Let’s Go Crazy
{{song|
|song name = Let's Go Crazy
|album image =
from the album Purple Rain
|single image =
single art for Let's Go Crazy
|performer = Prince and the Revolution
|first released = 25 June 1984 - Purple Rain album
|album(s) = Purple Rain
The Hits 1
The Hits / The B-Sides
The Very Best Of Prince
Ultimate
4Ever
Purple Rain Deluxe
|writer(s) = Prince (credited to Prince and the Revolution)
|producer(s) = Prince (credited to Prince and the Revolution)
|previous song = Letitgo
|next song = Let's Have A Baby
|introduction = Let's Go Crazy is the first track on Prince's sixth album Purple Rain, the first album to be credited to Prince and the Revolution. One month after the album's release, Let's Go Crazy was released as the album's second single, becoming his second US number one single (following When Doves Cry). The track is also featured in the movie Purple Rain.
The basic idea for the song/riff (that according to Prince photographer and friend Allen Beaulieu was something he came up with while jamming with [[Prince] in the fall of 1982) was committed to tape in a session on 18 May 1983 at the Kiowa Trail Home Studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota.
Before a proper studio recording was made, Prince and the Revolution recorded the song live on 3 August 1983 at First Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota (at the same concert where I Would Die 4 U, Baby I'm A Star and Purple Rain were also recorded).
Basic tracking of the version released on Purple Rain, took place on 7 August 1983 (four days after its live-recording at First Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota, a day before Computer Blue) at the The Warehouse in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. This version would be edited down for the album (the full version was released on the 12" version of the single). In 1993, the track was included as the eighth track on Prince's first compilation album The Hits 1 (also included as the first disc of The Hits / The B-Sides).
In 2001, the track was included as the fifth track on the compilation album The Very Best Of Prince.
In 2006, the Special Dance Mix (in fact the non-edited, full length track) was included as the first track on the second disc of the compilation album Ultimate.
On 31 March 2013 a slowed down, 6:37 studio rehearsal of Let's Go Crazy was streamed on Madison Dubé Vimeo account and promoted by 3rdEyeGirl Twitter account.
The full-length version was included as the first track on the 7 November 1983 and 23 March 1984 configurations of the album, but this was edited down for the final 14 April 1984 configuration to make room for the inclusion of Take Me With U.
The Special Dance Mix was included as the seventh track on the first disc of an early configuration of the compilation album Ultimate before the album was reworked for release.
|recording info =
|- align="left"
|style="border-top:1px dotted #ccc;"|18 May 1983
|style="border-top:1px dotted #ccc;"|Kiowa Trail Home Studio,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
|style="border-top:1px dotted #ccc;"|Basic idea/ demo recording
|- align="left"
|style="border-top:1px dotted #ccc;"|3 August 1983
|style="border-top:1px dotted #ccc;"|First Avenue,
Minneapolis, MN, USA
|style="border-top:1px dotted #ccc;"|Live recording
|- align="left"
|style="border-top:1px dotted #ccc;"|7 August 1983
|style="border-top:1px dotted #ccc;"|The Warehouse,
St. Louis Park, MN, USA
|style="border-top:1px dotted #ccc;"|Basic tracking
|- align="left"
|style="border-top:1px dotted #ccc;"|22 March 1984
|style="border-top:1px dotted #ccc;"|Sunset Sound,
Hollywood, CA, USA
|style="border-top:1px dotted #ccc;"|Edits
|- align="left"
|style="border-top:1px dotted #ccc;"|5 June 1984
|style="border-top:1px dotted #ccc;"|Sunset Sound,
Hollywood, CA, USA
|style="border-top:1px dotted #ccc;"|Edits cross-fading for 7"
|recording personnel =
- Prince - all vocals and instruments, except where noted
- Bobby Z. - drums and percussion
- Brown Mark - bass guitar and vocals
- Wendy Melvoin - guitar and vocals
- Lisa Coleman - keyboard and vocals
- Dr. Fink - keyboard and vocals
- David Z. - engineer (First Avenue)
- David Leonard - engineer (First Avenue / Warehouse)
- Susan Rogers - engineer (First Avenue / Warehouse)
|released versions =
Title | Length | Released | Version | Additional info |
---|---|---|---|---|
Let's Go Crazy | 4:39 | Purple Rain Let's Go Crazy promo |
Studio | |
Let's Go Crazy | 4:39 | Purple Rain Deluxe |
Remastered 2015 | |
Let's Go Crazy (Edit) | 3:46 | Let's Go Crazy single
When Doves Cry Back To Back Hits re-release single |
Edit | Alternate beginning, with shortened 'Dearly beloved' speech a.k.a. 7" Single Edit |
Let's Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix) | 7:35 | Let's Go Crazy single Strange Tales From The Rain promo |
Extended version | Original version, before album edit was made |
Let's Go Crazy | 2:39 | NPG Ahdio # 9 mp3 (not available as a separate track) | Live | 26 March 1993, Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY, USA |
|sampled in = |- |style="color:#AB3E00" |Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in...
