Crazy on You

"Crazy on You" is a song by American rock band Heart from their debut studio album, Dreamboat Annie (1975). It was released in March 1976 as the album's third single in Canada[3] and the album's debut single in the United States. It reached the top 25 in Canada and the top 35 in the US. It found more success in the Netherlands and Belgium where it peaked at number 2 and 13, respectively, in early 1977 after its release as the second single from Dreamboat Annie in those countries. It is considered one of Heart's signature songs as it is one of the most played tracks on classic rock radio stations in the US.[4]

"Crazy on You"
Dutch 7-inch single cover
Single by Heart
from the album Dreamboat Annie
B-side"Dreamboat Annie"
ReleasedMarch 1976
RecordedAugust 1975
Genre
Length
  • 3:09 (1st Promo Version)
  • 3:11 (2nd Promo Version)
  • 4:07 (3rd Promo Version)
  • 4:14 (Single Version)
  • 4:54 (Album Version)
LabelMushroom
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Mike Flicker
Heart singles chronology
"Magic Man"
(1975)		 "Crazy on You"
(1976)		 "Dreamboat Annie"
(1976)
Music video
"Crazy on You" (TopPop, 1977) on YouTube

The song was famously used in the soundtracks of the films Demolition and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Description

Opening with an iconic acoustic guitar instrumental which is sometimes identified with Heart's acoustic piece "Silver Wheels",[5] "Crazy on You" then turns into a fast-paced rock song that was the band's signature sound in their early years. "Crazy on You" attracted attention both for the relatively unusual combination of an acoustic guitar paired with electric guitars and the fact that the acoustic guitarist was a woman – a rarity in rock music during that time. According to co-writer and guitarist Nancy Wilson, who discussed it on an episode of the radio program In the Studio with Redbeard that devoted an entire episode to the Dreamboat Annie album, the rapid acoustic rhythm part was inspired by The Moody Blues's 1970 song "Question". The guitar riff was created by Roger Fisher during recording sessions.[6]

The song's lyrics tell of a person's desire to forget all the problems of the world during one night of passion. During an interview on the television series Private Sessions in 2007, Ann Wilson revealed the song was written in response to the stress caused by the Vietnam War and social unrest in the United States in the early 1970s.[7]

The song was written while the band members were living in a small A-frame cottage in Point Roberts, Washington, situated on the Canada–United States border.[8]

Release

Released in both Canada and the US in March 1976, "Crazy on You" peaked at number 25 on RPM's Top Singles chart in Canada in May of that year and at number 35 on the US Billboard Hot 100 the following month.[9][10] It remains one of Heart's signature songs and is still a staple on North American classic rock radio stations.[11] The track received heavy airplay on FM Album-Oriented Rock stations, which drove sales of the parent album.

Chicago-based radio station WLS-AM, a current hit radio station where the song received heavy airplay, ranked "Crazy on You" as the 30th biggest song of 1976.[12] It reached number three on the station's survey of August 7, 1976.[13] After the success of "Crazy on You", "Magic Man" was released in the US and re-released in Canada, particularly in parts of Canada where it had not received much radio airplay before.

In the Netherlands, "Crazy on You" was released in February 1977 as the second single off Dreamboat Annie after "Magic Man" and rose to number 2 and 4 on the two charts in the country.[14] [15] It also ascended to number 13 in neighboring Belgium.

The single's original B-side, "Dreamboat Annie", was released on its own as an A-side in December 1976. The shortest version of "Dreamboat Annie" directly precedes "Crazy on You" on the original album and with little gap between the songs first-time listeners often think they are one continual epic song.

Mushroom Records re-released "Crazy on You" in late 1977 in both the US and Canada with the same catalog number and B-side. In February 1978, the re-release reached number 62 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 68 on RPM's Top Singles chart.[16][17]

In 2013, the original lineup of the band performed the song for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, their first performance together in over 30 years. The current lineup of the band performed "Barracuda".

Personnel

Adapted from the liner notes of Dreamboat Annie.[18]

  • Ann Wilson – lead vocals, flute, backing vocals
  • Nancy Wilson – acoustic guitar, backing vocals
  • Roger Fisher – electric guitar
  • Howard Leese – electric guitar
  • Steve Fossen – bass
  • Kat Hendrikse – drums
  • Rob Deans – synthesizer
  • Geoff Foubert – backing vocals
  • Tessie Bensussen – backing vocals
  • Jim Hill – backing vocals
  • Mike Flicker – production, engineering
  • Howard Leese – production assistance
  • Rolf Hennemann – engineering
  • Patrick Collins – mastering

Charts

References
  1. Eddy, Chuck (22 March 1997). "Playground in Your Mind". The Accidental Evolution of Rock 'n' Roll: A Misguided Tour Through Popular Music. Da Capo Press. p. 97. ISBN 0-306-80741-6.
  2. Coleman, Mark; Berger, Airon (November 2, 2004). "Heart". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 373.
  3. "Heart – Crazy On You / Dreamboat Annie". 45cat. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  4. "What are the Top 15 Most Played Classic Rock Songs?". 25 September 2019.
  5. Bergman, Julie (September 1999). "Guitar Queen of Heart". Acoustic Guitar. No. 81. ISSN 1049-9261. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved December 31, 2012. On the first album, I did an acoustic instrumental piece, 'Silver Wheels,' which introduced 'Crazy on You,'" Nancy recalled. "I really wanted people to know right up front what I could do. It was the same thing as sitting in the Bandwagon music store and playing 'Angie.' It was like, 'Check me out, I know some stuff.'
  6. DeMain, Bill (26 February 2018). "The story behind the song: Crazy On You by Heart". Louder.
  7. "Heart". Private Sessions. Season 1. Episode 8. October 7, 2007. A&E.
  8. Ray Shasho interview with Roger Fisher February 14, 2012. http://www.classicrockhereandnow.com/2012/02/interview-heart-original-guitarist.html.
  9. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4117a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  10. "Heart Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  11. "What are the Top 15 Most Played Classic Rock Songs?". 25 September 2019.
  12. "WLS Musicradio Big 89 of '76". Oldiesloon. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
  13. "WLS Forty fives – August 7, 1976 Vol. 16, No. 44". Oldiesloon. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  14. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1977" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  15. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1977". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  16. "The Hot 100 – The week of February 4, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  17. "RPM Top 100 Singles (51–100)". RPM. Vol. 28, no. 21. February 18, 1978. p. 20. ISSN 0315-5994. Retrieved September 22, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  18. Dreamboat Annie (liner notes). Heart. Mushroom Records. 1975. MRS-5005.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. p. 136. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  20. "Heart – Crazy on You" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  21. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Heart USA" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  22. "Heart – Crazy on You" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  23. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending June 19, 1976". Cash Box. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  24. "Heart Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  25. "Top 200 singles of '76". RPM. Vol. 26, no. 14/15. January 8, 1977. p. 13. ISSN 0315-5994. Retrieved September 22, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  26. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1977" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  27. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1977". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved September 22, 2019.
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