Let’s Go Crazy

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Let’s Go Crazy

Purplerain tb.jpg
from the album Purple Rain
Letsgocrazy single.jpg
single art for Let’s Go Crazy
Song details
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 Edition and Deluxe Expanded Edition
Prince And The Revolution: Live
Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition

Writer(s): Prince (credited to Prince and the Revolution)
Producer(s): Prince (credited to Prince and the Revolution)
Live Appearances
First and last live appearance:
Performed regularly on tour:
Performed occasionally in shows:

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 Information
Recording Sessions
Date Studio Additional info
18 May 1983 Kiowa Trail Home Studio,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
Basic idea/ demo recording
3 August 1983 First Avenue,
Minneapolis, MN, USA
Live recording
7 August 1983 The Warehouse,
St. Louis Park, MN, USA
Tracking
22 March 1984 Sunset Sound,
Hollywood, CA, USA
Edits
5 June 1984 Sunset Sound,
Hollywood, CA, USA
Edits cross-fading for 7"
Recording Personnel


Versions
Released Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Let’s Go Crazy 4:39 Purple Rain

Let’s Go Crazy promo
Prince Sampler promotional album
Nothing Compares 2 Him promotional album
The Hits 1
The Hits / The B-Sides
My Name Was Prince promotional album
The Very Best Of Prince

Studio
Let’s Go Crazy 4:39 Purple Rain Deluxe Edition and Deluxe Expanded Edition
Studio Remastered 2015
Let’s Go Crazy (Edit) 3:46 Let’s Go Crazy single

When Doves Cry Back To Back Hits re-release single
4Ever

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 promotional album
His Majesty’s Pop Life
Ultimate

Extended version Original version, before album edit was made
Let’s Go Crazy (7" Single Edit) 3:46 Purple Rain Deluxe Expanded Edition - Single Edits & B-Sides Edit Alternate beginning, with shortened 'Dearly beloved' speech a.k.a. Edit. Remastered 2015
Let’s Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix) 7:35 Purple Rain Deluxe Expanded Edition - Single Edits & B-Sides Extended version Original version, before album edit was made. Remastered 2015
Let’s Go Crazy 6:03 Prince And The Revolution: Live Live 30 March 1985, Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY, USA
Let’s Go Crazy 6:03 Prince And The Revolution: Live (2022 re-release) Live 30 March 1985, Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY, USA. Remastered
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
Let’s Go Crazy 6:10 Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition Live 20 June 1987: Stadion de Galgenwaard, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Video Versions
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

Purple Rain Deluxe Expanded Edition – Live at the Carrier Dome (DVD)
Prince And The Revolution: Live (2022 re-release)

