"Crazy"
Single by Gnarls Barkley
from the album St. Elsewhere
B-side	"Just a Thought" "Go-Go Gadget Gospel" "The Boogie Monster"
Released	March 23, 2006 (2006-03-23)
Format	CD, download, vinyl
Genre	Neo soul, R&B
Length	2:58
Label	Warner Music (Outside U.S.) Downtown Records (U.S.)
Writer(s)	Brian Burton Thomas Callaway Gian Franco Reverberi Gian Piero Reverberi
Producer	Danger Mouse
Certification	2x Platinum (RIAA) Platinum (BPI, SWE, CRIA)
Gnarls Barkley singles chronology
"Gadget" (2000) "Crazy" (2006) "Smiley Faces" (2006)
Alternative covers Promotional CD and digital download single cover

"Crazy" is the debut single from Gnarls Barkley, a musical collaboration between Danger Mouse and Cee Lo Green, is taken from their 2006 debut album St. Elsewhere. It peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, and topped the charts in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand and other countries.

The song was leaked in late 2005, months before its regular release, and consequently received massive airplay on BBC Radio 1 in the United Kingdom, most notably by radio DJ Zane Lowe, who also used the song in television commercials for his show.^[1] When it was finally released in March 2006, it became the first single to top the UK Singles Chart on download sales alone. The song remained at the top of the British charts for nine weeks (which no other song had achieved in over ten years, and was only surpassed by Rihanna's "Umbrella" in July 2007) before the band and their record company decided to remove the single from music stores in the country so people would "remember the song fondly and not get sick of it."^[2] In spite of this deletion, the song became Britain's best-selling single of 2006.^[3] Due to continued download sales, it reached a million sales in January 2011.

The song won a Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance in 2007, and was also nominated for The Record of the Year in the United Kingdom, which it lost to "Patience" by Take That.^[4] It was also nominated and further won a 2006 MTV Europe Music Award for Best Song. The song was also named the best song of 2006 by Rolling Stone^[5] and by the Village Voice's annual Pazz & Jop critics poll.^[6] The song was listed at #11 on Pitchfork Media's top 500 songs of the 2000s. The song is also in the #45 place in the list of the best songs ever of Acclaimed Music. In 2010, it was placed at #100 in the "updated" version of Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" and ranked at the top position of Rolling Stone's top 100 songs of the decade (2000–2009). "Crazy" was notably performed at the 2006 MTV Movie Awards, with the band members dressed as various Star Wars characters.^[7][8]

Background [edit]

The song was picked up by Downtown Records. Brian Burton's manager sent the song to Downtown's A&R Josh Deutsch because they were looking for an independent label with the same resources as a major. According an interview with Deutsch in HitQuarters, he heard the song and signed it after a single listen.^[9] He said:

"Once in a while you hear a record that is obviously so important on so many levels. The beauty of my position is that it's very direct. If I find something I like there’s no bureaucratic process associated with signing it."^[9]

By the time the record was signed to Downtown there was already a huge swell of anticipation, in part due to the established reputation of the two artists but even more as a result of the demo being played on BBC Radio One and sparking a profound online awareness. The record began to break even before the deals with Downtown Records were complete. On its release "Crazy" became the most downloaded song in the history of the UK music business, going to number one in the strength of downloads alone.^[9]

Composition and inspiration [edit]

Musically, "Crazy" was inspired by film scores of spaghetti Westerns, in particular by the works of Ennio Morricone, who is best known as the composer of Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy,^[10] but more specifically the song "Last Man Standing" by Gian Piero Reverberi and Gianfranco Reverberi from the 1968 spaghetti Western Viva! Django (Italian: Preparati la bara), a sequel to the better-known Django.

"Crazy" not only samples the song, but utilizes the parts of the main melody and chord structure. The original songwriters for "Last Man Standing" are credited by Gnarls Barkley for this song alongside their own credits.

The lyrics for the song developed out of a conversation between Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo. According to Danger Mouse, "I somehow got off on this tangent about how people won't take an artist seriously unless they're insane... So we started jokingly discussing ways in which we could make people think we were crazy... Cee-Lo took that conversation and made it into 'Crazy,' which we recorded in one take."^[11]

Reception [edit]

Critical [edit]

This song was number one on Rolling Stone′s 2009 list of the 100 Best Songs of the Decade. They also placed it as the 100th greatest song of all time.^[12]

In October 2011, NME placed it at number 32 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".^[13]

Chart performance [edit]

A Star Wars themed performance of the song at the 2006 MTV Movie Awards.

