12 Songs About Being Crazy – Insane and Crazy in Love
What does it mean to really be “crazy?” Sure, we’re all familiar with the medical or science-related usage of the word, but “being crazy” can be tied to anything from repeating poor behavior over and over again to acting overly jealous, angry, and even hateful.
Point is, the word “crazy” crosses a lot of spectrums, but thankfully, we have music to soothe us. In this article, I’m going to provide you with my favorite songs about being crazy. So let’s get started!
Crazy in Love by Beyonce
Beyonce’s Crazy in Love is all about the beauty of a new relationship. It’s the feeling of butterflies you get when you think you’ve found “your person.”
But it’s also about the comfort that you feel when you’ve found your special someone. You are downright smitten because life becomes so easy–you no longer have to impress one another. You can just exist in your more relaxed, natural state–and there’s no fear of anything falling to pieces.
It sounds crazy. But, it’s really anything but crazy.
I look and stare so deep in your eyes
I touch on you more and more every time
When you leave, I’m begging you not to go
Call your name two, three times in a row
Such a funny thing for me to try to explain
How I’m feeling and my pride is the one to blame
(Yeah, yeah) ’cause I know I don’t understand
Just how your love can do what no one else can
My Dad’s Gone Crazy by Eminem
This is unhinged Eminem, leaning into his most wild of fantasies…and then turned up to 11 on a dial that doesn’t go past 10.
It’s hard to explain this song, because really, it exists as “Exhibit A” of Em’s lyrical prowess and his insane imagination. It almost feels like this song exists solely to be sensational. It’s such a strange song, especially when you put the lyrics under the microscope, that it almost feels chemically engineered with the explicit intent of ruffling the most feathers.
On top of that, throw a young Halie Jade (Em’s daughter) onto the track, and you have one of the the cutest, and most crazy, musical concoctions to come out of the Marshal Mathers laboratory to date.
I’m out the closet, I’ve been lyin’ my a** off
All this time, me and Dre been f****n’ with hats off (s*** it, Marshall)
So tell Laura and her husband to back off
Before I push this motherf*****n’ button and blast off
And launch one at these Russians and that’s all
Blow every f*****n’ thing except Afghanistan on the map off
When will it stop? When will I knock the crap off?
Hailie, tell ’em, baby
My dad’s lost it
I Wanna be Sedated by the Ramones
Have you ever felt so out of your mind that being unconscious seems like a good idea? Well, that’s what Joey Ramone thought as he wrote this famous punk song. There are interviews where he says it was inspired by being ridiculously bored their first time in London.
In the midst of touring, Joey badly burned his face and yet continued to work even while in painful recovery. Whether Joey was just insanely bored, overworked or in a crazy amount of pain, the song works. Just put the guy out!
“Hurry, hurry, hurry before I go insane. I can’t control my fingers. I can’t control my brain.”
Crazy Crazy World by Islander
It’s hard to define the genre that Islander fits into. Take a bit of metal, a little hip hop, some indie and roll it all up and you’ll get this band—and this song.
And the song’s subject is sure to relate to all sorts of people. Written about the current state of the world, our singer tells us that the insanity is taking its toll on his mental state. He can’t breathe, there’s always something new to worry about, he’s wracked with guilt from his past mistakes and thus he doesn’t want to be himself. It’s too much to handle! So, he asks himself, is the world crazy? Or is just him?
“We’re living in a crazy, crazy world. Or I’m living and it’s crazy, crazy.”
Am I Going Insane (Radio) by Black Sabbath
Critics have cited the irony of the song’s name as most of the original band actually ended up being diagnosed with different neurodivergent disorders (excluding Tony Iommi). The song talks about the singer realizing that he’s losing his marbles.
Band members have also said that the (Radio) addition to the title was not to mark it for radio play, but instead “Radio” is Cockney slang for “mental”. Make sense! When Ozzy is your lead singer, is it even possible to NOT have a song about being crazy in your discography? Come on, the guy bit the head off of a bat at a concert (although it was a mistake, according to him)!
“So I’m telling all you people, listen while I sing again. If I don’t sound very cheerful, I think that I’m a schizophrenic.”
Probably Wouldn’t Be this Way by Leann Rimes
Traumatic experiences can trigger some deep issues. Especially when losing a loved one, many people develop different ways of coping.
In this song, we hear Leann as she seems to talk to someone about all the drama going on in her life. She’s moving, her family keep giving her unwanted advice, she’s even got a date coming up. As the lyrics go on, we realize that she is talking to someone she used to have a relationship with (“Mama says that I just shouldn’t speak to you. Susan says that I should just move on”).
Not that crazy, many people still talk to their exes.
But as we proceed further, we start to gather that the whole town seems to think that Leann is losing her mind. Why? The ex she is talking to is gone… and she is regularly seen talking to his headstone.
