The band collaborated with will.i.am in the creation of the track. It was first developed by Brian Eno under the title "Diorama" during a break in the recording sessions. The band reworked the track under the new title of "Crazy Tonight" before retitling it again as "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight". Several of the song's lyrics were influenced by Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Bono stated to Q magazine that the lyrics "[sound] like a T-shirt slogan to me", also noting that it was No Line on the Horizon's equivalent to "Beautiful Day".
The song was used in television commercials for a new Blackberry application, called the "U2 Mobile App", which was developed as part of Research in Motion's sponsorship of the U2 360° Tour.
"I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" was first played on 4 March 2009 on the Late Show with David Letterman, one of three performances of the song during the No Line on the Horizon promotional touring. Redanka's "Kick the Darkness" remix of the song was played throughout the U2 360° Tour, with the exception of a concert in Barcelona where it was performed two times. For the first time the band played the remix and, then, as one of the encores, the album version was performed for a video shoot. The performance in this style is intended to disorient the audience as the band move from the "personal" first half of the concert into the "political" second half.
The first music video received its world premiere on 17 July 2009 through U2's YouTube channel. Directed by David O'Reilly and designed by Jon Klassen, it is the band's first animated music video since 1995's "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me", and is one of the few not to feature the band. It depicts several people in a city undergoing hardships, and the events that interconnect them and bring them happiness as they decide to make changes in their lives. The video was entered in the 2009 Ottawa International Animation Festival.
The second music video was directed by Alex Courtes and produced by Malachy Mcanenny. While the O'Reilly video plays over the studio version of the song, the Courtes version is the single edit. It consists of a live performance taken from the U2 360° Tour, filmed at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain, on 2 July 2009.
I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Knows I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight
There's a part of me in chaos that's quiet
And there's a part of you that wants me to riot
Everybody needs to cry or needs to spit
Every sweet-tooth needs just a little hit
Every beauty needs to go out with an idiot
Oh, change of heart comes slow
It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
Do you believe me or are you doubting?
We're gonna make it all the way to the light
But I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight
Every generation gets a chance to change the world
Pity the nation that won't listen to you boys and girls
Is the sweetest melody the one we haven't heard?
Is it true that perfect love drives out all fear?
The right to be ridiculous is something I hold dear
Oh, but change of heart comes slow
It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
You see, for me, I've been shouting
But we're gonna make it all the way to the light
But I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight
Baby, baby, baby, I know I'm not alone
Baby, baby, baby, I know I'm not alone
Ha, ha, ha
Oh, it's not a hill it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
You see, for me, I've been shouting
Let's shout into the darkness, squeeze out sparks of light
You know we're gonna go crazy, you know we'll go crazy
You know we'll go crazy, if we don't go crazy tonight
Oh, slowly
Oh
Hold me slow
The lyrics of U2's song One are open to interpretation, but one possible reading is that it is about the paradox of being both an individual and part of a larger whole. The song's opening lines describe a woman who loves a peaceful life, which could represent an ideal of inner harmony. But the next lines suggest that there is a part of the singer that is in chaos and needs to go crazy at times. The song goes on to suggest that everyone needs some release or rebellion, and that individuals are part of a larger group or generation that can effect change in the world.
The lyric "every generation gets a chance to change the world" is a nod to U2's own influence and activism, and the lines "pity the nation that won't listen to you boys and girls" suggest the frustration that can come from feeling unheard or powerless. The song acknowledges the difficulty of change, but ultimately suggests that it is worth pursuing. The repeated line "it's not a hill, it's a mountain" could be seen as a metaphor for the challenges of making progress, but also for the potential for greatness.
Overall, the song invites listeners to embrace both their individuality and their connection to something larger, and to engage in the struggle for positive change even when it feels uphill. The repeated refrain of "baby, baby, baby, I know I'm not alone" reinforces the idea that we are all in this together.
Line by Line Meaning
She's a rainbow and she loves the peaceful life
She is a colorful person who enjoys living a calm life
Knows I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight
Understands that I have a restless part that needs to be satisfied
There's a part of me in chaos that's quiet
There is a suppressed part of me with instability
And there's a part of you that wants me to riot
Also, there's a part of you that wants me to channel the unstable part
Everybody needs to cry or needs to spit
We all have an emotional release that requires a physical manifestation
Every sweet-tooth needs just a little hit
We all have a craving that requires a small dose of its content
Every beauty needs to go out with an idiot
We all have a desire to experience the opposite or unconventional
How can you stand next to the truth and not see it?
How can one be oblivious when the truth is right beside them?
Oh, change of heart comes slow
The process of changing one's perspective or opinion is gradual
It's not a hill, it's a mountain
The task ahead of us is challenging
As you start out the climb
As we begin working towards our goal
Do you believe me or are you doubting?
