Meaning of Crazy by Patsy Cline & Song Story

In popular music, it is not uncommon for a songwriter to give his composition to another performer, who makes it a hit, and later the author records a cover version of his own work.

A young Willie Nelson got into this situation with the ballad Crazy. The song was made famous by Patsy Cline, and only after that Nelson was able to present his version to the public.

The history of creation and the meaning of Crazy

Composing Crazy Nelson helped his friend Oliver English (Oliver English). In the sixties, Willy was an obscure country performer. Record company bosses recognized his talent, but considered Nelson’s songs too convoluted for a general audience.

Willie later recalled:

I enjoyed experimenting with phrasing, but it made my sound seem non-commercial to all those Nashville ears that invariably listened to the same old stuff and misunderstood anything original.
I immediately had problems with my song Crazy because it had four or five chords. Not that Crazy is really hard; it just wasn’t a typical three-chord country folk song.

On VH1’s Storytellers, Nelson revealed that the working version of the track was called Stupid.

Willie suggested the song to country singer Billy Walker, but he didn’t want to sing it, saying it was a song for a girl.

The meaning of the ballad Crazy is obvious. This is a typical song about unrequited love. Relationships are over. The protagonist understands that it will be better for everyone, but still suffers.

Crazy – Patsy Cline

In an interview with Sirius XM radio station, Willy told how the song came to Patsy Cline, who was already a country music star at the time. One day he was sitting in Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge bar and turned on Crazy on the jukebox. Patsy’s husband, Charlie Dick, was also there. He decided that Kline should perform this track.

Although the guys were pretty drunk, they immediately went to Patsy’s house. While Willie was in the car, Charlie played a ballad to his wife. She did not like the song, because in the demo Nelson did not sing, but spoke the words, not always getting in time, but her husband convinced her to record the song.

Producer Owen Bradley recognized the potential hit in the song and picked an arrangement that was perfect for Cline.

A couple of months before the recording of the song, Patsy was in a car accident and broke her rib, which prevented her from hitting high notes in the first session. The musicians had to play their parts without vocals, which were added later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QEDb3xzdec

Crazy single with Who Can I Count On? released October 16, 1961. It rose to number two on the country charts and peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100.

Barbara Mandrell recalled Patsy’s words:

All my latest hits came true in my life. I had a hit called Tra-La-La Triangle and people thought of me and Gerald and Charlie. I had another hit with I Fall to Pieces and I had an accident. Now I’m worried because a new hit single is out and it’s called Crazy.

But Kline was not destined to go crazy. A couple of years later, her life was tragically cut short in a plane crash.

Crazy, performed by Patsy Cline, was included in the lists of the five hundred greatest songs of all time by Rolling Stone and New Musical Express. She is also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Crazy cover versions

Let’s listen to how Crazy was performed by the author Willie Nelson.

In 1977, Linda Ronstadt’s Crazy hit No. 6 on the country chart.

In 1999, American country singer LeAnn Rimes recorded Crazy for an album of covers. The track was released as a single. Let’s watch the video clip of Crazy – LeAnn Rimes from the performance of the performer at the Billboard Awards.

The composition was also sung by Kenny Rogers, The Kills, Chaka Khan, Norah Jones, Neil Young and many other artists.

Interesting Facts

When Patsy Cline performed “Krazy” at the Grand Ole Opry while standing on crutches, the audience gave her three standing ovations.
Leanne Rimes sang Crazy at the White House in front of President George W. Bush and the First Lady of the United States, who called the song her favorite song.
According to the Amusement and Music Operators Association, Americans most often played this song on jukeboxes.

Crazy Lyrics

Crazy, I’m crazy for feeling so lonely
I’m crazy, crazy for feeling so blue
I knew you’d love me as long as you wanted
And then someday you’d leave me for somebody new

Worry, why do I let myself worry?
Wondering what in the world did I do?

Crazy for thinking that my love could hold you
I’m crazy for trying and crazy for crying
And I’m crazy for loving you

Crazy Lyrics – Patsy Cline

I’m going crazy, I’m going crazy ’cause I’m so lonely.
I’m going crazy, going crazy, because I’m so sad.
I knew you would love me as long as you please
And then one day you leave me for someone else.

I’m tormented, why do I let myself be tormented?
Wondering what have I done?

Crazy thinking that my love could hold you.
I’m crazy because I tried and crazy because I cried
And I’m going crazy because I love you.