In the United Kingdom, following its release as a digital download on March 13, 2006, the song debuted at the number one spot on the UK Download Chart on March 22, 2006.^[14] At the time chart rules allowed a song to appear in the UK Singles Chart based on their download sales if a physical equivalent was to be released the following week. "Crazy" became the first number one single in the United Kingdom based on download sales alone (selling over 31,000 times that week), on April 2, 2006 ― for the week ending date April 8, 2006 ― ^[1] with the CD single being released one day later. It remained on top of the chart for nine weeks and on top of the download chart for a record 11 weeks, until the single was pulled from British stores by the band and their record label on May 29, 2006, after seven consecutive weeks at number one, so people will "remember the song fondly and not get sick of it."^[2] The last song to spend such a long time at number one in Britain was "Love Is All Around" by Wet Wet Wet in 1994, which was number one for 15 weeks.

"Crazy"'s eleven weeks at the top of the UK Download Chart were the longest stay on that chart that any song has achieved as of 2006. Despite its official removal, record shops had enough stock remaining to sell 19,827 physical copies; along with download sales, this kept the song at number two in the chart week ending date June 10, 2006.^[15] The following week, "Crazy" was at number five, before disappearing completely from the chart a week later, as under chart rules a physically deleted single could not remain on the chart longer than two weeks after deletion date. Thus, "Crazy" made history at both ends of its chart run. It marked the most rapid exit from the British chart ever for a former number one, and makes number five the highest position at which a single has ever spent its final week on the chart.

In the first week of 2007, "Crazy" recharted at number 30, based purely on downloads. The chart rules had been changed yet again, allowing any sold song to chart, irrespective of whether or not it was still on sale in stores.^[16]

Due to continued download sales, the single became a million seller in January 2011. It was the 104th single to do this.

During its long stay in the British charts, the single also entered multiple other single charts throughout Europe, including the German, the Swedish, the Austrian and the Irish Singles Charts, and the Dutch Top 40, resulting in a number one position on the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles.

It also performed strongly outside Europe, with top-five positions on the New Zealand and Australian Single Charts, and was also certified gold in both countries.^[17] On 29 May 2006, the single went down in New Zealand music history by becoming the 500th number one single in New Zealand since the official Top 40 chart was started in 1973. The Discount Rhinos Full Control Remix of the track also featured in the Top 20 of the Australian ARIA Club chart.^[18]

When the album St. Elsewhere was released in the United States on 9 May 2006, the song had debuted at #91 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song reached the Top 40 on May 23, 2006. In the summer of 2006, "Crazy" spent seven consecutive weeks in the #2 spot, but because of the massive airplay and sales of Nelly Furtado's "Promiscuous," it never reached #1. It became the year's first single to peak at #2 and never reach #1. The song also charted well on other charts, hitting #7 on the US Modern Rock chart and #53 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Tracks.

Music videos [edit]

Rorschach style inkblots such as this one made up the central motif for the visuals.

Going along with the psychiatric theme of the song, Gnarls Barkley's music video for "Crazy" is done in the style of the Rorschach inkblot test. Animated, mirrored inkblots morph into another, while taking on ambiguous shapes. Both Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse appear in the shapes, as do the band's gunshot/heart logo, "Satan", a cranium and various animals, including centipedes, birds, bats, spiders, and insects.

The inkblot illustrations were done by art director and motion graphic designer Bryan Louie,^[19] whose other works include commercial campaigns for the Scion tC. The music video for "Crazy" was directed by Robert Hales, who had previously directed music videos for Jet, Nine Inch Nails and Richard Ashcroft, amongst others.

The video was nominated for three 2006 MTV Video Music Awards: Best Group Video, Best Direction, and Best Editing, and won the latter two. It was also nominated for a 2006 MTV Europe Music Award for Best Video, but lost to "We Are Your Friends" by Justice vs. Simian.

