Peak
7
Weeks
19
Score
2,769
Chart Year
1991
The single's music video, directed by Big TV!, features multiple re-creations of Seal himself performing the song against a primarily white background. A female dancer appears just before the bridge of the song, and at the end Seal holds a dove while snow falls on him. The video received heavy rotation on MTV Europe.[25] The song is played during a party scene in the film Naked in New York (1993),[26] is heard in a Baywatch episode, in the trailer for the film The Basketball Diaries (1995) and featured in a scene in Clockers, released in 1995. It is also heard in the middle of "True Calling", the second episode of Season 6 of TV's Cold Case. It was also used as a theme song for the ABC-TV series Murder One, which was transmitted during the 1995–1996 television season. It is also heard in the film Mystery Date. The song featured in the 1999 Robbie the Reindeer film Hooves of Fire, where it is performed by a seal.
This song was inspired by the crazy events of 1989-1990, in particular the fall of the Berlin Wall. The lyrics, "And through a fractal on a breaking wall, I see you my friend, and touch your face again" appear to be a reference to the Berlin Wall coming down. "Fractal" is an interesting word you don't hear very often in lyrics. It's a mathematical term for an image constructed by the rule of a formula, such that it will generate a complex, self-similar design using just a few simple rules. In computer graphics, fractals are most useful for quickly generating natural objects, such as ferns, snowflakes, clouds, lightning, coastlines, and mountain ranges. At the time of this song's release, fractals were a hot topic in the news because of the second wave of the home computer revolution, plus the increasing use of computer graphics in video work. Many screensavers of this era were simply fractal generators. Seal could have meant "fracture" (he was talking about the Berlin Wall, getting knocked down in 1991), but on the other hand, "fractal" has a poetic sense to it too, as a simple act produced spiraling repercussions that are still felt today. After coming to the public's attention as the featured vocalist on Adamski's UK chart topper "Killer," Seal signed to ZTT Records and released "Crazy" as his first single. It became an international hit and won Seal a number of awards, including the 1992 Ivor Novello award for songwriting. Seal also won the 1992 BRIT Awards for Best Video and Best Album. Trevor Horn, a founding member of The Buggles ("Video Killed The Radio Star") and part of the Yes lineup in the early '80s, produced this song along with Guy Sigsworth. Horn spent about three months working on it. "It was obsessive," he told the New York Times. "I'd never heard a song quite like 'Crazy' before, so it took a while to figure out how to do it properly. I'm not trying to get a record perfect, I just want it to have an emotional impact. That's what takes time." Seal wrote the lyrics to "Crazy," and Guy Sigsworth, who co-produced the song with Trevor Horn, arranged the music. Sigsworth has production credits working with such superstar talent as Madonna, Britney Spears, and Alanis Morissette. Alanis Morissette recorded "Crazy" with producer Glen Ballard for her 2005 Greatest Hits album The Collection. Released as a single, it went to #104 in America and #65 in the UK. That year, Morissette sang it in a Gap commercial, and in 2006 her version was used in the movie The Devil Wears Prada. In an interview with Songwriter Universe, Morissette said: "It's a song that I was obsessed with as a teenager, and when I did the Gap campaign, the lovely folks there asked me to submit a list of my favorite songs. 'Crazy' was one of the first I chose because it brings back so many memories of my teenaged years. The main line, 'You're never going to survive unless you get a little crazy' is to me one of the simplest yet most profound statements. Seal and I exchanged sweet emails when I was about to cover his song." Ballard added in a Songfacts interview: "'Crazy' is one of the great records of all time. I had to redo it with Alanis once and it was terrifying for me because I knew I couldn't beat that record." Report this ad The music video alters reality by showing multiple Seals, at one point all sitting on a rotating stool - quite a feat of compositing in 1991. The woman dancing in the breakdown is Leland Heflin, who also does stand-up comedy. The video is a reminder that Seal once had a luxurious head of hair, which he shaved off before releasing his next album in 1994. If you'd like to hear a metal version of "Crazy," check out Mushroomhead's cover on their 2003 album XIII. >> There's a TV movie called Hooves Of Fire where an animated seal sings "Crazy" at a Christmas party. It's also been used in these shows: Eli Stone ("Help!" - 2008) Cold Case ("True Calling" - 2008) Baywatch ("Point of Attack" - 1991) Beverly Hills, 90210 ("Leading from the Heart" - 1991) And in these movies: Me Time (2022) Seal Team (2021) The Devil Wears Prada (2006) Clockers (1995) Naked in New York (1993) Mystery Date (1991) The Buggles didn't tour until 2023, when they served as opening act for Seal. Trevor Horn, who produced the Seal album, was still with the group.
In a church, by the face He talks about the people going under Only child know A man decides after seventy years That what he goes there for, is to unlock the door While those around him criticize and sleep And through a fractal on a breaking wall I see you my friend, and touch your face again Miracles will happen as we trip But we're never gonna survive, unless We get a little crazy No we're never gonna survive, unless We are a little crazy Crazy yellow people walking through my head One of them's got a gun, to shoot the other one And yet together they were friends at school Ohh, get it, get it, get it, get it no no If all were there when we first took the pill Then maybe, then maybe, then maybe, then maybe Miracles will happen as we speak But we're never gonna survive unless We get a little crazy No we're never gonna survive unless We are a little crazy No no, never survive, unless we get a little bit Oh, a little bit Oh, a little bit Amanda decides to go along after seventeen years Oh darlin' In a sky full of people, only some want to fly Isn't that crazy In a world full of people, only some want to fly Isn't that crazy, crazy In a heaven of people there's only some want to fly Ain't that crazy Oh babe, oh darlin' In a world full of people there's only some want to fly Isn't that crazy, isn't that crazy, isn't that crazy, isn't that crazy But were never gonna survive unless, we get a little crazy No were never gonna to survive unless we are a little But were never gonna survive unless, we get a little crazy No were never gonna to survive unless, we are a little, crazy No no, never survive unless, we get a little bit And then you see things The size of which you've never known before They'll break it Someday, only child know Them things The size of which you've never known before Someday, someway, someway, someway, someday, someday
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jun 22, 1991 | 83 | 43 |
| 2 | Jun 29, 1991 | 67 | 59 |
| 3 | Jul 6, 1991 | 50 | 76 |
| 4 | Jul 13, 1991 | 38 | 88 |
| 5 | Jul 20, 1991 | 34 | 92 |
| 6 | Jul 27, 1991 | 22 | 104 |
| 7 | Aug 3, 1991 | 18 | 108 |
| 8 | Aug 10, 1991 | 16 | 110 |
| 9 | Aug 17, 1991 | 14 | 112 |
| 10 | Aug 24, 1991 | 13 | 113 |
| 11 | Aug 31, 1991 | 12 | 114 |
| 12 | Sep 7, 1991 | 7 | 119 |
| 13 | Sep 14, 1991 | 8 | 118 |
| 14 | Sep 21, 1991 | 17 | 109 |
| 15 | Sep 28, 1991 | 23 | 103 |
| 16 | Oct 5, 1991 | 38 | 88 |
| 17 | Oct 12, 1991 | 52 | 74 |
| 18 | Oct 19, 1991 | 76 | 50 |
| 19 | Oct 26, 1991 | 91 | 35 |