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
Let’s Go Crazy T.B.C. Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition DVD Live 31 December 1987: Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA
Let’s Go Crazy ?:?? Welcome 2 America Deluxe edition Live 28 April 2011, The Forum, Inglewood, CA, USA
Let’s Go Crazy / Baby I’m A Star / Push (Medley) (Special Olympics 1991 Soundcheck) ?:?? Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition blu-ray Live 20 July 1991, Special Olympics, The Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN
Let’s Go Crazy / Baby I’m A Star / Push (Medley) (Special Olympics 1991) ?:?? Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition blu-ray Live 20 July 1991, Special Olympics, The Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN
Broadcasts/streaming (only)
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Let’s Go Crazy T.B.C. Delayed concert TV broadcast Live 19 January 1991 (a.m.), Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; includes Hey! Bo Diddley interpolation
Let’s Go Crazy / Baby I’m A Star 6:01 Live performance TV broadcast Live 20 July 1991, Special Olympics, The Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota; intro only (0:26)
Diamonds And Pearls / Let’s Go Crazy .2:20 Live performance TV broadcast Live 4 September 1991, Arsenio Hall Show, Paramount Studios, Hollywood, CA, USA; Diamonds And Pearls intro only (first aired on 9 September 1991)
Let’s Go Crazy 3:02 Delayed live recording radio broadcast
Live 02 August 1993, Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England
Let’s Go Crazy 0:18 Delayed lip-sync TV broadcast Studio 28 October 1996: Muppets Tonight, Raleigh Studios, Hollywood, California, USA; lip-sync over brief clip of the song
Let’s Go Crazy 1:18 Live awards performance TV broadcast Live 8 February 2004, 46th annual Grammy Awards Ceremony, Staples Center, Los Angeles, California; as part of medley with Beyoncé
Let’s Go Crazy 3:06 Delayed awards show performance TV broadcast Live 15 March 2004 19th Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, Waldorf Astoria, New York, NY, USA as part of medley
Let’s Go Crazy .2:27 Live performance TV broadcast Live 16 June 2006, Good Morning America, Bryant Park, New York, NY, USA
The Superbowl 11:52 Lotusflow3r.com video stream Live medley 4 February 2007, Dolphins Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL, USA; medley of We Will Rock You / Let’s Go Crazy / 1999 intro / Baby I’m A Star / Proud Mary / All Along The Watchtower / The Best Of U / Purple Rain
Let’s Go Crazy Reloaded 6:37 3rdEyeGirl’s YouTube account Rehearsal March 2013, Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota (assumed); includes Frankenstein interpolation
Let’s Go Crazy 6:04 Live awards performance TV broadcast Live 19 May 2013, MGM Grand Garden Arena , Las Vegas, NV, USA; includes Frankenstein interpolation, and medley with Fixurlifeup
Let’s Go Crazy 6:19 3rdEye TV Show # 17 concert video stream Live 15 July 2013, Auditorium Stravinksi, Montreux, Switzerland; includes Frankenstein interpolation
Let’s Go Crazy 4:18 3rdEye TV Show # 18 concert video stream Live 4 August 2013 Skeppsholmen, Stockholm, Sweden; includes Frankenstein interpolation
Let’s Go Crazy 5:48 3rdEye TV Show # 19 concert video stream Live 7 August 2013, Dyrehaven - Bøgescenen, Skanderborg, Denmark; includes Frankenstein interpolation
Let’s Go Crazy 5:28 3rdEye TV Show # 20 concert video stream Live 11 August 2013 (show 2): Paradiso, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; includes Frankenstein interpolation
Let’s Go Crazy 6:02 3rdEyeGirl’s YouTube account Live 7 August 2013 , Dyrehaven - Bøgescenen, Skanderborg, Denmark; includes Frankenstein interpolation
Let’s Go Crazy (excerpt) 1:40 3rdEyeGirl’s YouTube account Live 19 Oct. 2013, Chanhassen, MN, USA
Let’s Go Crazy (excerpt) 1:07 3rdEyeGirl’s YouTube account Live 22 February 2014, Manchester Academy 1, Manchester, England
Let’s Go Crazy 6:25 3rdEyeGirl’s YouTube account Live 22 February 2014, Manchester Academy 1, Manchester, England; includes Frankenstein interpolation
Let’s Go Crazy 6:29 Live concert online stream Live 10 May 2015, Baltimore, MN, USA, Royal Farms Arena; includes Frankenstein interpolation
Let’s Go Crazy 6:11 89.3 The Current Crazy 2 Cool broadcast Live 1 June 2014, Le Zénith, Paris, France (2nd show); includes Frankenstein interpolation
Let’s Go Crazy 6:11 Tidal Crazy 2 Cool video stream Live 1 June 2014, Le Zénith, Paris, France (2nd show); includes Frankenstein interpolation
Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in...
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
Unreleased Versions
Title Version Additional Info
Let’s Go Crazy Live recording 3 August 1983, First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, USA
 
Additional Information

See also 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.

References
Letitgo   < < < All Songs Unreleased Songs > > >   Let’s Have A Baby