AEROSMITH - CRAZY

Released: May 3, 1994

Charts: US: #17   UK: #23 

"Crazy" is a song written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Desmond Child. Released in May 1994 as the fifth single from the “Get a Grip” album, the song became a commercial success, peaking at number 17 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reaching number one in Iceland for two weeks. It also performed well internationally, hitting number three in Canada, number eight in Finland (as a double-A side with "Blind Man"), and number 23 in the UK. "Crazy" is known for its bluesy ballad style and became one of the band's most memorable hits from the era.

Aerosmith wrote "Crazy" in the late '80s alongside "Angel," but the two songs were considered too similar. As a result, "Angel" was included on their 1987 “Permanent Vacation” album, while "Crazy" was held back until 1993. Although big ballads like these brought Aerosmith commercial success, the band had to strategically space out such releases to maintain their reputation as a hard rock band. "Crazy" is about a guy dealing with the heartache of his girlfriend leaving him, and how much he misses her. 

The music video directed by Marty Callner became one of the most requested videos on MTV in 1994. It starred Alicia Silverstone, making her third appearance in an Aerosmith video, alongside Liv Tyler, the 16-year-old daughter of Steven Tyler. Liv was cast after being spotted in a Pantene commercial, and while the video's content raised eyebrows due to its suggestiveness, Liv defended the decision, saying she and Steven had no issues with it. She added that if others had a problem with the video, it was their issue to deal with.

The video follows Alicia Silverstone and Liv Tyler as rebellious schoolgirls who skip class and embark on a wild adventure, echoing themes from the film “Thelma & Louise”. They take advantage of a service station clerk, enter and win an amateur pole-dancing contest, and spend the night at a motel. The video also parallels Steven Tyler’s stage moves with those of his daughter, Liv. The next day, they pick up a shirtless farmer, go skinny-dipping, and then leave him behind, taking his clothes. The video ends with "Crazy" spelled in the cropland by a tractor as the girls drive off.

A longer director's cut of the music video includes more provocative and risqué scenes, particularly during the pole-dancing competition, offering a slightly edgier take on the original. Notably, the extended cut omits the scene where the girls abandon the farmer after skinny-dipping, presenting a different narrative conclusion. Both the standard and director's cut versions feature an extra reprise of the chorus, which is not present in the album or radio edits of the song.