Is this a country song about being crazy? Sure, a little bit, I suppose. But, more than that, it’s just a sad song borne out of a sad situation.
“Everybody thinks I’ve lost my mind. But I just take it day by day.”
Insane by Flume featuring Moon Holiday
If anyone gets to compete against Ozzy for craziest acts on stage, Flume is definitely a contender. With that said, DJ Flume is also known for his great influence in the “future bass” genre.
Moon Holiday’s smooth voice is a great contrast to the electronic beat behind it. The contradicting sounds fit perfectly with the song’s insanity theme. If the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results, then this song hits the mark. Lyrics seem to describe the danger of going insane due to staying still or remaining stagnant.
“You know you’re safe, safe, safe. The only risk is that you’ll go insane…”
Crazy Crazy Nights by KISS
There’s strength in numbers and KISS seems to realize it. And “Crazy Crazy Nights” is a total anthem for all the outcasts in the stadium! And the band knows all about being different.
You have to be kind of crazy to perform the shows that these guys did (guitars on fire, floating drums, fire-breathing, etc). But the song’s wording is focused more on emotions, as it mentions people trying to tell you who and how to be. Other lines describe times when just getting through the day is difficult.
But in the end, you just have to own who you are. So put on that crazy face paint and live loud and proud, knowing there are millions of others who can relate.
“And they try to tell us that we don’t belong. But that’s alright, we’re millions strong.”
Crazy in My Mind by Showtim3
Even the most stoic people may have inner craziness that they deal with, and Showtim3 is ready to share his. Fake friends seem to surround him (even making him think that some may be undercover operatives), and his real friends seem to have been lost to the grind of success.
So, what’s a guy to do amidst all this loneliness? Our rapper continues working hard, but finds even more disappointment along the way. His dream girl has left him after telling him he needs to become more mature. And he admits that he has just proven her right, as he uses other women and drugs to “maintain” himself. But they are losing their luster and effects, as well. Our artist seems afraid of what is coming: a confrontation with his own mind. And that seems like a very dangerous place indeed.
“Going crazy on the daily. Insane? No maybe. Padded walls can’t save me. Everything seems hazy.”
3 O’ Clock Things by AJR
AJR has never been a band that refuses to communicate about mental health. In fact, many of their honest songs mention the inner workings of the mind. Therapists (“Karma”), bad habits (“Weak”) and attempts to positively retrain their minds (“Way Less Sad”) also make appearances.
So, depending on what insanity or craziness means to you, these guys fit the docket. And “3 O’Clock” is a perfect addition to the insanity.
The singer has you take a ride on his train of thought in the middle of the night…and it’s hard to follow. He mentions politics and his take on society, and then goes on to evaluate himself as well. This train is all over the place. After all, it is 3am (this time makes a lot of appearances in the band’s musical history) and his mind is a bit scattered. He’s going a little crazy and he knows it. But he just can’t shut his mind off.
“Isn’t this obvious, am I insane?”
Insane by Whatever We Are
What do you do when your mind seems to be against you? Whatever We Are’s “Insane” accurately describes this specific type of panic. Clean (but seemingly pleading) vocals paint a picture of being overwhelmed inside your own mind and breaking down.
Mentions of becoming numb and the insanity feeling inescapable are incredibly relatable. Perfectly timed rap lyrics tell a story of someone who has lost control so much so that he’s even lashing out at his mother.
Just like real panic, there seems to be no positive light to look forward to at the moment. The lyricists convey that they know this may be irrational, but they can’t seem to find a way to break themselves out of the spiral.
They just feel…insane.
“Wake up, break down, insane’s what I feel now.”
I’m Gonna Show You Crazy by Bebe Rexha
There are different ways to deal with your own craziness. But our favorite? Absolutely owning it! And that’s exactly what Bebe does in our last pick on this list. The singer is completely honest and doesn’t cover up the negative aspects of her bi polar disorder (mentioning days where she wishes she wasn’t alive).
But she also doesn’t think that she’s “broken”. And we don’t blame her for being fed up with everyone talking about her mind, like it’s a huge flaw. So, if everyone’s going to talk to her and treat her like she’s “crazy,” she’ll show them what crazy is.
With its defiant lyrics, dark pop beat and our diva’s one-of-a-kind voice, we’re not going to lie, this may be our new theme song.
“Loco! Maniac! Sick b**h! Psychopath! Mental! Out-my-brain! Bats**t! Go insane!”
Conclusion
As this list of songs about being crazy has shown, everyone is at least a little bit off their rocker. But that’s not always a bad thing. Are there certain “crazy” tendencies that can lead to bad experiences? Of course. But is being crazy totally bad?
No way—especially when it comes to the world of music.
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