Guy is known for his showmanship; for example, he plays with drumsticks and walks into the audience whilst playing, the latter being a gimmick he picked up from a local blues guitarist at an early age (joining or leaping into the audience has also long been common in both American popular and gospel music, as in the earlier work of Big Jay McNeely or the Dixie Hummingbirds).
Guy grew up in Louisiana where he learned to play guitar. In the early 1950s he began performing with bands in Baton Rouge. Soon after moving to Chicago in 1957, Guy fell under the influence of "Mighty" Muddy Waters. In 1958 he won a record contract with Artistic Records after beating the West Side guitarists Magic Sam and Otis Rush in a "Head Cutting Contest" at the Blue Flame Club. Soon afterwards he recorded for the Cobra label.
In the early 1960s, Guy was a session guitarist for Chess Records. He recorded on Junior Wells sessions for Delmark Records under the pseudonym Friendly Chap in 1965 and 1966. His career took off during a blues revival period in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and was sparked by Eric Clapton's request that Guy be part of the '24 nights' all-star blues guitar lineup at London's Royal Albert Hall and Guy's subsequent signing with Silvertone Records.
Crazy World
Buddy Guy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a crazy world
It's a crazy crazy world
People work hard all their life
'Til their life just slips away
But even the mute and the fevered got to die some day
And now they're selling water
Someday they are gonna sell us
The very air that we breathe
It's a crazy world
Oh it's a crazy world
You can lay your money down
And win every bet
But the tax man's gonna take
Half of what you got
Politicians spend millions
Trying to get your vote
But everybody knows
They've already bought your soul
It's a crazy world
Hey it's a crazy world
One thing for sure
It ain't never gonna change
The hole we're digging is getting deeper every day
It's a crazy world
Hey it's a crazy world
Summer out tonight
Another child hungry
Some got so much
Some ain't got any air
People killing each other in the name of the lord
No one wants to stop a money making war
It's a crazy world
Hey it's a crazy world
It's a crazy world
Lord knows it's a crazy world
It's a crazy world
Let's hold each other's hands
Live and let live
Buddy Guy's song "Crazy World" is a commentary on the state of the world we live in. The opening lines, "People work hard all their life 'Til their life just slips away," highlight the frustration that many people feel regarding the effort they put into their lives, only to have it seemingly go to waste. The reference to the mute and the fevered dying, despite their inability to even communicate or take care of themselves, speaks to the inevitability of death for all people, regardless of their circumstances.
The main theme of the song is the idea that the world is becoming more and more commodified. The line, "And now they're selling water I drank water from a creek Someday they are gonna sell us The very air that we breathe," emphasizes this point, as basic necessities of life like water and air are increasingly being privatized and sold for profit.
The song goes on to mention other troubling aspects of the world, such as the fact that politicians are willing to spend millions of dollars to secure votes, and that violence and war continue to ravage the planet. Despite all the problems, the song ends on a hopeful note, with the suggestion that we should come together and support each other, saying, "Let's hold each other's hands Live and let live."
Line by Line Meaning
Crazy world
The world we live in is chaotic and unpredictable.
It's a crazy world
The world is so out of control that it deserves to be repeated.
It's a crazy crazy world
The world is so insane that it needs to be emphasized with another "crazy."
People work hard all their life
People slave for their entire lives, only to die before ever truly experiencing what they worked for.
'Til their life just slips away
All your time on this earth can vanish in a moment.
But even the mute and the fevered got to die some day
Death comes to everyone, no matter how disadvantaged or overlooked they are.
And now they're selling water
Water, which is necessary for life, is being exploited for profit.
I drank water from a creek
I remember when water was free and flowing naturally.
Someday they are gonna sell us
The world is headed towards a dystopian future where people have to pay for survival.
The very air that we breathe
Even air, something utterly essential and abundant, is not immune from being commoditized.
You can lay your money down
You might gamble and win big, but that doesn't mean you won't lose it all eventually.
And win every bet
You could also always be lucky in life and succeed at everything you do.
But the tax man's gonna take
No matter how much money you make, the government will always take their cut.
Half of what you got
Dealing with the government means losing half, no matter how much they collect.
Politicians spend millions
Politicians will spend big bucks just to gain the support and loyalty of the people.
Trying to get your vote
Their end goal is always to get you to support them.
But everybody knows
Everyone is aware of how corrupt and disingenuous politicians are.
They've already bought your soul
Politicians only care about their interests and power, not the people they are supposed to represent.
One thing for sure
There's only one certainty in this unpredictable world.
It ain't never gonna change
Things are the way they are, and they will stay that way.
The hole we're digging is getting deeper every day
We're going down a path with no way back, and only digging ourselves deeper the more we continue.
Summer out tonight
The night feels oppressively hot and heavy.
Another child hungry
Children in the world continue to go hungry and starve despite the plenty that exists.
Some got so much
Some people have far more than they will ever need or use.
Some ain't got any air
Some people can't even breathe, the most basic function of all.
People killing each other in the name of the lord
People cite religious obligations as a reason for violence and war.
No one wants to stop a money making war
No one in power will bring an end to a profitable war.
Lord knows it's a crazy world
The gods themselves are cognizant of how wild and unpredictable our realm is.
Let's hold each other's hands
Despite everything, we can support and comfort one another.
Live and let live
Even for all the chaos and cruelty, we should strive for empathy and respect for others.
Contributed by Penelope F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.