What do you think Crazy means?

Gnarls Barkley: Crazy Meaning

Album cover for Crazy album cover

Song Released: 2006


Crazy Lyrics

I remember when, I remember, I remember when I lost my mind
There was something so pleasant about that place.
Even your emotions have an echo
in so much space

And when you're out there
Without care,
Yeah, I was out of touch
But it wasn't...

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  1. BeCool824
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     Jun 28th 2006 !⃝

    I think this song isn't about drugs. I think he found out his lover was cheating on him. He lost it and flipped out. When he flipped out, his lover didn't care. "and when your other there, without a care" I think that's when the lover was with another and Gnarls had and idea something was going on but just let it happen. Thats why he thinks he's crazy. Now, he's asking her if she's crazy, "who do you think you are" "Do you think your in control" he's just calling her out on it all. "my heros had the heart to live there lifes out on a limb" I think is his desire to be in love, and they trusted love, and he tried to and got burned and how foolish he was to think that he could trust love.

  2. brianhama
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     Jun 11th 2006 !⃝

    I think that this song is written from a point of a reflection; reflecting on cocaine. The first line is stating that he remembers when cocaine took a hold of his mind; he is also saying that he has regained, at least part of it, by using the word remember; which implies that he is not in that state at the moment. The second line is speaking of how cocaine is able to allow you to be so present. He explains how this is possible in the third line when he speaks of how disconected from your emotions you are when you are high; they echo. You can stay present because you have no fear or worry or regret. The next two lines explain this. He then speaks that he was disconnected not because he didn't know enough, but because he knew too little. This is how he explains that our sub-conscience disconnects us from our emotions because of the guilt we feel; because in truth, we know what we are doing to ourselves, we were warned, and we see if happening.
    He then asks if that makes him crazy because it is common belief that it is lack of knowledge that makes us disconnected, not knowing too much as he said. He then says that he understands, he was there: it is fun. He says that his only advice is to think twice. He does not try to lecture, because he knows that it will do no good. He laughs, as he knows you one day will too and then suddenly begs the question, "You really think your in control?" He then says that he doesnt. The second to last verse speaks of the rockstars and celebrities; how he grew up idolizing them and the drug stories which we all hear about them. It is no coincidence that because of how society glorifies this that he ended up following their footsteps.

  3. anonymous
    click a star to vote
     May 31st 2006 !⃝

    Crazy, by Gnarls Barkley - which as far as I can tell is a group of guys you'd usually call a band. (Very good and highly respected guys, btw.)

    Before we start, the lyrics, just to remind you not only of their illusive presence, but also to remind you of that crayz bassline, remembered by no coincidence from the eighties somewhere, and the chorus, whose vulnerable backing become an instrument all alone.

    And then you think some more.

    --

    I remember when, I remember, I remember when I lost my mind
    There was something so present about that place
    Even your emotions have an echo in so much space

    And when you're out there without care
    I was out of touch
    But it wasn't because I didn't know enough
    I just knew too much

    Does that make me crazy
    Does that make me crazy
    Does that make me crazy
    Possibly

    In all that you were having the time of your life
    But think twice That's my only advice
    Cmon now
    who do you
    who do you
    who do you
    who do you think you are
    ha ha ha
    Bless your soul
    You really think you're in control

    Well
    I think you're crazy
    I think you're crazy
    I think you're crazy
    Just like me

    My heroes had the heart to live their lives out on a limb
    All I remember
    Was thinking I wanna be like them
    Ever since I was little
    Ever since I was little
    It looked like fun
    It was no coincidence I've come
    And I can die when I'm done

    But maybe I'm crazy
    Maybe you're crazy
    Maybe we're crazy
    Probably

    --

    So, we're all crazy – or at least maybe, possibly.

    That about sums up his simplest conclusion: we're all in the same boat, and we certainly don't know whether we're coming or going.

    What we do know is that we are - we think, after all - but we do not know where we're going, or which way we should try to go - i.e. we're not sure what's best to think about.

    I think we should think about the place that’s so present - the place you end up when you lose your mind – still your mind, or rather, the system of ideas that are admissible in the new state of mind.

    The cynic sees the world from above, but he has overcome the seriousness of much of modern-day reality - job, house, tree, pet (or spelling with a hyphen) - and now takes an outsider's perspective on what's going on around him. He's chosen himself, and is now looking out from within, with his own needs, wants and desires; if there's no purpose or God (apart from yourself) then why not be selfish?

    Maybe that's it: selfishness. But a relatively benign selfishness, if at all: not spiteful in any way, just looking out for number 1. Freedom from the constraints of control by family and peer and personal and career pressures is the state in which Crazy is written. But he's looking back, showing and enticing you to see what he has seen (no religious revelation, mind), coercing to let go and join in the bliss of disassociation from the fools on the street around you, the fools who have not seen. Ostensive instruction, if you will (don’t type it into google, that’s not what I mean).

    He does it in the second part of the first verse - you’re having the time of your life but you’re not in control – there’s lots of lyrics in the middle there, but that’s all he’s saying: there’s no real or absolute self will. It simply doesn’t exist. Determinism of sorts reigns and the middle bit is just asking the question.

    Determinism is deposed where he lets go – when the space around him opened up and the release becomes so great that even emotions echo (flashback?). Absolute certainty about your own personal values, rather than the rat race, rather than all those arrogant twats who take themselves much too seriously, that’s where what some would argue arrogance deters minism. [Is that allowed, Ed?]

    When you’re out there and out of touch, the listener is in the mind of Gnarls, who has let go, so to speak. You’re among the normal people, in the high street, or shopping mall, but can’t associate with them at all. (We must bear in mind that there are a lot of psychedelic (even funkadelic) influences going on). The almost smugly euphoric release is there, but there’s lament, too. The sorrowful tone of “I just knew too much” does that for me.

    Although the sorrowful tone of the whole song disqualifies euphoria altogether, really, I can’t help but mention it. It’s euphoria at the state of release, not the state of humankind.

    Who do you think you are? Bless your soul. You’re crazy. Just like me.

    It always looked like fun to be here, and fun is why you’re here, it’s the coincidence, so make the best of your life and don’t betray yourself - you’re gonna die when you’re done.

    And you’re as irrelevant as you want to be.

    In some words, see today as the first day of your death. Your long, prosperous and spectacular death. Nothing strange or scary about it. Just living.

    That’s just some ideas on Crazy. For all I know it’s simply about some girl who has left him and while he was left in emptiness, she was out there having a good time.

    With me. Submissive but so present and in touch.

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