded for Donnie Darko in 2000, became UK Christmas #1 in 2003 with stripped-down piano arrangement and vocoder vocals.
Story Behind “Mad World”
The One-Hour Recording
Michael Andrews, composer for the film Donnie Darko, wanted to include a song on his otherwise instrumental score. He chose “Mad World” by Tears for Fears—a song that held significance for both him and his childhood friend Gary Jules. Andrews enlisted Jules to sing while Andrews himself played piano. The session lasted one hour and thirty minutes.
The arrangement stood in complete contrast to the original Tears for Fears version. Where the 1982 original featured synthesizers and heavy percussion, the Andrews/Jules version stripped away everything except essentials: piano chords, a mellotron imitating a cello, light touches of electric piano, and modest use of a vocoder on the chorus.
From Cult Soundtrack to Christmas Number One
The version was originally released in 2001 on Gary Jules’ album Trading Snakeoil for Wolftickets and again in 2002 on the Donnie Darko soundtrack. Donnie Darko was not a commercial success initially, but it developed a cult following through DVD sales. This growing audience created demand for “Mad World” to be released as a proper single.
In December 2003, Andrews and Jules released the song through Sanctuary Records as an official single. The timing was deliberate—it placed the song in the race for the UK’s Christmas number one. The track defeated “Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)” by The Darkness on 21 December 2003, reaching number one and remaining there for three consecutive weeks. This achievement was historically significant: Tears for Fears themselves had never reached number one on the UK singles chart despite their 1980s success.
“Mad World” Recording and Production Details
The Stripped-Down Production
Michael Andrews produced the track. The instrumentation consisted entirely of piano (played by Andrews), mellotron, electric piano, and vocal processing. According to documented sources, the Andrews/Jules version used “only a set of piano chords, a mellotron imitating a cello, very light touches of electric piano, and modest use of a vocoder on the chorus.”
This minimalist approach represented a deliberate departure from the original composition. The Tears for Fears version had layered electronic elements and rhythmic complexity. The Andrews/Jules version removed all percussion and most synthesization, leaving only harmonic structure and vocal expression.
Release Versions
The track appeared in multiple versions across different releases. The initial 2001 album release on Trading Snakeoil for Wolftickets presented one version. The 2002 Donnie Darko soundtrack included this version plus an alternate or remixed version. The 2003 single release represented the official commercial push.
Notes About “Mad World” by Gary Jules (feat. Michael Andrews)
Release Date: 2001 (album), 2002 (film soundtrack), 15 December 2003 (single)
Duration: 3:07
Genre: Alternative Rock / Minimalist / Cover
Original Song: “Mad World” by Tears for Fears (1982)
Original Writers: Roland Orzabal
Album: Trading Snakeoil for Wolftickets (Gary Jules, 2001); Donnie Darko Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2002)
Producer: Michael Andrews
Label: Sanctuary Records (2003 single)
Chart Performance: #1 UK Singles Chart (21 December 2003 for 3 consecutive weeks); #30 Billboard Modern Rock Tracks (27 March 2004); #1 Adult Alternative Airplay chart (17 April 2004)
Gary Jules & Michael Andrews “Mad World” Era Details
Album Details
Album: Donnie Darko Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Film Release Date: 2001 (Sundance premiere)
Soundtrack Release Date: April 2, 2002
Composer: Michael Andrews (overall score)
Label: Everloving Records (Andy Factor, independent label, 2002)
Album Content: 16 instrumental tracks and two versions of “Mad World”
Film Director: Richard Kelly
Production Credits
Michael Andrews - Composer, piano, producer
Gary Jules - Vocals
Roland Orzabal - Original song writer/composer (credited)
Personnel Details
Gary Jules - Born March 19, 1969 in Fresno, California; born as Gary Jules Aguirre
Michael Andrews - San Diego musician and film/television composer
Relationship - Andrews and Jules were childhood friends; both grew up with Tears for Fears as a favorite band
Production Notes
Recording session: approximately 1.5 hours in duration
Original session recorded in late 2000
Music video directed by Michel Gondry, filmed at Hoboken Middle School (formerly AJ Demarest School) in Hoboken, New Jersey in 2004
Video featured children, Jules on roof, Andrews at piano
Became most-watched version of the song on YouTube, with over 60 million views reported by September 2013
Interesting Facts About “Mad World”
The Chart Achievement Tears for Fears Never Had
The Andrews/Jules cover became the first version of “Mad World” to reach number one on the UK singles chart. This occurred 21 years after the original 1982 release. Tears for Fears, despite their commercial success in the 1980s, had never achieved a UK number one with “Mad World” or any other song.
The single reached the top spot on 21 December 2003 for three consecutive weeks, defeating “Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)” by The Darkness. The chart battle has been documented as one of the defining cultural moments of the 2003 UK Christmas chart race.
From Cult Film to Cultural Impact
Donnie Darko was not a commercial success in theaters. However, the film’s popularity grew significantly through DVD sales, creating an audience for the soundtrack material. This pattern—cult film developing a devoted following through home video—directly enabled the commercial push for “Mad World” as a single.
The song appeared in the film’s credits and became intrinsically linked with the movie’s cult status. Director Richard Kelly had commissioned Michael Andrews specifically to compose the film’s score, and Andrews’ decision to include “Mad World” as the song element proved central to the film’s cultural identity.
Common Questions
Q: Is the Gary Jules version an original song or a cover?
A: It is a cover. “Mad World” was originally written by Roland Orzabal and recorded by Tears for Fears in 1982. Gary Jules and Michael Andrews recorded their version for the 2001 film Donnie Darko. The lyrics and fundamental composition remain Orzabal’s work.
Q: How was the Gary Jules version recorded?
A: Michael Andrews and Gary Jules recorded the song in one hour and thirty minutes. Andrews played piano while Jules provided vocals. The arrangement featured piano chords, mellotron imitating a cello, light electric piano touches, and a vocoder on the chorus.
Q: Why did the Gary Jules version become so popular after 2000?
A: The Donnie Darko soundtrack was released in 2002, but the film initially had limited theatrical success. The movie developed a cult following through DVD sales, which created growing audience demand for “Mad World” to be released as a commercial single. This led to the December 2003 single release that reached number one.
Q: What chart position did “Mad World” reach?
A: The single reached number one on the UK Singles Chart on 21 December 2003, where it remained for three consecutive weeks. It reached #30 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and #1 on the US Adult Alternative Airplay chart.
Q: Has the original Tears for Fears version ever reached number one?
A: The original 1982 Tears for Fears recording reached number three on the UK Singles Chart in November 1982 but never reached number one. This made the Andrews/Jules cover the first version of “Mad World” to achieve the top chart position.