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A lot of people love the Gary Jules cover of this song, but I will always prefer the original. I first saw the video back in 1983 on Richard Blade’s MV3 video show, and I loved it. It’s got a really nice beat, you can dance to it, plus it’s got some very interesting–and quite frankly, over the top–lyrics (although I still think that the dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had is one of the saddest lyrics I’ve ever heard).

As far as the song’s meaning, here are two quotes taken from Wikipedia:

That came when I lived above a pizza restaurant in Bath and I could look out onto the centre of the city. Not that Bath is very mad - I should have called it “Bourgeois World”!
—Roland Orzabal

It’s very much a voyeur’s song. It’s looking out at a mad world from the eyes of a teenager.[1]
—Curt Smith

I think that’s very appropriate for this song.

Here’s a link to the video

And of course, the lyrics:

All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere
And their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head I want to 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
‘Cos I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It’s a very, very
Mad World