Do you trust my words or do you have skepticism?
We're gonna make it all the way to the light
We are determined to achieve success and reach enlightenment
But I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight
But I am aware that if I don't allow myself to let loose, I'll be unhappy
Every generation gets a chance to change the world
Every new group of people gets an opportunity to make a difference globally
Pity the nation that won't listen to you boys and girls
It is unfortunate that some societies don't listen to their youth
Is the sweetest melody the one we haven't heard?
Is the most pleasing sound one that we haven't had the chance to listen to yet?
Is it true that perfect love drives out all fear?
Is it accurate to say that love can eliminate all fear?
The right to be ridiculous is something I hold dear
I believe in the freedom to be absurd or unorthodox
Oh, but change of heart comes slow
Although our values may change, it takes time to do so
Baby, baby, baby, I know I'm not alone
Hey, I know I'm not by myself!
Ha, ha, ha
Laughter expressing relief or joy
Let's shout into the darkness, squeeze out sparks of light
We should yell out into the unknown and hope to generate positivity
You know we're gonna go crazy, you know we'll go crazy
You know that we're going to be wild and lively
If we don't go crazy tonight
If we don't let loose tonight
Oh, slowly
Gradually, step by step
Oh
Exclamation of excitement or realization
Hold me slow
Hug me gently
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADAM CLAYTON, DAVE EVANS, LARRY MULLEN, PAUL DAVID HEWSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@brightside51
These are the lyrics for the song
She's a rainbow and she loves the peaceful life
Knows I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight
There's a part of me in the chaos that's quiet
And there's a part of you that wants me to riot
Everybody needs to cry or needs to spit
Every sweet tooth needs just a little hit
Every beauty needs to go out with an idiot
How can you stand next to the truth and not see it
Oh, a change of heart comes slow
It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
Do you believe me or are you doubting
We're gonna make it all the way to the light
But I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight
Every generation gets a chance to change the world
Pity the nation that won't listen to your boys and girls
'Cos the sweetest melody is the one we haven't heard
Is it true that perfect love drives out all fear
The right to appear ridiculous is something I hold dear
Oh, but a change of heart comes slow
It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
Listen for me, I'll be shouting
We're gonna make it all the way to the light
But you now I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight
Baby, baby, baby
I know I'm not alone
Baby, baby, baby
I know I'm not alone
Oh oh oh
It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As we start out the climb
Listen for me, I'll be shouting
Shouting to the darkness
Squeeze out sparks of light
You know we're gonna go crazy
You know we'll go crazy
You know we'll go crazy if we don't go crazy tonight
Oh, slowly now
Oh, be slow.
@alexanderivas9514
2009: ¡I LOVE IT!
2010: ¡I LOVE IT!
2011: ¡I LOVE IT!
2012: ¡I LOVE IT!
2013: ¡I LOVE IT!
2014: ¡I LOVE IT!
2015: ¡I LOVE IT!
2016: ¡I LOVE IT!
2017: ¡I LOVE IT!
2018: ¡I LOVE IT!
2019: ¡I LOVE IT!
2020: ¡I LOVE IT!
2021:🔒
@romanrodriguez5100
Es impresionante cómo se va el tiempo, aún recuerdo que era un niño y pasaban el video entre comerciales en Cartoon Network.
Ahora ya con 21 años, me doy cuenta de lo profundo y lindo que es el video, así como del significado real de la letra.
Hoy en día amo a U2 y me hizo muy feliz ver este video después de tanto tiempo, espero todos los niños de haces años, hoy adultos, estén cumpliendo sus sueños, en caso de que no, cómo dice la canción:
“It’s not a hill it’s a mountain as you start out the climb”
@WednesdayAddamsCharlieBlack
chamo cuando era carton newort
@georgei.q.5825
Ohh ahora caigo en cuenta porque recuerdo tanto este video pero no sabia quien la cantaba
@greedanie_
Ay 😢❤
@jpbaidal
Such an underrated song, this is a masterpiece! The song and the video go perfect with each other... So moving and beautiful. I love when the dog and the boy return home, it makes my heart leap every single time and brings tears to my eyes. Too bad they didnt play this version in the tour, only in Barcelona.
@altair769
PREACH!!!
@garycarr3857
@@altair769 U2
@garycarr3857
Nov 25, 2009
@sygulli5093
Yet we keep being told by other U2 fans that we are not allowed to like it in favour of less melodic songs like Breathe.
@ghanshyamghyani5854
After 10 years of first listening to this song, I still sit down to watch this video with a box of tissues to wipe my tears off. Never fails. cried today as well. Simple story line, basic animation and the trademark U2 music. Recipe for crying. God bless this world.