| "Beat Crazy" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by The Joe Jackson Band | ||||
| from the album Beat Crazy | ||||
| B-side | "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" (live) | |||
| Released | January 1981 | |||
| Recorded | 1980 | |||
| Genre | New wave, ska | |||
| Length | 4:15 | |||
| Label | A&M - AMS 8100 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Joe Jackson | |||
| Producer(s) | Joe Jackson | |||
| The Joe Jackson Band singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Beat Crazy" is the title track to the Joe Jackson Band's 1981 album Beat Crazy . Written by Joe Jackson, and sung by Graham Maby, it was released as a single in 1981.
According to Jackson, when he performed the song live at Pinkpop Festival in 1980, the song is dedicated to "drug-crazed teenagers all over the world." [1] The lyrics of the song complain of how kids of the time are too busy on drugs –saying that they are all too "beat crazy" –to take responsibility and get jobs. Musically, the song, like many others on Beat Crazy, is more reggae-influenced than songs on Jackson's previous two albums. Unlike many other songs by Jackson, the lead vocals are performed by bassist Graham Maby with Jackson on supporting vocals. The vocals also feature an echo effect. [2]
"Beat Crazy" saw a single release in January 1981 as the second single from Beat Crazy (the first being "Mad at You," which did not chart). Backed with a rerecording of Jackson's first hit, "Is She Really Going Out With Him?," the song failed to chart. A third single, "One to One," also failed commercially.
"Beat Crazy" was described by AllMusic reviewer Chris True as Jackson's "first real attempt at breaking out of his quasi-snide power pop and bringing in other styles and musical forms to add depth to his work." He continues, saying, "He pulls it off fairly well, he is a pretty good songwriter and has a great ear for sound and production, but, as stated before, reggae was already a minor element in rock at the time, so it doesn't really make or break the song, it’s just a small step into new ground." [2]
The song is also a personal favorite of Joe Jackson's. On his official website, Jackson, who felt that the Beat Crazy album was mixed, said, "There’s some good stuff on it," later saying, "I especially like the title track and 'Biology'." [3]
| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Record Business Singles Top 100 [4] | 100 |
David Ian "Joe" Jackson is an English musician, singer and songwriter. Having spent years studying music and playing clubs, he scored a hit with his first release, "Is She Really Going Out with Him?", in 1979. It was followed by a number of new wave singles, before he moved to more jazz-inflected pop music and had a top 10 hit in 1982 with "Steppin' Out". Jackson is associated with the 1980s Second British Invasion of the US. He has also composed classical music. He has recorded 20 studio albums and received five Grammy Award nominations.
Look Sharp! is the debut album by Joe Jackson, released in January 1979. The album features one of Jackson's most well-known songs, "Is She Really Going Out with Him?", as well as the title track "Look Sharp", "Sunday Papers", "One More Time" and "Fools in Love".
Beat Crazy is the third album by Joe Jackson, released in October 1980 and credited to the Joe Jackson Band. It was a relative disappointment commercially, peaking outside the Top 40 in both the UK and the United States, with its singles failing to chart. One reason for the reduced sales in the U.S. may have been that the group did not tour to support it there. Nevertheless, the Joe Jackson Band was successful and toured extensively. This would be the last studio album released by the Joe Jackson Band's original line-up until 2003's Volume 4.
Graham Maby is an English bass guitar player. He has recorded and toured with Joe Jackson since his first album, appearing on most of Jackson's albums and tours.
Body and Soul is the seventh studio album by English singer-songwriter Joe Jackson, released on 14 March 1984 by A&M Records. Jackson's first fully digital project, it peaked at No. 14 in the UK, while in the US it reached No. 20. Described by one reviewer as a sophisti-pop album, the tracks are a mix of pop, jazz and Latin music, showcasing the hit single "You Can't Get What You Want ". Two other singles fared well, with "Happy Ending" charting in five countries, and "Be My Number Two" enjoying moderate success in the UK.