|- | valign="top"|
Title | Length | Released | Version | Additional info |
---|---|---|---|---|
Purple Medley | 11:03 | Purple Medley single | Studio medley | See Purple Medley for more details |
Purple Medley (Edit) | 3:14 | Purple Medley single | Edit | See Purple Medley for more details |
Million $ Show | 3:10 | Hitnrun Phase One album stream | Studio | Contains samples from openings of For You, 1999 and Let's Go Crazy |
|video versions = |- |style="color:#AB3E00" |Video Versions
|- | valign="top"|
Title | Length | Released | Version | Additional info |
---|---|---|---|---|
Let's Go Crazy | 4:30 | Purple Rain 20th Anniversary DVD | Promo video | See Let's Go Crazy video for more details |
Let's Go Crazy | 5:30 | Prince And The Revolution: Live VHS/laserdisc |
Live | 30 March 1985, Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY, USA |
Let's Go Crazy | 5:32 | Lovesexy Live 1 VHS | Live | 9 September 1988, Westfalenhallen, Dortmund, West Germany |
Let's Go Crazy | 2:22 | Rave Un2 the Year 2000 VHS/DVD | Live | 18 December 1999, Paisley Park, Chanhassen, MN, USA |
BRIT Awards | 12:20 | NPG Music Club WMA download | Live | 15 February 2006 2006 BRIT Awards, Earls Court, London, England; part of medley containing Te Amo Corazón / Fury / Purple Rain / Let's Go Crazy |
|broadcasts, streaming = |- |style="color:#AB3E00" |Broadcasts/streaming (only)
|- | valign="top"|
|unreleased versions = |- |style="color:#AB3E00" |Unreleased Versions
|- | valign="top"|
Title | Version | Additional Info |
---|---|---|
Let's Go Crazy | Live recording | 3 August 1983, First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, USA |
|first live appearance = 3 August 1983: First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, USA
|performed regularly on = Purple Rain Tour
- Sign O' The Times Tour
- Lovesexy Tour
- Diamonds And Pearls Tour
- Act I
- Act II
- New Power Soul Festival Tour
- New Power Soul Tour
- Hit N Run Tour
- A Celebration
- World Tour 2003
- Musicology Live 2004ever
- Per4ming Live 3121
- 21 Nights In London : The Earth Tour
- Prince 20TEN Tour
- Prince Live 2010
- Welcome 2 America Tour
- Welcome 2 Canada Tour
- Welcome 2 Australia Tour
- Live Out Loud Tour
- Hit And Run Part II
|performed occasionally in = 1983, 1984, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 |trivia = In 2018 Prince photographer and friend Allen Beaulieu states that he came up with the riff for the song while jamming with Prince one day in September or October 1982. Probably not realizing Prince would turn it into a song all he asked in return was an advance copy of the 1999 album. |see also = Purple Rain album
- Purple Rain Deluxe
- Let's Go Crazy single
- Let's Go Crazy video
- Purple Rain movie
|references = The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince (2004)
|categories = }}