Panic! At The Disco: Crazy = Genius Meaning

Crazy = Genius Lyrics

You can set yourself on fire
You can set yourself on fire

She said at night in my dreams
You dance on a tightrope of weird
Oh but when I wake up
You're so normal that you just disappear
You're so straight like commuters
With briefcases...

1. PrincessBobo

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   Mar 11th 2020 !⃝

   Basically people that fit in will never “burn”. The people that don’t fit in are geniuses for standing out.
2. anonymous

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   Dec 26th 2019 !⃝

   As for me, This song is ironic. Beebo says that noone can be a genius. That's why "If crazy=genius", then he's a f*ckin arsonist.
   I imagine myself a party where his fav girl is dating with someone else(Mike in our case) and brendon is envy, but he is strong so he sings this. For me the meaning is that noone in the world is perfect and if your gf has lost a crush on you, she'll definitely regret it.
   
3. anonymous

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   Jul 27th 2019 !⃝

   “Just Like Mike” is a movie about an ordinary Average kid who becomes extraordinary after magical circumstances help him to become like the legendary basketball player Michael Jordan. The antagonist says the protagonist is just like Mike and they might be referring to the ordinary Mike before his association with Michael Jordan. It might also be a reference to lil Bow Wow who made his first album at 13, wrote music for the soundtrack of “Just Like Mike”, and played the main character. He was considered a musical prodigy but couldn’t live up to public expectations. He was embroiled in legal scandals, was abusive toward romantic partners, dodged child support and claimed to be broke, then bragged about his own success with his next breath.
   
   Dennis and Brian Wilson are known for being the creators of The Beach Boys. Brian Wilson’s publicist began saying Brian was a genius in order to have his music taken more seriously. The campaign caught on but ultimately it caused Brian Wilson immense pressure and he ended up becoming reclusive and suffering from depression.
   
   The antagonists is relaying their disappointment in the protagonist for being so novel in dreams but ordinary in reality. The protagonist defends their reputation by claiming that they are a crazy genius. Perhaps alluding to Brian Wilson’s mental health decline which coincided with public opinion that he was a genius.
   
   Dennis Wilson was known for being the personification of everything The Beach Boys based their image on. He was a surfer who was known for being a ladies man. Some say that he was the “real” genius behind The Beach Boys. I imagine this song is alluding to the fact that Dennis Wilson associated with Charles Manson and was said to have used some of Manson’s music uncredited. Manson hoped to get a record deal through Dennis Wilson but Dennis moved away without a word to Manson and sold his home to Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate. Manson would later use his influence to encourage his followers to murder Tate and her house guests.
   
   This song might be a satirical reminder to stay grounded and not get caught up in public opinion about who is a musical genius and who is washed up. Public opinion is fickle and the pressure of being a genius never seems to end well for the artist. Perhaps Brendan Uri is worried that his success will turn him into a monster. Perhaps he is worried that the pressure of living up to public expectations will drive him crazy. Or maybe he is lamenting about choices he has already made and can’t take back.
4. anonymous

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   Dec 19th 2018 !⃝

   i honestly have no clue but I think he's crazy and wants 2 b a genius...
5. anonymous

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   Dec 15th 2016 !⃝

   I think the song is about this guy who is just the average Joe but his girlfriend is getting bored of him. I think this because of the lines
   
   "At night in my dreams you dance on a tightrope of weird, but when I wake up your so normal that you just disappeare your as straight like commuters with breifcases towing the line"
   
   and that makes the guy want to be crazyer for his girl like it says in these lines
   
   "You're just like mike, loved but you want to be Brian Wilson, Brian Wilson.
   You're just like mike, loved but you'll never be Dennis Wilson."
   
   I can also interpret from these lines that she is cheating on him.
   I mean, what else is new?
6. anonymous

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   Aug 8th 2016 !⃝

   Brendon's saying how if crazy is equivalent to genius, then he's so crazy he's a rocket scientist.

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