Johnny Carroll (October 23, 1937 – February 18, 1995) was an American rocka… Read Full Bio ↴Johnny Carroll (October 23, 1937 – February 18, 1995) was an American rockabilly singer and guitarist.

Born John Lewis Carrell (Carrell was printed incorrectly as Carroll on the record label), Carroll began recording for Decca Records in the middle of the 1950s as Johnny Carroll & His Hot rocks. He released several singles, but none of them saw significant success, though they are now critically acclaimed. His records were eclipsed by the success of other rockabilly and early rock & roll musicians such as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash.

His career ended toward the end of the 1950s, but he made a comeback in 1974 with a Gene Vincent tribute song. He continued to record well into the 1980s. For many years he was connected with the Cellar Club in Ft Worth, Texas and other Cellar Clubs around Texas. He died of liver failure on January 13, 1995, and is buried in his hometown of Godley, Texas. In 1996 a 33-track reissue of his early recordings was released as Rock Baby Rock It: 1955-1960.

Crazy Crazy Lovin'
Johnny Carroll Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh yes, I loved you baby
And I made you feel so blue
Well I'm coming back, little baby
Yes, and make some love to you So save your crazy-crazy lovin' baby
Save your crazy lovin' just for me, oh yeah
Don't let nobody else love you
Save your crazy-crazy lovin' just for me, oh yeah
Well you been so fine baby and I wanna tell you this

I feel just like a real gone daddy
When you're givin' me a red hot kiss
So save your crazy-crazy lovin' baby
Save your crazy lovin' just for me, oh yeah
Don't let nobody else love
Save your crazy-crazy lovin' just for me, oh yeah(Git it!) When we're dancin' crazy baby, well you cuttle up so fine
Squeeze me crazy baby, yes and slip your lips on mine
So save your crazy-crazy lovin' baby
Save your crazy lovin' just for me, oh yeah
Don't let nobody else love you
Save your crazy-crazy lovin' just for me, oh yeah
Well I'm tellin' you honey and I swear this is true
Yes I almost lose my mind when you do the things you do
So save your crazy-crazy lovin' baby
Save your crazy lovin' just for me, oh yeah

Don't let nobody else love you
Save your crazy-crazy lovin' just for me, oh yeah

Overall Meaning

In Johnny Carroll's hit rock and roll song Crazy Crazy Lovin', the singer addresses his lover who has been seeing somebody else. He admits to having loved her but also confesses to making her feel blue. Despite this, he's coming back and wants her to save her "crazy-crazy lovin'" just for him. The motif of craziness is used to represent the intensity and passion of their past relationship, and the singer implores her to reserve that kind of love for him alone. He describes the physical aspects of their relationship, how dancing with her and being intimate with her make him feel like a "real gone daddy." The repetition of the phrase "save your crazy-crazy lovin' just for me" emphasizes the singer's desire for exclusivity and highlights the urgency of his request.

While the lyrics themselves are relatively straightforward, their delivery and the rock and roll instrumentation are what make the song stand out. Johnny Carroll's lively vocals and catchy guitar riffs serve to emphasize the raw emotion and energy of the singer's plea. The song captures the excitement and passion of mid-century rock and roll, with its focus on youthful rebellion and uninhibited sexuality. It's a classic example of the genre and remains a popular pick for parties and dance events today.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh yes, I loved you baby
I loved you very much

And I made you feel so blue
I made you sad

Well I'm coming back, little baby
I am returning, my dear

Yes, and make some love to you
And I want to be intimate with you

So save your crazy-crazy lovin' baby
Please keep your passionate love for me only

Save your crazy lovin' just for me, oh yeah
Love only me in a wild, passionate way

Don't let nobody else love you
Don't let anyone else love you intimately

Well you been so fine baby and I wanna tell you this
You have been very attractive, and I want to say this to you

I feel just like a real gone daddy
I feel very cool and confident

When you're givin' me a red hot kiss
When you kiss me passionately

When we're dancin' crazy baby, well you cuttle up so fine
When we are dancing wildly, you come close to me so well

Squeeze me crazy baby, yes and slip your lips on mine
Hold me very close and kiss me passionately

Well I'm tellin' you honey and I swear this is true
I promise this is true, my dear

Yes I almost lose my mind when you do the things you do
You drive me crazy when you do what you do

Contributed by Adalyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Comments from YouTube:

@robertpaul9274

12y↑10

I used to listen to him every night at the Cellar in Fort Worth. Lots of fun back then

@aronhallam6449

2y↑5

I'd say he was an elvis fan! Caroll has some good songs

@michaelbarnes5293

25w

There is so much energy produced he could burst into flames at any moment.

@elizalove47

11y↑11

Go Johnny Go, Yeah! Superb, Wild, Rocker 100%!

@blzmnky

14y↑7

Johnny Carroll rocks!

@robertwalden2372

5y↑5

Great vintage stuff from Johnny 👍

@lorenzofresquez3012

2y↑4

There's not enough pomade in the world to keep this man's hairdo in place with how he was jiving.

@rockinchair7762

3y↑2

Good Guitarist & Musiciens = support !

