SKU: A0.1199950

Mad World is a 1982 song by British band Tears for Fears, written by Roland Orzabal. Twenty-years later it achieved a second round of success with a cover by Michael Andrews and his childhood buddy Gary Jules for the soundtrack of the film Donnie Darko. Stripped down, the marriage of simple haunting music (melody, harmonic structure) with intense, powerful lyrics makes this “a beautiful song� for both the performer and audience member. This simple arrangement is scored for 4-part SATB ensemble with piano accompaniment. Performance time: 2:55.

SKU: A0.842207

As arranged and performed by Dischord A Cappella from the University of Pennsylvania for SATB.

SKU: A0.774773

Mad World is a 1982 song written by Roland Orzabal and sung by Curt Smith, members of the British band Tears for Fears. It was the band's third single release and its first chart hit, reaching number 3 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1982. It has since been covered by an extensive list of singers, most notably by Gary Jules and Michael Andrews for the soundtrack of the 2001 film Donnie Darko. This version became a UK number one hit when it was released as a single in 2003.

Orzabal wrote the song when he was 19, living in an apartment above a pizza shop in Bath. Here he would spend his time looking out the window, strumming guitar and watching people going about their daily business. It's a bizarre viewpoint to watch people go about their daily routine, having to work for a living, when you're sitting in a flat, unemployed, he said. That's where it came from.

In keeping with the poignant simplicity of the Gary Jules version, this choral arrangement seeks to maintain the clarity of the text, with passing dissonances highlighting the word mad. The ending section includes overlapping motif ideas which can be effectively dramatized in accordance with the included performance notes.  

Mad World is available in three voicings – SSA, SAB and SATB – all with piano accompaniment.

SKU: A0.1303747

SKU: A0.816706

Music and lyrics by Roland Orzabal

‘Mad World’ was written by Roland Orzabal and performed by British band Tears for Fears with lead vocals by bassist Curt Smith. It was the band’s third official release and first chart hit reaching No.3 in the UK Singles Chart in 1982. The song has been covered by many artists including Michael Andrews and Gary Jules for the soundtrack to the film Donnie Darko in 2001.

This simple choral arrangement is ideal for beginner choirs and community groups who are exploring harmony for the first time. The arrangement exists in a number of versions:

SATB & piano
2-part choir & piano
SATB Quartet

More details:

https://www.guybunce.co.uk/mad-world.html

Preview score:

https://youtu.be/ycZLk86g-2Q

SKU: HX.1478807