For a single that Rolling Stone chose as the #1 song of the decade, "Crazy" doesn't seem particularly significant or profound. Which is fine by me, but I thought only I was allowed to like songs for that reason, not Rolling Stone. Nevertheless, as someone once said about Shakespeare, it's really very good in spite of the people who like it.
First of all, the band name is great. Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse, the two members of Gnarls Barkley, were also kicking around "Prince Gnarls" and "Bob Gnarley," either of which could have worked just as well. Cee-Lo has described their music as "electric industrial Euro soul." Count me in.
As I think is the case with many of my other favorite songs of the 00s, Gnarls Barkley didn't appear to be taking their enterprise very seriously, but that sort of attitude is precisely what allowed them to surpass their own expectations. On the surface, "Crazy" is quite silly and nonsensical. But the pull of the melody and Cee-Lo's soulful vocal delivery manage to make this little bit of goofing off resonate on a deeper level. Or am I crazy?
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3 comments:
This choice of yours doesn't surprise me. I remember the first time I heard this song I was driving around with Mike Partin and this song came on the radio and I thought 'Why is an old 70s song on the alternative station?' It sounds sorta like some old Marvin Gaye tune.
Yes, except an old Marvin Gaye tune with a bass line played by an industrial-strength rubber band.
Driving around with a professional Boy Scouter while listening to "Crazy"? That's crazy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW0B1sipLBI
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