Gnarls Barkley
Elsewhere
Song: Crazy
Reviewed by: Krystal Burns
Note: We focus on reviewing songs, and therefore cannot comment on the appropriateness of the album in its entirety. Please use your best judgment whenever purchasing or listening to music.
Artist
Who is Gnarls Barkley? Just about every article about him starts off with the same (tongue-in-cheek) question. None of usual biographical information is readily available for this somewhat elusive artist. It’s nice change to see someone hit the charts who didn’t start his career with Disney and isn’t pouring his life secrets and favorite ice cream flavors to the press. Just goes to show there’s power in being mysterious.
Album
Although Gnarls Barkley has been around the music biz for some time, St. Elsewhere is the first album attributed to him. In collaboration with southern rapper Cee-Lo and renowned producer Danger Mouse, the record quickly topped the British charts with its release in May 2006. St. Elsewhere successfully hit the U.S. billboards when it was released stateside two weeks later.
Song
The easygoing, original “Crazy” was pre-released as a single in April. Unlike most songs you might hear these days about sex, love, and money, this one deals much less common topic of conversation. Whether “Crazy” is referring to true mental illness or the youthful invincibility, Barkley successfully captures the state of mind with honesty and maturity.
He begins the song by reminiscing, “I remember…when I lost my mind/ There was something so pleasant about that place…Yeah I was out of touch.” Oddly enough, he seems to have fond memories of this time period; there is something freeing about “losing your mind” and not caring what the world thinks. He ends with the question, “Does that make me crazy? Possibly.”
In the second stanza Barkley addresses the listener, “I hope you’re having the time of your life/ but think twice, that’s my only advice…who do you think you are... bless your soul/ You really think you’re in control.” Now he seems to be addressing a different type “craziness” -- perhaps a person who seems to have it all together or even a person who thinks of he can do whatever he wants without consequences (not much different from the warning Solomon gives to youthful people in Ecclesiastes 11:9-10). This time he concludes, “I think you’re crazy, just like me.”
“Crazy” is an interesting song because Gnarls Barkley maybe right -- we all have times that we feel like we’re going crazy. Sometimes it’s just silly things, like losing our keys for the third time in one day. But sometimes we struggle with deeper issues, too. We live in an increasingly chaotic world in which we receive mixed messages from every direction, and these messages directly influence how we see the universe and how we see ourselves. It’s often easier not to care and just focus on the “here and now” issues instead. But we can’t ignore the big questions forever; our answers to those foundational questions -- about God, faith, the origins of the universe, careers, money, popularity, sex, etc. -- influence everything we do and say.
As the song lyrics point out, we are not in control even when we think we are. It’s tempting to act crazy and irresponsible when we can’t make sense of what’s going on around us. But we also need to remember that God didn’t create a world of chaos and confusion -- that’s the result of Satan and his influence on our culture. When we focus on a biblical perspective and what God tells us about who we are and how the world works, things begin to fall in place and seem less crazy. John 8:32 says, “Know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Frustration and confusion can manifest themselves in lots of different ways -- drugs, alcohol, sexual promiscuity, or reckless behavior like the choking game. If you’re struggling with something like that, I encourage you to talk it through with a Christian adult you trust.
So What Do You Think?
- What do you know about Gnarls Barkley?
- St. Elsewhere mimics lots of different styles -- do you have a favorite track?
- Who is a person you would describe as crazy? What makes him or her that way?
- Has there been a time in your life you felt like you were going crazy?
- How do you respond when you feel like you’re coming unglued?