Crazy for You (Madonna song)

"Crazy for You" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for the film Vision Quest (1985), written by John Bettis and Jon Lind, and produced by John "Jellybean" Benitez. Released on March 2, 1985, through Geffen Records, it is a pop ballad with torch influences, and lyrics that talk about sexual attraction and desire. Jon Peters and Peter Guber produced Vision Quest, while Joel Sill, Warner Bros. Pictures music vice president, and music director Phil Ramone were in charge of putting together its soundtrack. Sill got in touch with Bettis and Lind, and asked them to write a new song for the film. The duo came up with "Crazy for You" after reading the script, and decided to use it in a scene in which the main characters – Matthew Modine and Linda Fiorentino – dance together for the first time.

Peters and Ramone knew Madonna from Sire Records, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Records, and proposed she record the song after watching her previous videos. Initial recording sessions did not impress Bettis and Lind, who felt that the track would be dropped from the soundtrack. The song was re-recorded with the involvement of composer Rob Mounsey, much to Bettis' and Lind's liking. "Crazy for You" was a challenge for Benitez, as his work up to that point had been only dance-pop, and ushered in a new musical direction for Madonna. Not wanting to draw attention from the singer's Like a Virgin album and its singles, Warner Bros. initially did not want to issue "Crazy for You" as a single, but Peters pushed and convinced executives to greenlight the release.

Upon release, critical reception towards the song was generally positive, with praise being given to Madonna's vocals. Additionally, it earned her first Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. The song became Madonna's second number-one on the US Billboard Hot 100, and reached the top of the charts of Australia and Canada. It also peaked at number two in Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. While no official music video was shot, Geffen put together a compilation that mixed scenes of Vision Quest with shots of Madonna singing. "Crazy for You" has been performed on three of the singer's concert tours, the most recent being the Celebration Tour of 2023–2024. Additionally, it has been covered by multiple artists, including Groove Armada and Kelly Clarkson, and featured in television series and movies like Full House and 13 Going on 30 (2004).

Background

Following the success of Flashdance (1983), which grossed over $200 million at the box office, Jon Peters and Peter Guber produced D.C. Cab, but it turned out to be a critical and commercial failure. Their next project was an adaptation of Terry Davis's 1979 novel Vision Quest. Phil Ramone, who had worked with Peters and Guber on Flashdance, was hired as music supervisor. They took her to dinner at the home of Barbra Streisand, Peters' former girlfriend, where she played some of her European videos, impressing them with her "self-possession and fishnet-crucifix style".

Development

Upon release, critical feedback towards Crazy for You" was generally positive. Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli said it was a "sassy" song that proved Madonna was "vocally capable of delivering a serious ballad". This opinion was shared by both David Marsh, and The Guardians Jude Rogers, who nonetheless deemed the track, "slightly soupy, but still sweet". Rikky Rooksby expressed that, when compared to Madonna's previous singles, "['Crazy for You'] exhibits a slight increase in sophistication". Similarly, the staff of Cash Box magazine felt the song "displays [Madonna's] voice in a different context, one that is more mature and ultimately marketable", even if it's not as "infecitously danceable" as her previous works.

Allen Metz and Carol Benson – authors of The Madonna Companion: Two Decades of Commentary – wrote that "Crazy for You" sounded like a "remake of sweet-sixteen Connie Francis tunes, dripping with old-fashioned, hand-held romance". For author Mark Bego, it's the "most remembered aspect of [Vision Quest] [...] A sensitive and powerful ballad, delivered with sincerity and emotion". On her review of Something to Remember, USA Todays Edna Gundersen referred to "Crazy for You" as "touching and beautifully arranged". "Crazy for You" was considered the singer's "purest ballad to date" by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, writing for The A.V. Club. For Matthew Jacobs from the HuffPost, even though it features Madonna's "strongest vocals" from the time, and "may still be her greatest love ballad, ['Crazy for You'] is dull by today's standards". Both Slant Magazines Eric Henderson and Duane Dudek from the Star-News said "Crazy for You" exposed Madonna's early vocal weakness.

Recognition

At the 28th Annual Grammy Awards, "Crazy for You" was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, but lost to Whitney Houston's "Saving All My Love for You". From PinkNews, Nayer Missim named it Madonna's 48th greatest song: "[A] rare early bit of floaty balladry [that] proved a point to all those who had dismissed [Madonna] as gloss and glamour without any sort of range", Missim wrote. Billboards Katie Atkinson deemed it a "dreamy-eyed single" that, "foretold the versatility to come from [Madonna]", as well as her 43rd best song. In Parades ranking, it came in at number 32. "Crazy for You" is Madonna's 12th and 11th greatest song for Entertainment Weeklys Chuck Arnold, and the staff of Rolling Stone, respectively. According to the former, "although [Madonna] would become a better singer on future ballads, the raw, soulful yearning on ['Crazy for You'] is something that they can't teach you in voice class", while for the latter, it was the "highlight" of Vision Quest, "a carbonated ballad with propulsive production".

Enio Chola from PopMatters said that "Crazy for You" became "the high-school slow dance song" of the 1980s, adding that, "although Madonna didn't have a hand in writing the ballad, it stings of her presence [...] [it] marked a new direction in which the pop-artiste would excel [...] Proved that she still possessed all of the same charisma and persona in a slowed-down sultry and subdued offering". "Crazy for You" was referred to as Madonna's first "big ballad" by The Arizona Republics Ed Masley, who also named it her fifth best song. It was also named one of the greatest love songs by VH1 and Stereogum. On Yahoo! Voices' ranking of the "Top 40 Romantic Love Songs of All Time", and "Best Love Ballads and Slow Songs of the 80's", it was allocated the 14th and sixth spot, respectively.

Chart performance

thumb|left|"Crazy for You" overthrew "[[We Are the World" by supergroup USA for Africa (pictured) from the Billboard Hot 100's top spot.]]

"Crazy for You" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 55 the week of March 2, 1985. By the end of the month, it gave Madonna her fifth consecutive top-ten hit in less than a year, a streak that began with "Borderline" in June of 1984, and continued through "Material Girl". She became the third female solo artist since 1980 to simultaneously score two singles in the chart's top-ten, after Diana Ross and Barbra Streisand. On May 11, after spending three consecutive weeks at number two, "Crazy for You" reached the Hot 100's top spot, overthrowing USA for Africa's "We Are the World", and becoming Madonna's second US number-one. "Crazy for You" was the second number-one for Geffen Records, following John Lennon's "(Just Like) Starting Over" (1980); the second for Bettis after "Top of the World" (1973) by the Carpenters; the first for Lind and Benitez, and the first from a movie since Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called to Say I Love You" (1984). By the end of 1985, "Crazy for You" ranked 20th on the Adult Contemporary chart, and number 9 on the Hot 100. In Canada, the song debuted in the 70th position of RPMs Top Singles chart on the week of March 16, 1985; two months later, it reached the first spot.

In the United Kingdom, "Crazy for You" entered the singles chart at number 25 on June 8, 1985, eventually peaking at number two on the week of August 6. In Australia and New Zealand, "Crazy for You" reached the first and second spot, respectively. Throughout Europe, the single saw moderate success: It reached the top-ten of the European Hot 100 Singles, and the top-twenty in the Netherlands, Sweden, and Spain. In was less successful in France, Germany and Austria, where it barely cracked the top 40 and top 30. Billboards Paul Grein wrote that the singer, "was at her best on 'Crazy for You', making good use of a deeper, huskier vocal quality that mirrors [the song's] deeper lyrical approach". The performance at Detroit's Cobo Arena was included on the Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour video release (1985). On the Re-Invention World Tour, Madonna dedicated the song to, "the fans that've stood by me for the last twenty years". She donned a plaid kilt and a black T-shirt that read "Kabbalists Do It Better".

On February 25, 2016 – second Manila concert of her Rebel Heart Tour – Madonna sang "Crazy for You" as tribute to the 30th anniversary of the EDSA Revolution. Before the performance she said: "I believe 30 years ago you fought for your freedom, am I correct? It's called People Power Freedom , did I say that right? Up with democracy and freedom! That is the revolution of love. And that's what a rebel heart fights for. So on this very special occasion, I want to sing this song". The staff of CNN Philippines pointed out that, "the crowd went wild as [Madonna] hit the first few notes of her first ballad". Madonna sings "Human Nature" after being arrested by dancers dressed as cops. She's then "rescued" by her "younger self" – a dancer in the latex catsuit and braids from the "Human Nature" music video – and begins to sing "Crazy for You" as a "touching recognition of her bravery", as noted by PopMatters Chris Rutherford. The number was criticized by Mikael Wood, writing for Los Angeles Times, who found it confusing.

Cover versions and media appearances

thumb|left|upright|[[Kelly Clarkson (pictured) sang "Crazy for You" on her 2012 Stronger Tour.]]

Several Filipino acts have covered "Crazy for You": Michael Cruz in 2005, MYMP for their 2006 album New Horizon, and Sponge Cola in 2008. English electronic music duo Groove Armada recorded "Crazy for You" with vocals provided by Alan Donohoe – of art rock band the Rakes – for the compilation Radio 1: Established 1967 (2007). Also in 2007, the song was covered by American rock band New Found Glory for their album From the Screen to Your Stereo Part II, and by Lion of Panjshir for Through the Wilderness. Madonna impersonator Melissa Totten did a Hi-NRG cover for her album Forever Madonna (2008). On February 4, 2012, American singer Kelly Clarkson sang "Crazy for You" on the Bossier City concert of her Stronger Tour per fan request.

In 1985, "Crazy for You" was featured on Brazilian telenovela A Gata Comeu, and subsequently added to its soundtrack. However, according to authors Guilherme Bryan and Vincent Villari in their book Teletema: Volume I: 1964 a 1989, Warner Brazil's representatives did not obtain permission in time to include the song on the album.

In the 2004 film 13 Going on 30, "Crazy for You" was used twice: First in a scene in which main character Jenna (Christa B. Allen) waits for her love interest Matt (Sean Marquette) in a closet, and then towards the end, where the now grown-up Jenna and Matt (Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo) are married. "Crazy for You" was sung by Chris Griffin on "Long John Peter", twelfth episode of the sixth season of American animated television series Family Guy, aired on May 4, 2008. Finally, the song was featured in the 2016 web film The Do-Over, with vocals by Adam Sandler and David Spade.

Track listing and formats

US 7" single

"Crazy for You" – 3:59
"No More Words" (Berlin) – 3:54

US 7" promo single

"Crazy for You" – 4:08
"Gambler" – 3:54

Dutch 12" single

"Crazy for You" – 4:08
"I'll Fall in Love Again" (Sammy Hagar) – 4:11
"Only the Young" (Journey) – 4:01

UK 7" single (1985)

"Crazy for You" – 3:59
"I'll Fall in Love Again" (Sammy Hagar) – 4:11

UK 7" single/cassette single (1991)

"Crazy for You" (Remix) – 3:45
"Keep It Together" (Shep Pettibone Single Remix) – 4:30

UK 12" single/CD maxi-single (1991)

"Crazy for You" (Remix) – 3:45
"Keep It Together" (Shep Pettibone Remix) – 7:45
"Into the Groove" (Shep Pettibone Remix) – 8:06

Credits and personnel

Credits and personnel are adapted from the Vision Quest soundtrack liner notes, along with input from a Bruce Baron interview with song arranger, Rob Mounsey.

Madonna – lead vocals, background vocals
John Bettis – writer
Jon Lind – writer
John "Jellybean" Benitez – record producer
Rob Mounsey – music arrangement, Roland Jupiter-8 synthesizer, Yamaha DX7 synthesizer
George Marge - oboe

| style="text-align:center;"|2

!scope="row"|Canada Retail Singles (The Record)

| style="text-align:center;"|4

!scope="row"| European Hot 100 Singles (Eurotipsheet)

|10

!scope="row"|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)

|align="center"|9

!scope="row"|Italy (Musica e dischi)

| 12

!scope="row"|Iceland (RÚV)

| 10

!scope="row"|Peru (UPI)

| 3

!scope="row"|South Africa (Springbok Radio)

|align="center"|7

!scope="row"|Spain (PROMUSICAE)

| align="center"|1

!scope="row"|US Cash Box Top 100

| align="center"|2

!scope="row"|US Radio & Records CHR & Pop Charts

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+1991 weekly chart performance of "Crazy for You"

! Chart (1991)

! Peak<br />position

!scope="row"|European Hot 100 Singles (Eurotipsheet)

| align="center"|6

!scope="row"|Ireland (IRMA)

| align="center"|1

!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)

| align="center"|4

Year-end charts

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+1985 year-end chart performance of "Crazy for You"

! Chart (1985)

! Position

!scope="row"| Australia (Kent Music Report)

| 27

!scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)

|89

!scope="row"| Netherlands (Single Top 100)

| 58

!scope="row"| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)

| 3

!scope="row"| UK Singles (OCC)

| 16

!scope="row"| US Billboard Hot 100

| 9

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+1991 year-end chart performance of "Crazy for You"

! Chart (1991)

! Position

!scope="row"| UK Singles (OCC)

| 46

Decade-end charts

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|+Decade-end chart performance of "Crazy for You"

!scope="col"| Chart (1980–1989)

!scope="col"| Position

!scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report)

| 282

! scope="row"| US Billboard Hot 100 (Women)

| 88

Certifications and sales

!scope="col" colspan="3"| Digital

References

Bibliography

External links

Lyrics of this song