"Crazy" by Kenny Rogers

Song#:  2193
Date:  01/26/1985
Debut:  86
Peak:  79
Weeks:  8
Genre:  Pop, Country Crossover, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  Rogers' sixteenth studio album, What About Me, became another platinum seller for the artist thanks to the title track hit, which was done in a trio style with James Ingram and Kim Carnes. The song hit #1 at AC while going to #15 Pop. Country didn't respond as well and the song faltered at #70. However, Rogers regained his Country audience with this second single from the album. The ballad would hit #1 becoming his sixteenth to do so. It was also another AC Top 10'er getting to #5. But like Country did on "What About Me," Pop proceeded to ignore this tune and it barely made a dent in the chart.

ReduxReview:  It's kind of crazy (so to speak) that this song just utterly failed at Pop. With "What About Me" hitting #15, it seemed a big, hooky, Lionel Richie-ish ballad would achieve similar results. It didn't and I'm not really sure why. Maybe it was just too standard of a song - like, we've heard this before, even from Rogers (i.e. "Through the Years"). Perhaps it was just a bit too bland. Whatever the case, it didn't grab a Pop audience. However, even though it sounded nothing like a country tune, it got to the top of that chart. Weird. I think the song has a good chorus and I always remember it, but the rest of the song is a bit flat. At the point when the song should really soar, it doesn't. Overall, I think the song is just barely a cut above average.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Singer/songwriter Richard Marx co-wrote this hit with Rogers. The pair also co-wrote "What About Me" along with producer David Foster. Marx contributed one other track to the album, "Somebody Took My Love," which he co-wrote with David Pomeranz. Over the next few years, Marx would continue to write and sing background for other artists before finally landing his own solo deal in 1987. His very first solo single, "Don't Mean Nothing," would be the first of nine Top 10 hits for the artist. But it was his work on this Kenny Rogers album that got him established in the business.

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