Before the final music video was finished, the band's UK label released a different video to media outlets such as the BBC. This early promo, directed by Mina Song, is also completely animated and features several symbols from many cultures and religions that appear in a disjointed harmony to the lyrics. Lyrics of the song, and again the band's gunshot/heart logo also appear prominently. The video also includes elements of the single's cover art.

The song was used in the 2010 movie Kick-Ass.

Tracklisting [edit]

UK CD Single

1. "Crazy" – 2:58
2. "Just a Thought" (Edit) – 2:41

UK 12" Vinyl

1. "Crazy" – 2:58
2. "Crazy" (Instrumental) – 3:03

US 12" Vinyl

1. "Crazy" - 2:59
2. "Crazy" (Instrumental) - 2:59
3. "Go Go Gadget Gospel" - 2:15
4. "Go Go Gadget Gospel" (Instrumental) - 2:13

Australian CD Single

1. "Crazy" – 2:58
2. "Just a Thought" (Edit) – 2:41
3. "The Boogie Monster" – 2:50

Cover versions [edit]

Violent Femmes cover [edit]

"Crazy"
Single by Violent Femmes
Released	June 24, 2008 (iTunes)
Format	Digital, 12"
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	3:28
Label	The Secret Life of Records/IODA
Writer(s)	Brian Burton Thomas Callaway Gian Franco Reverberi Gian Piero Reverberi
Violent Femmes singles chronology
"All I Want" (2000) "Crazy" (2008)

Violent Femmes have released a cover of the song on June 24, 2008, through the iTunes Store^[20] and on a limited edition, baby blue 12" vinyl.^[21] It was their first newly recorded song since 2000. Gnarls Barkley had previously covered the Violent Femmes song "Gone Daddy Gone" on their album St. Elsewhere.

Gnarls Barkley described the Violent Femmes' version as: "I might compare it to a calm pond. I caught my reflection in it. And I seemed to be momentarily at peace. This track sounds entirely different in the rain, and supports some intriguing lilypads."^[22] The Violent Femmes hosted a YouTube contest beginning June 10, 2008, with a cash award of $1,000USD and "other cool prizes" for creating and submitting a promotional video clip.

Violent Femmes track listing [edit]

1. "Crazy" – 3:28
2. "Crazy (Instrumental)" – 3:30
3. "Crazy (A Capella)" – 3:04

Other covers and remixes [edit]

Possibly due to the song's enormous success and international popularity it is frequently covered by other artists. The Kooks,^[23] Nelly Furtado,^[24] and The Zutons have covered "Crazy" on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge. The Kooks' version was released on Radio1's Live Lounge, while Furtado's version was released as a B-side on her UK single "Promiscuous" and she performed the song live with Welsh singer Charlotte Church on The Charlotte Church Show.^[25] Folk singer Ray LaMontagne has also covered the song, a version very well received by critics^[26] and Paris Hilton had delayed the release of her debut album Paris to include a cover of "Crazy" as well,^[27] although it was not included in the final track list. G4 also included a cover of "Crazy" on their Act Three album. Other artists, including Maroon 5, The Raconteurs,^[28] Billy Idol,^[29] The Academy Is... (with Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes),^[30] Butch Walker,^[31] Texas,^[30] The Twilight Singers,^[30] Mates of State,^[32] Paco Estrada & One Love, and of Montreal^[33] have performed cover versions of the song live in concert. Trey Lorenz (Mariah Carey's backup singer) has also performed the song on Carey's The Adventures of Mimi Tour throughout the summer and autumn of 2006.^[34] Shawn Colvin performed the song on A Prairie Home Companion on 4 November 2006.^[35] On her recent tour, Cat Power performed the song during her set.^[36] Singer-songwriter Jude's cover of the song is available free on his website.^[37] Beyoncé has also performed the song intertwined with her own hit, "Crazy in Love", at her performance at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.^{[citation needed]}. She has also decided to use this 'Crazy In Love/Crazy' collaboration for her The Beyoncé Experience world tour, which has already travelled across Japan, Australia, Europe and now North America. Prince covered the song in his one-off performance at London's KOKO Club on 10 May 2007, and at several of his 21 concerts at London's O2 Arena in August & September 2007.^{[citation needed]} Paolo Nutini frequently covers the song at his concerts. Australian Idol 2007 contestant Natalie Gauci covered the song during the Doin' It For The Kids special, using her own arrangement. On November 6, 2008, the band OneRepublic covered "Crazy" in front of a hometown crowd at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, CO. British soul singer Alice Russell included a cover of the song in her 2008 album Pot Of Gold.

