<Ul> <Li> file </Li> <Li> help </Li> </Ul> <P> "Mad World" is a 1982 song by the British band Tears for Fears . Written by Roland Orzabal and sung by bassist Curt Smith, it was the band's third single release and first chart hit, reaching number 3 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1982 . Both "Mad World" and its B - side, "Ideas as Opiates", appeared on the band's debut LP The Hurting (1983). </P> <P> "Mad World" has since been covered by various artists, most notably by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules for the soundtrack of the film Donnie Darko in 2001 . This version was a UK number one hit and won Orzabal his second Ivor Novello Award in 2003 . </P> <P> "Mad World" was originally written on acoustic guitar when Orzabal was 19 after being inspired to write a new wave song in the vein of Duran Duran's "Girls on Film". After a few false starts with Orzabal on vocals, he suggested Smith sing it and "suddenly it sounded fabulous". </P>

Who remade mad world by tears for fears