When Tears for Fears released Mad World in 1982, it was actually sung by bassist Curt Smith, not Roland Orzabal, even though Orzabal wrote it. The reason? Roland thought Curt’s softer, more melancholy voice fit the lyrics better. The song became their first Top 10 hit in the UK, setting up the success of Songs from the Big Chair just a couple of years later. The line “The dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had” was inspired by the existential themes Roland was reading at the time,