"Is She Really Going Out with Him?" is a song written and performed by British musician Joe Jackson. It was released in October 1978 as his debut single and was later included on Jackson's debut album, Look Sharp! The track was one of the first Jackson recorded with his new backing band, a band he would perform with for his first three albums. Written as a humorous commentary on women dating unattractive men, the song contains a prominent bass line and a chorus praised by critics as memorable. Jackson has since stated that the song's reputation for being angry was untrue.
Live 1980/86 is a Joe Jackson double live album, released in May 1988. It was recorded during the 1980 Beat Crazy tour, the 1982-83 Night and Day tour, the 1984 Body & Soul tour, and the 1986 Big World tour. Notably, the album contains three different versions of "Is She Really Going Out with Him?"
Volume 4 is the 16th studio album by British musician Joe Jackson, released in 2003. It was the first album to feature the Joe Jackson Band since the 1980 release, Beat Crazy, and it was Jackson's first rock 'n' roll album since Laughter and Lust, which was released in 1991. As before, the Joe Jackson Band consisted of Jackson, Graham Maby, David Houghton and Gary Sanford. Jackson said at the time that he expected the songs on the album to be "in the spirit of the first couple of albums, but with a bit of the greater maturity I'd like to think I've acquired. And I've still got a 32-inch waist — so I don't think it's going to be embarrassing".
"Got the Time" is a song written and performed by the British new wave musician Joe Jackson, appearing as the closing track on his 1979 debut album, Look Sharp!. The song has since been performed frequently in live concerts by Jackson.
"It’s Different for Girls" is a song by Joe Jackson appearing on his 1979 album, I'm the Man. The song has since become one of his most successful singles, notably being the highest charting Joe Jackson single in the UK. Covers have been recorded and released by several different artists.
"Sunday Papers" is a song written and performed by British new wave musician Joe Jackson. It was released on his debut album, Look Sharp!. Written as a critique of the British press, "Sunday Papers" features mocking lyrics and reggae-inspired music.
"One More Time" is a song by the British new wave musician Joe Jackson. It was released as the third single from his debut album, Look Sharp!, in 1979. Inspired by a breakup Jackson had, the song features a guitar riff and lyrics detailing a collapsing relationship.
"Kinda Kute" is a song by British singer-songwriter and musician Joe Jackson, which was released in 1980 as the third and final single from his second studio album I'm the Man (1979). Described as a "pop song" by Jackson, the song was written by Jackson and produced by David Kershenbaum. "Kinda Kute" failed to chart in the UK, but reached number 91 on Canada's RPM Top Singles chart.
"You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)" is a single from Joe Jackson's 1984 album Body and Soul.
"Happy Ending" is a song by British singer-songwriter and musician Joe Jackson, which was recorded as a duet with Elaine Caswell and released in April 1984 as the second single from Jackson's sixth studio album Body and Soul. The song was written by Jackson, and produced by Jackson and David Kershenbaum. "Happy Ending" reached No. 58 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 57 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"Nineteen Forever" is a song by British singer-songwriter and musician Joe Jackson, which was released in 1989 as the lead single from his eighth studio album Blaze of Glory. It was written and produced by Jackson. "Nineteen Forever" reached No. 4 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks and No. 16 on Billboard Album Rock Tracks charts.
"Obvious Song" is a song by British singer-songwriter and musician Joe Jackson, which was released in 1991 as the second single from his ninth studio album Laughter & Lust. The song was written by Jackson, and produced by Jackson and Ed Roynesdal. The song's music video was directed by Marcus Nispel and produced by Marc Rosenberg.
"Stranger than Fiction" is a song by English singer-songwriter and musician Joe Jackson, released in 1991 as the lead single from his ninth studio album, Laughter & Lust. It was written by Jackson and produced by Jackson and Ed Roynesdal.
"Mad at You" is a song by the Joe Jackson Band, which was released in 1980 as the lead single from Jackson's third studio album Beat Crazy. The song was written and produced by Jackson.
"One to One" is a song by the Joe Jackson Band, released as the third single from Jackson's third studio album Beat Crazy (1980). The song was written and produced by Jackson. It was released as a single in the US and Canada in 1980 and the UK and Australia in 1981. It failed to enter the UK Singles Chart, but did reach number 123 on the Record Business Singles Chart.
