Adam Lambert Mad World

Fans of the 2009 American Idol contest fell in love with one of the performances by Adam Lambert - Mad World. Lambert might have come in second place to Kris Allen this year, but that doesn't mean he didn't leave a lasting impression on the millions of Idol fans around the world. His choice of eclectic, moving songs like Mad World helped to establish his originality and set him apart from the rest of the pack. This article will explain the history behind the song, and will then show you where to find versions of Lambert's performance of this classic pop song on the Internet.

Lambert's performance of Mad World came on the evening when the Idol contestants were instructed to choose songs that were written during the year of their birth. Lambert selected Mad World, a melancholy ballad originally written by the British pop-duo Tears for Fears in 1982 and was the first single from the band's debut album The Hurting. In 1982, Tears for Fears had experienced moderate success (the single Mad World reached number three on the U.K. pop charts), but they were nowhere near the household name they would later become following the release of 1985's Songs From the Big Chair. Lambert's choice of Mad World was effective because it wasn't such a wildly popular single. Therefore, the audience was more willing to hear it with fresh ears and to accept Lambert's interpretation without resistance.

In fact, Lambert's version of Mad World was actually a cover of a cover. In 2001, the California singer/songwriter Gary Jules recorded a sparse, slowed down version of the song for the soundtrack to the indie film, Donnie Darko which starred a young Jake Gyllenhaal. Donnie Darko is a film about a troubled young man, and the film's director Richard Kelly thought the lyrics of the original Tears for Fears version captured the mood of the film, but he wanted a darker, more contemporary version and solicited Jules to record one. Gary Jules' version accentuated the desolate side of Mad World beautifully. The song played over the ending credits to Donnie Darko, a film that has since gone on to be a cult classic, and has also achieved a high level of success outside of the movie. In December of 2003, Jules' cover of Mad World was the number one song in the UK.

The Adam Lambert Mad World performance was much more inspired by the Gary Jules version of the song than the original Tears for Fears version. Singing over a lone piano with strings and delicate percussion, Lambert highlights Mad World's swelling dynamics while preserving the ominous overtones creating a version that is dark and haunting, yet oddly uplifting.

Check out the following links to see, hear, and even purchase versions of Adam Lambert Mad World.

• American Idol Live Performance – This is where you want to start. Click this link to see Lambert perform Mad World live on American Idol. This is the version that had the whole audience standing and applauding.

• Studio Version – If you want to hear what Lambert's studio version sounds like, check out this YouTube link.

• Regis and Kelly – Here's another great live performance of the song from the Regis and Kelly show.

• iTunes – If you want to have a digital copy of this beautiful song to take with you wherever you go, check out this link to download a copy from iTunes.

If history has taught us anything, American Idol contestants can go on to have incredibly influential careers, even if they didn't win American Idol. Adam Lambert seems poised to be one of those success stories. It will be fascinating to see what other great songs this talented young singer produces over the next few years.

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