The Original Outro Song For Donnie Darko Inside...

[Omnipotent]

Richard Kelly's original choice for the music to be played over the final sequence was U2's "MLK". After difficulties obtaining the rights to the song, it was decided to use Gary Jules's cover of the Tears for Fears song "Mad World" instead.

To download, Left Click then Right Click Save As...

s22.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2NE9PIQCG3P2P1PXVGJLDCW2H5

[Bigboy]

Nice. Lyrically I can see why it was his first choice, it reflects the moment nicely.
But I honestly think that Mad World was the best choice in the end. For me at least it has a greater emotional impact, and lyrically it fits Donnies point of view of the world and people around him throughout the movie.

Here are the lyrics to both for comparison:

MLK
Sleep
Sleep tonight
And may your dreams
Be realized
If the thunder cloud
Passes rain
So let it rain
Rain down on him
So let it be
So let it be

Sleep
Sleep tonight
And may your dreams
Be realized
If the thundercloud
Passes rain
So let it rain
Let it rain
Rain on him

(NOTE: I have seen the line 'Rain on him' written as both 'Rain on he' and 'Rain on me')


Mad World
All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places
Worn out faces
Bright and early for the daily races
Going no where
Going no where
Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression
No expression
Hide my head I wanna 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
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles its a very very
Mad world
Mad world
Children waiting for the day they feel good
Happy birthday
Happy birthday
And I feel the way that every child should
Sit and listen
Sit and listen
Went to school and I was very nervous
No one knew me
No one knew me
Hello teacher tell me what’s my lesson
Look right through me
Look right through me
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
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles its a very very
Mad world
Mad world
Enlarge your world
Mad world

(NOTE: I have seen the line 'Enlarge your world' written as 'Enlargen your world' and 'Illogical world')

[ProvidencePortal]

I'm so not making any friends with my music opinion ... but I have to say, having listened to the song and imagined the slow pans in the final scene, I think this would have been an excellent alternate to "Mad World." I find only two lines in "Mad World" really apropos to the scene as it occurs: "the dreams in which I'm dyin' ..." and "all around me are familiar faces ..." Certainly, knowing and conjecturing what we do regarding the movie's indictment of the public school system, the central bit about childhood and schooling becomes more poignant. But all in all, it's the tone and the music that carries the meaning and less the lyrics.

But, remembering Kelly's intent to create an "operatic" soundtrack, "MLK" seems to me to be more lyrically appropriate and even situationaly more so (after all, Donnie is in bed, heading for "sleep" and he's expressed hope that his death will bring him to enlightenment -- his dreams "coming to pass"). I find the message of "if there is rain, let it rain" both a parallel to the screen action (the engine falling) and a thematic parallel (Donnie has agreed to let God's path play out has He intended it to).

My assessment: a remarkably appropriate and moving alternate close. As a discussion point, I plan to play it for my movie group over that scene, and to supply them with the lyrics.

[Bigboy]

I've got no problem with that opinion; I pretty much agree with your assessment.
MLK does reflect that moment of the movie better in terms of lyrical content, but I just plain like Mad World better. My reasons are largely down to musical asthetics - both songs have similar style and tone, but MLK just didn't push my buttons in the same way as Mad World.

[gretchen]

Bigboy said:

I've got no problem with that opinion; I pretty much agree with your assessment.
MLK does reflect that moment of the movie better in terms of lyrical content, but I just plain like Mad World better. My reasons are largely down to musical asthetics - both songs have similar style and tone, but MLK just didn't push my buttons in the same way as Mad World.

ditto.

i guess it's the same for me as the opening track of the DC, lyrically it's more fitting perhaps... but emotionally i just don't think it hits the same.

[Omnipotent]

ProvidencePortal said:

I'm so not making any friends with my music opinion ... but I have to say, having listened to the song and imagined the slow pans in the final scene, I think this would have been an excellent alternate to "Mad World." I find only two lines in "Mad World" really apropos to the scene as it occurs: "the dreams in which I'm dyin' ..." and "all around me are familiar faces ..." Certainly, knowing and conjecturing what we do regarding the movie's indictment of the public school system, the central bit about childhood and schooling becomes more poignant. But all in all, it's the tone and the music that carries the meaning and less the lyrics.

But, remembering Kelly's intent to create an "operatic" soundtrack, "MLK" seems to me to be more lyrically appropriate and even situationaly more so (after all, Donnie is in bed, heading for "sleep" and he's expressed hope that his death will bring him to enlightenment -- his dreams "coming to pass"). I find the message of "if there is rain, let it rain" both a parallel to the screen action (the engine falling) and a thematic parallel (Donnie has agreed to let God's path play out has He intended it to).

My assessment: a remarkably appropriate and moving alternate close. As a discussion point, I plan to play it for my movie group over that scene, and to supply them with the lyrics.

Your analysis has strong validity but what song do you enjoy more? (Forget the appropriateness).

[ProvidencePortal]

Omnipotent said:

but what song do you enjoy more? (Forget the appropriateness).

Oh, no question or hesitation: "Mad World."

[Phil]

I think Mad world was a brilliant choice.

Emotionally, it fits SO well with the film, it just has a feeling about it.

Im glad me didnt choose the U2 song, just because i cant stand U2!

[Omnipotent]

Phil said:

I think Mad world was a brilliant choice.

Emotionally, it fits SO well with the film, it just has a feeling about it.

Im glad me didnt choose the U2 song, just because i cant stand U2!

Indeed, when I first saw the ending it was so moving, I was froze.

[MoonageDaydream]

Also, there's something about Mad World being a cover of a 1980s song, and not the actual 1980s song that makes it moving. It's fitting that the song that happens when the space/time continuum is disrupted is the only song not be recorded in that time period.

I believe if MLK would've stayed in, it would've been just another 80's song in the movie, and not the moving closer it should've been.

[Phil]

Omnipotent said:

Indeed, when I first saw the ending it was so moving, I was froze.

Same

[ProvidencePortal]

MoonageDaydream said:

It's fitting that the song that happens when the space/time continuum is disrupted is the only song not be recorded in that time period.

Thanks for that, Moonage -- very insightful perspective. Structurally, that's a satisfying reason to keep "Mad World" as the close.