Crazy World (Big Trouble song)

"Crazy World"
Single by Big Trouble
from the album Big Trouble
B-side	"Lipstick"
Released	14 November 1987 1988 (UK CD issue)
Format	7" Single, 12" single, CD
Genre	Pop, Rock
Length	3:16
Label	Epic Records
Songwriter(s)	Giorgio Moroder, Tom Whitlock
Producer(s)	Giorgio Moroder, Brian Reeves, Terry Wilson
Big Trouble singles chronology
"Crazy World" (1987) "All I Need is You" (1987)
- "Crazy World" (1987) "All I Need is You" (1987)
Alternative Cover
1988 UK CD of "Crazy World"

"Crazy World" is a song by the American female pop group Big Trouble. It was released as the leading single from the band's debut and only album Big Trouble.^[1]

Background

The song was released in 1987 within America and the UK,^[2] where it peaked at #71 in America for one week but failed to chart in the UK.^[3] During 1988, and as the band's last release, the song was issued once again in the UK as a Maxi CD Single.^[4] The release attempted to follow the minor success of the 1988 single "When the Love is Good". The CD Single managed to peak at #96 for one week.^[5] As a result of the small success for the release, the group dissolved soon after.

"Crazy World" was produced by Grammy and Oscar winner Giorgio Moroder, and was written by Moroder and songwriting partner Tom Whitlock, who together wrote such songs as Berlin's 1985 smash hit "Take My Breath Away".^[6] The duo also wrote the Big Trouble album track/single "When the Love is Good"^[7] and the 1987 promotional single "All I Need is You",^[8] featured in the film Over the Top, starring Sylvester Stallone.^[9]

The song was recorded with the rest of the band's album at Oasis Recording Studios, North Hollywood, California. It was mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, California.^[10]

As of 2004 and noted in the official Billboard Magazine, he single itself was the last single written by Moroder to appear on the American Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart.^[11]

Release

The single was originally released on 7" vinyl in America and 12" vinyl in the UK, whilst an American 7" promotional single was also issued.^[2]

The 7" vinyl featured the album track "Lipstick" as the B-Side, which was written by David Darling and Brian Reeves, and produced by Moroder and Reeves.^[12] The American 7" promotional single used the song on both sides of the vinyl.^[13] The UK 12" vinyl featured two B-Sides, the album tracks "Say Yes" and "Trains and Boats and Planes". "Say Yes" was written by Darling, Reeves and Terry Wilson, and produced by Moroder, Reeves and Wilson, whilst "Trains and Boats and Planes" is a cover of a song originally released as a hit single in 1965 by American pianist Burt Bacharach.^[14] It was written by Bacharach and Hal David, and produced by Moroder and Reeves.^[15]

The single's 1988 UK Maxi CD issue featured the same track listing as the UK 12" vinyl release.^[4]

The single's artwork is exactly the same artwork that the band's self-titled album uses, with the only difference being the removal of the "Crazy World" title.^[16]

Promotion

A music video was created to promote the single. The video features the band performing the song inside a garage.^[17] It was produced by Colleen McLean and directed by Tony Vanden-Ende.^[18]

Since being uploaded unofficially on YouTube, the music video has gained approximately 10,000 views since mid-2010.^[17]

Track listing

7" Single (American Release)

1. "Crazy World" - 3:16
2. "Lipstick" - 3:16

7" Single (American Promo)

1. "Crazy World" - 3:17
2. "Crazy World" - 3:17

12 Single (UK Release)

1. "Crazy World" - 3:16
2. "Say Yes" - 3:32
3. "Trains and Boats and Planes" - 3:49

CD Maxi Single (1988 UK Release)

1. "Crazy World" - 3:16
2. "Say Yes" - 3:32
3. "Trains and Boats and Planes" - 3:49

Critical reception

In the New Straits Times issue of March 6, 1988, a review of the album was published. The author Saw Tek Meng spoke of the song, stating "The good news is that Big Trouble don't disgrace themselves or their mentors. Lead singer Bobbie Eakes has not let her Miss Georgia 1983 title get in the way of her vocal abilities and keyboardist Rebecca Ryan, bassist Julia Farey and drummer Suzy Zarow show enough chops on tracks like "When the Love is Good," "Crazy World" and two oldies, "Cool Jerk" and Dionne's Warwick's "Trains and Boats and Planes," to indicate they should survive longer than the average female band."^[19]

Chart performance

Personnel

• Lead vocals – Bobbie Eakes
• Bass guitar, backing vocals – Julia Farey
• Keyboards, backing vocals – Rebecca Ryan
• Drums, backing vocals – Suzy Zarow

Additional personnel

• Producer of "Crazy World" – Giorgio Moroder
• Producer of "Lipstick" – Giorgio Moroder, Brian Reeves
• Producer of "Say Yes" – Giorgio Moroder, Brian Reeves, Terry Wilson
• Producer of "Trains and Boats and Planes" – Giorgio Moroder, Brian Reeves
• Writers of "Crazy World" – Giorgio Moroder, Tom Whitlock
• Writers of "Lipstick" – David Darling, Brian Reeves
• Writers of "Say Yes" – David Darling, Brian Reeves, Terry Wilson
• Writers of "Trains and Boats and Planes" – Burt Bacharach, Hal David

References