Let's Go Crazy

"Let's Go Crazy" is a 1984 song by Prince and the Revolution. It was the opening track on both his album and the film Purple Rain. "Let's Go Crazy" is one of Prince's most popular songs, and is almost always a staple for concert performances, often segueing into other hits. When released as a single, the song became Prince's second number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and also topped the two component charts, the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Dance Club Play charts, as well as becoming a UK Top 10 hit. The B-side was the lyrically controversial "Erotic City". In the UK, the song was released as a double A-side with "Take Me with U". The song was also notable for opening with a funeral-like organ solo with Prince giving the "eulogy" for "this thing called life." That eulogy ends with a distinctive drum machine pattern and then quickly becomes a full hard rock number with heavy guitar, bass and keyboards. The song's percussion was programmed with the venerable Linn LM-1 drum machine, an instrument frequently used in many of Prince's songs. "Traffic Jam", by "Weird Al" Yankovic, is a style parody of "Let's Go Crazy", while two segments of Prince's unaccompanied guitar solo in the song's coda were sampled into Public Enemy's single "Brothers Gonna Work It Out". Song shows Prince's skills on guitar. Prince plays Hendrix-styled guitar licks and solos.

[Spoken Intro] Dearly beloved We are gathered here today To get through this thing called "life" Electric word, life It means forever and that's a mighty long time But I'm here to tell you there's something else The afterworld A world of never ending happiness You can always see the sun, day or night So when you call up that shrink in Beverly Hills You know the one, Dr. Everything'll-Be-Alright Instead of asking him how much of your time is left Ask him how much of your mind, baby 'Cause in this life Things are much harder than in the after world In this life You're on your own And if de-elevator tries to bring you down Go crazy (Punch a higher floor!) Woo! [Verse 1] If you don't like The world you're living in Take a look around At least you got friends You see I called my old lady For a friendly word She picked up the phone Dropped it on the floor (Ah, ah) is all I heard [Pre-Chorus] Are we gonna let de-elevator bring us down? Oh, no lets go! [Chorus] Let's go crazy Let's get nuts Let's look for the purple banana Until they put us in the truck, let's go! [Verse 2] We're all excited But we don't know why Maybe it's 'cause We're all gonna die And when we do (when we do) What's it all for? (what’s it all for?) You better live now Before the grim reaper come knocking on your door [Pre-Chorus] Tell me, are we gonna let de-elevator bring us down? Oh, no let's go! [Chorus] Let's go crazy Let's get nuts Look for the purple banana Until they put us in the truck, let's go! [Ad lib/Instrumental break] C'mon, baby Let's get nuts! Yeah (Crazy) Let's go crazy! [Pre-Chorus] Are we gonna let de-elevator bring us down? Oh, no let's go! Go (Go crazy) [Bridge] I said let's go crazy (go crazy) Let's go (Let's go!) Go (Let's go!) [Verse 3] Dr. Everything'll-Be-Alright Will make everything go wrong Pills and thrills and daffodils will kill Hang tough, children He's coming He's coming Coming [Guitar solo] [Outro] Take me away!