Crazy (Aerosmith song)
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"Crazy" | ||||
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Single by Aerosmith | ||||
from the album Get a Grip | ||||
B-side | "Gotta Love It" | |||
Released | May 3, 1994 | |||
Recorded | 1993 | |||
Genre |
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Length |
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Label | Geffen | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Bruce Fairbairn | |||
Aerosmith singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Crazy'" on YouTube |
"Crazy" is a power ballad performed by American hard rock band Aerosmith and written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Desmond Child. It was the final single from their massively successful 1993 album Get a Grip, released in May 1994. "Crazy" peaked at number 17 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number three in Canada, and number one in Iceland for two weeks. In Finland and the United Kingdom, it was released as a double-A side with "Blind Man", reaching number eight in the former country and number 23 in the latter.
Composition[]
The song is set in A major, and follows the 6
8 time signature.[3]
Music video[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f3/Aerosmith_Crazy.jpg/195px-Aerosmith_Crazy.jpg)
The video for the song was directed by Marty Callner and received heavy rotation on MTV. It was one of the most requested videos of 1994.[4] It featured the third appearance of Alicia Silverstone in the band's videos, and was the career debut of Steven's then-16 year old daughter, Liv Tyler. The decision to cast Liv in the video for "Crazy" was based on the video's creators having seen her in a Pantene commercial.
The video is film-like and depicts the two as schoolgirls who skip class and run away, driving off in a dark blue Ford Mustang convertible in a manner similar to the 1991 hit film Thelma & Louise.[4] The two use their good looks to take advantage of a service station clerk, and needing money, enter an amateur pole-dancing competition. The video is edited to show the similarities in stage moves of Steven Tyler and daughter Liv. The girls win the dance competition, then spend the night in a motel. They continue their joyride the following day, where they encounter a young sweaty and shirtless farmer (played by model Dean Kelly) aboard a tractor tilling land in the countryside. They persuade him to join them in their journey, where they all go skinny dipping in a lake. The girls take off with his clothes and leave him behind at the lake. Naked, he chases after them, and rejoins them in the convertible. The final seconds of the video show the word "Crazy" spelled out in cursive in the cropland by the still-running tractor as the farmer runs towards it and the girls drive off.
Jason London makes a short cameo at the end in a tag scene, reprising his character from the "Amazing" video.
Director's cut[]
A longer director's cut of the video appears on the compilation Big Ones You Can Look At. This version features a few more provocative clips, and a longer, more risque version of the pole-dancing competition scene. It also removes the scene in which the girls abandon the farmer after skinny-dipping with him. Both versions of the video include an extra reprise of the chorus which is not included on the album and radio versions.[5]
Accolades[]
The song earned the band a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1994.[6] This was the band's second Grammy win for Get a Grip and third overall.
The video for "Crazy" was ranked number 23 in VH1's Top 100 Music Videos of All Time.
Track listing[]
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Crazy" (LP Version) | 5:17 |
2. | "Crazy" (Orchestral) | 5:30 |
3. | "Crazy" (Acoustic) | 5:39 |
4. | "Amazing" (Orchestral) | 5:56 |
5. | "Gotta Love It" (LP Version) | 5:58 |
Charts[]
Weekly charts[]
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Year-end charts[]
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Certifications[]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United Kingdom (BPI)[25] Sales Since 2004 |
Silver | 200,000![]() |
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Legacy[]
The song appeared on several compilations including Big Ones, A Little South of Sanity, O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits and Devil's Got a New Disguise. Despite bringing much success for the band in the mid-1990s, Aerosmith rarely performed it on tour until it was added to international shows on their 2007 World Tour due to overwhelming demand from fans. It was covered in Glee by Jacob Artist and Melissa Benoist, mashed up with Britney Spears' "(You Drive Me) Crazy".
References[]
- ^ Smith, Troy L. (April 29, 2020). "90 greatest Rock and Roll Hall of Fame songs of the 1990s". cleveland.com. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "9 Hair Metal Videos That Taught Us How Much School Sucks". Riot Fest. February 5, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
- ^ Millevoi, Nick (April 20, 2018). "Not Even Aerosmith Can Tell the Difference Between "Cryin'" and "Crazy"!". Soundfly. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Zalben, Alex (July 2, 2014). "20 Years Of 'Crazy': Liv Tyler Looks Back On The Aerosmith Video That Launched Her Career". MTV.com. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- ^ Pop-Up Video (VH-1): Season 2/Episode 12; March 14, 1998
- ^ "Winners: Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal". Grammy.com. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2543." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11 no. 47. November 19, 1994. p. 24. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
- ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Aerosmith – Crazy" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (09.6.–15.6. '94)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). June 9, 1994. p. 16. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 26, 1994" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Aerosmith – Crazy" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay New. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Aerosmith – Crazy". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ "Aerosmith Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ "Aerosmith Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ "Aerosmith Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1994". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ "Árslistinn 1994". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 2, 1995. p. 16. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1994". Archived from the original on March 1, 2009. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
- ^ "British single certifications – Aerosmith – Crazy". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- Aerosmith songs
- 1990s ballads
- 1993 songs
- 1994 singles
- Blues rock songs
- Geffen Records singles
- Music videos directed by Marty Callner
- Number-one singles in Iceland
- Song recordings produced by Bruce Fairbairn
- Songs composed in A major
- Songs written by Desmond Child
- Songs written by Joe Perry (musician)
- Songs written by Steven Tyler
- Glam metal ballads