Crazy
Gnarles Barkley
12″ Promo, 2006

Putting a (relatively) brand new track up is always a risk because you never really know if the track is going to “age well” but I’m inspired to take that risk. I’ve played this track about 20 times in the 6 days I’ve had it. If you haven’t already read on blogs or in the mainstream press, Gnarles Barkley is the collaboration of Cee-Lo formerly of Goodie MoB (not to mention countless duets and hooks sung with everyone from Santana to Esthero and two solo albums) and Dangermouse (who’s big breakthrough was 2005’s Grey Album; he went on to produce the excellent second Gorillaz album among other things).

Gnarles Barkley seem to be quickly turning into one of the most hyped projects of the year. Their myspace page has had 113,300 visits since it was created in January and they haven’t officially released a single in the US yet. Not to mention, they’re apparently “huge in Europe,” no, really though. And while there is bound to be some let down after the hype, this track really delivers on the promise.

It’s obligatorily”genre-defying” but more importantly its cinematic (check the background vocals in the chorus), there’s a nice little take-home message and Cee-Lo actually sounds…a little crazy. Listen to the changes in his tone in the second verse. He goes from pleasant to cautionary to questioning to scoffing (”ha ha ha!”) to fond to concerned to flat (”well?”) to manic in about 33 seconds.

i remember when
i remember, i remember when i lost my mind
there was something so special 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 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

and i hope that you are having the time of your life
but think twice, that’s my only advice
come on 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 life out on the limb
and all i remember is thinking
i want to be like them
ever since i was little,
ever since i was little it looked like fun
and its 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

Don’t miss the exquisite way in which Cee-Lo highlights the chord change at :57 (under the word “life”) and 1:49 (under “limb”) with unconventional melodies. And give it a few listens, it will reward them.

>> songs are available for two weeks [4.2 MB]

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 30th, 2006 at 4:17 pm and is filed under Music Appreciation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.