Similarly, many unofficial remixes and mashups of the song were released as white labels and are circulating on file sharing networks and MP3 blogs. The Discount Rhinos Full Control Remix of the track even reached number 15 of the Australian ARIA Club chart.^[18]

Lil Wayne performed a freestyle over "Crazy" on his mixtape Da Drought 3. Many other rappers have created their own renditions/remixes of Crazy, including A.C., Joe Budden, Remy Ma and Kardinal Offishall.

A video performance of the song with the vocal track played on a theremin is available on YouTube,^[38] as is a response video with the theremin and percussion being played by robots.^[39]

Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour has also been heard singing the song in soundchecks, notably on his On an Island tour in Venice.

Jason Castro, David Archuleta, and Asia'h Epperson all performed this song on the seventh season of American Idol, but were not aired. Following the end of the season, Archuleta performed the song on Good Day Utah, and Castro performed the song during his set on the American Idols LIVE! Tour. Adam Lambert, American Idol Season 8 finalist, performed this song at the Art 4 Life Benefit Show 2008.^[40] Lambert also performs this song in numerous stages, most popularly at the Upright Cabaret.

An a cappella version of this song was performed by Overboard, a Boston-based a cappella group, for their 2006 album, "Shipwrecked".

Take That used part of this song in the middle of "Relight My Fire" at the Beautiful World tour in 2007. Vocalist Lloyd Wade sang the snippet, whilst Take That were dancing a voodoo themed cover.

Pink performed a cover version of the song on her 2009 Funhouse Tour.

The musical duo Scratch Track performs a cover of "Crazy" at their live shows.

On 25 June 2009, OneRepublic performed a cover version of "Crazy" as part of their set on the PBS program Soundstage.

Aynsley Lister covered this song on track 5 of his 2009 album, Equilibrium.

On 12 February 2010, American Idol season 8 finalists Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, and Allison Iraheta, dubbing themselves "Kradison", performed "Crazy" as the final encore of Allen's set during Ryan Seacrest’s Rock My Town concert.^[41]

In 2011, Israeli singer Ninet Tayeb released a duet version of the song with a puppet.^[42] This version was a part of the Israeli musical-puppet TV show Red Band. The same year, another Israeli singer Shira Gavrielov released a version of the song on her Album Clear Vision.

The song was performed on the new NBC Reality show The Voice by the judges Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green and Blake Shelton.^[43]

In 2011, alternative rock band Relient K covered the song on their Is for Karaoke EP.

Dianne Reeves performed a passionate, if impromptu short version of "Crazy" near the end of the show on some occasions during her 2011 tour, for example in May 2011 in Basel, Switzerland.

R&B instrumentalist Booker T. Jones, playing keyboard, did an instrumental version of the song on his 2011 studio album The Road from Memphis.

Norwegian jazz singer Solveig Slettahjell recorded a slow jazz version of the song on her 2011 album Antologie.

Portugal. The Man covered the song on French television show Taratata.

in February of 2012, a cover version was performed on the Dutch radio station 3FM by Dutch band, The Crowns.^[44]

On 8 April 2012 Rojden Anusi performed a slow cover version of "Crazy" on Ukrainian television show "Voice of the Country".^[45]

On an episode of the Nickelodeon show How to Rock the song was played during commercials for the episode How to Rock Cee-Lo and was in the episode itself.

In September 2012, Dutch symphonic rock band Within Temptation covered the song as part of their Within Temptation Friday covers on Q-music radio in Belgium. The cover is featured on their cover album The Q-Music Sessions.

Australian blues musician Ash Grunwald began covering the song live in 2013, and has now released a studio version featuring Scott Owen and Andy Strachan of The Living End on double bass and drums, respectively.

Petula Clark covered the song on her 2013 album "Lost in You".

Charts and certifications [edit]

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Official Music Video
• "Crazy" charts data at Music Square
• Full lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics