Crazy For You

Album

Vision Quest

Label

Geffen Records

Genre

Film Soundtrack

Media Type

45s

Duration

4:08

Composer(s)

John Bettis;Jon Lind

Entered Chart

Mar 2, 1985

Peak Date

May 11, 1985

Released

March 2, 1985

Recorded

Unknown

Catalog #

Geffen 7-29051

B-Side

No More Words (Berlin)

This song was written by John Bettis and Jon Lind. The lyricist John Bettis has written many notable songs including, "Top Of The World" and "Goodbye to Love" for the Carpenters, "Slow Hand" for The Pointer Sisters and "One Moment In Time" by Whitney Houston. Lind co-wrote the #1 hit for Vanessa Williams "Save The Best For Last." This was recorded for the soundtrack to the wrestling film Vision Quest, which also featured a guest appearance by Madonna herself, who played a singer at a local restaurant. After the success of this song, the film was renamed Crazy For You in some European countries to capitalize on the song's popularity. Madonna was relatively unknown when this song was recorded, as only her first album had been released. Bettis and Lind wrote it based on the script of Vision Quest, not for Madonna's voice. In fact, they were aghast to find out the Material Girl would be taking on the song. Bettis recalled to Billboard magazine: "'Borderline' was out at the time and I said, 'Excuse Me? This is for Madonna? Really? Can she sing a song like this? Jon and I were surprised at the choice of artist at the time, if you want to know the truth." When Madonna's second album Like A Virgin was released in November 1984, her popularity soared, but all of her singles up to that point were medium or uptempo dance songs that didn't showcase her singing ability. When "Crazy For You" was released in March 1985, the ballad proved that Madonna could handle a challenging song and had singing talent to go along with her image. Madonna recorded her vocals in one take. In February 1991, a remix of this song by Shep Pettibone, Madonna's producer of the choice at the time, was re-released in the UK. Again, the song failed to reach the top spot in the UK and peaked at #2. However its combined sales topped 750,000, making it her best-selling British single to date. A worldwide hit, this reached #1 in Australia and Japan. This song earned Madonna her first Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 1986 ceremony. She lost to Whitney Houston for "Saving All My Love For You." Producer John "Jellybean" Benitez had only worked on dance/pop songs before this and was understandably nervous about approaching a ballad. "I was tense because I had never done a record like this," he told Billboard magazine. "Everything I did was totally on instinct. I tried to make the song stand on its own, but at the same time work in the two scenes (in which) it was used in the movie." Songwriters Bettis and Lind, who were left disappointed after the first sessions, praised Jellybean for bringing in award-winning composer Rob Mounsey to transform the song into a hit record with a new arrangement and background vocals. This was featured in the 2004 romantic comedy 13 Going on 30, starring Jennifer Garner and in the Will & Grace episode "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" in 2000.

Swaying room as the music starts
Strangers making the most of the dark
Two by two, their bodies become one

I see you through the smokey air
Can't you feel the weight of my stare?
You're so close but still a world away
What I'm dying to say, is that

I'm crazy for you
Touch me once and you'll know it's true
I never wanted anyone like this
It's all brand new
You'll feel it in my kiss
I'm crazy for you
Crazy for you

Trying hard to control my heart
I walk over to where you are
Eye to eye, we need no words at all

Slowly now we begin to move
Every breath I'm deeper into you
Soon we two are standing still in time
If you read my mind, you'll see

I'm crazy for you
Touch me once and you'll know it's true
I never wanted anyone like this
It's all brand new
You'll feel it in my kiss
You'll feel it in my kiss
Because I'm crazy for you
Touch me once and you'll know it's true
I never wanted anyone like this
It's all brand new
You'll feel it in my kiss
I'm crazy for you
Crazy for you
Crazy for you
Crazy for you

It's all brand new
I'm crazy for you
And you know it's true
I'm crazy, crazy for you
It's all brand new
I'm crazy for you
And you know it's true
Yeah, I'm crazy for you
Crazy for you, baby