Mini Analysis: Mad World (Character)

Work: ‘Mad World’
Composers/Creators: Roland Orzabal
Performers: Tears for Fears
Album: The Hurting (Phonogram / Mercury, 1982)

Listen to this excerpt and describe the character and mood of this performance.

Need some ideas? See pages 140 & 141 in Decoding Sound.

Press “PLAY” on the video to hear the excerpt.

Now listen to the same excerpt by a different performer.

Consider and compare as you listen – is the character or mood of this second version the same or different from the first?

Work: ‘Mad World’
Composers/Creators: Roland Orzabal
Performers: Scott Hoying, Mitch Grassi, Kirstin Maldonado, Matt Sallee and Kevin Olusola (Pentatonix)
Album: YouTube Upload & Release (2020)

Press “PLAY” on the video to hear the excerpt.

We all identify differently with the character or mood we hear because we all bring our own backgrounds and contexts.