{Note: The Madonna Timeline is an ongoing feature, where I put the iPod on shuffle and write a little anecdote on whatever was going on in my life when that Madonna song was released and/or came to prominence in my mind.}
The Madonna Timeline is on a bit of a ‘Madame X’ kick of late, with the most recent entry being ‘God Control‘, and this one moving on to ‘Crazy’. One of the most charming and effervescent tracks of that album, ‘Crazy’ brings me happily back to the summer of 2019, a time that feels more quaint and sunny when you realize it was all in the months right before a worldwide deadly pandemic. In so many ways, that summer feels like one of the last great summers, and all the summers since then have been trying to achieve something similar, and all to no success. Maybe I’ve just grown up beyond having a carefree summer. Maybe last summer simply ruined it for me. I don’t know. What I do understand is that there is power in music – and power in this pretty little song.
I spent all night waiting upIt’s gonna be the last night I wait up for youSpent a long time wakin’ upUsed to think that I was not enough for you
Now I see that I’m just way too muchYou got your hands full, I’m misunderstoodNow I see that I’m who I can trustAnd you got a lot of room, you tryin’ to make it good
But if you think I’ve been foolish and you only fool me onceI guess it’s shame on youSay now if you think I’ve been foolish and youKeep on trying to do it, baby, Imma switch the plans on you
‘Cause you’re driving me crazyYou must think I’m crazy
The start of the summer of 2019 was spent in gleeful anticipation of the ‘Madame X’ album – one of the first true summer albums released by Madonna since I can’t remember when (perhaps the most notable one being ‘True Blue’). The magic had begun with ‘Medellin‘ and while some of the album was gloriously experimental, Madonna still knew her way around a heady hook and a magical melody, which she melded with some strong Portuguese influence on ‘Crazy’.
And I won’t let you drive me cray-ay-ay-ay-zyAnd I won’t let you drive me crazyVocê não vai me por tão lo-o-o-oucaVocê não vai me por tão louca
Starting the season as early as possible, I remember painting some of our worn backyard plant stands and furniture a bright yellow, unifying the accents with the curtains hanging from the canopy that year. They would be excellent foil for the garishly-colored pots I was using, forming a vibrant fiesta of color and bold hues that would help to make a celebration of summer. All the while, I played the ‘Madame X’ album on repeat, burning these beautiful songs into a summer memory.
I bent my knees for you like a prayerMy God, look at me nowPulled off my weakness layer after layerNothing left for me to keep ’round
I’m a force that I won’t tame, babeCan’t go through this and stay the same, babeI’ve seen a lot of stranger things, babeAnd I’ll never look at you the same
But if you think I’ve been foolish and you only fool me onceI guess it’s shame on youSay now if you think I’ve been foolish and you keepOn trying to do it, baby, Imma switch the plans on you
‘Cause you’re driving me crazyYou must think I’m crazyVocê me põe tão loucaVocê pensa que eu sou louca
And I won’t let you drive me crazy-ay-ay-ay-ay-zyAnd I won’t let you drive me crazyVocê não vai me por tão lo-o-o-oucaVocê não vai me por tão louca
Once the patio was put together and looking pretty, the canopy assembled and providing some shade, and the pool swirling its chlorinated warmth in circles of wavering blue and aqua, Andy and I would pause and take it all in, enjoying this little oasis in the midst of upstate New York, our own little escape from the rest of the world. His adamant desire to have a pool paid off, and I’ve always been grateful for that. Madonna sang her songs crafted halfway round the world, and they matched the surroundings and the time perfectly.
I put you on a pedestal but statues, they can fallFelt so safe, I let you drive me straight into the wallPaid the hell you dealt me, thought you felt meWas never good at games, now I just forget your name
But if you think I’ve been foolish and you only fool me onceI guess it’s shame on youSay now if you think I’ve been foolish and you keepOn trying to do it, baby, Imma switch the plans on you
‘Cause you’re driving me crazyYou must think I’m crazy
Summer ended all too quickly that year, though we didn’t realize it then. It was just another summer in a long line of summers, and there would always be such summers to come, wouldn’t there? I wish I’d known so I could have held onto it a little longer. Strike that – I’m glad we didn’t know. There was nothing to mar the happiness of the moment.
If that makes me crazy, so be it.
Song #174 – ‘Crazy’ ~ Summer 2019
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