@johnthrussell1377

1y↑2

Great to hear rock and roll

@lorenzomastromarino8982

4y↑4

Ça bouge ça chante, c'est comme Elvis et on aime 😍 ce style rock rockabilly 🎸💖

@richardortiz8704

good music Beaumont California2023not from both of usdrive from Beaumont

@georgekontos3100

33w

Sounds and looks like Elvis. Great 50s music!

@valdecisilva2911

3y↑7

Melhor do rockabilly😎👍

@heartbreakkid5757

3y↑1

Viva la rockabilly

@bil_t4876

3y↑3

Cool Rockabilly song!
Good😎

@jimhoerr

10y↑26

I actually saw this movie at a drive-in theater in 1957 or -58. I probably belong to an exclusive club of some sort. At age 16 when I saw it, I thought Johhny Carroll was a real cool cat.

@Lungomolto

4y↑1

Still is

@matthewguzda4075

He is "a real cool cat". Cheers

@davidhorn6008

Superb -He His music still is real cool. I never knew of Him until 1994 when I joined a newly formed Rock and Roll club, (a rare beast here in the UK). I too was a 'war baby'.

@slicksnewonenow

Johnny was THEE KOOLEST. I miss him.

He and Judy would come to Austin and hang out with us 3rd Generation Rockabillies in the 80s/early 90s.

Even then, he still put on a damn good show!

@Redpilld66

What’s the movie??

2 More Replies...

@colindale3027

47w↑1

ANOTHER HOT ROCKER - ON RADIO SUTCH 1964 - HOT ROCK - LOVE IT

@danielalejandroalarconcoya7931

3y↑4

Como para bailarlo una y otra vez sin parar

@kentcampbell7613

12y↑10

REAL ROCK AND ROLL !!!

@keithhyttinen8275

It IS Elvis!!

@4998826p

11y↑6

I bought his "Ruffabilly" lp when I was a kid (it remained one of my favourite rockabilly records)

@kennethlamb2926

I wish I had a copy!

@trevorstevenson1864

11y↑7

Great stuff.

@jpdecaens

14y↑1

Hello, Nicky, Ils sont vraiment craquants ces petits ! Bravo pour ce très sympa post. JP

@alcenirbarbosa

11y↑4

was a young boy making rock in roll, congratulations Jhonny i like this

@captlarry-3525

6y↑1

new to me.. and really good in this genre. Thanks Nicky!

@blakebeattie2

11y↑6

wow,he was good,i cant help liking the group, anything from the 1950,s in 2012 is just welcomed and much sought after today, and why not its the real deal and as good as it can get.dynamite stuff.!!!

@fosterglantz6682

7y↑3

rip jhonny

@sorshiaemms5959

first time listener good stuff right on thanks

@ansias77

4y↑2

The great Jay Salem on guitar. Am i the only one who prefers this stuff over that he recorded on Decca with staff's musicians like Grady Martin..??

@gar5952010

13y↑2

your great all american great song you go forward

@malaquiasalfaro81

1y↑1

I love how the train chug from country music gradually morphed into this fast car engine sound in rockabilly. Ha. These guys were only 13 years away from Metal music! They had no idea

@malaquiasalfaro81

1y↑1

Even the country guitar licks present here are derived from jazz guitar. Rock is such a great melting pot

@micmac09

11y↑2

Des furieux comme on les aime !

@SpeegBJ

12y↑3

Um, Johnny, are you single? All the musicians in this video: any still alive, know you are the bomb for me...twins in the audience compliment the guys well.

@Earthdogbonzo3

6y↑1

This is Good! This guy makes Elvis sound like an impostor! Really fresh and exciting!

@jphillipsf

2y↑1

Lol

@NiteDriv3r

1y↑3

HE'S THE IMPOSTER ELVIS CAME BEFORE HIM

@nostalgia6578

1y↑1

@@NiteDriv3r ....and Dewey "Daddy O" Phillips discovered him in 1953. Played "That's All Right Mama" on WHBQ Memphis!

@pughoneycutt1986

It is a dam shame that all the great people that Sam Phillips had at sun so few were able to get airtime. Had they had the airtime they deserved the history of music would be very different

@AndrewNeale-go9eq

Rubbish

@hellcatBMX468

12y↑3

got this from the video and put it on to DVD it called rock baby rock it.

@Fritztoons

12y↑3

Jay Salam. My hero. Do´nt know if he´s still on stage.

@slicksnewonenow

A Picker Extrordanaire!

@johnmitchelljr

Thank you.

@crashcreole7

11y↑2

this is an early gem but how people can just upload from a mainstreem movie bugs me/look a bit harder or better still go down to the local pub and and ask them to put a rockabilly band on the bill

@mattwalker5129

10y↑6

Everything you said was right. Johnny Burnette used to chase Elvis out of his living room when they rehearsed. Elvis was 13 or 14 at the time.

@AndrewNeale-go9eq

Talking rubbish

@KeyForsat

14y

So Lovely ..

@sudaev

Billy Zoom did a very faithful cover of this, back in the day. It's here on YouTube.

@bobbyfeathers2279

12y↑3

the REAL deal!!

@matthewguzda4075

4y↑3

This is rockabilly. This is a style of music taken from country and blues at an up tempo. If you see this and think he's like the elvis, well maybe the elvis was like him? Who came first? The point is a lot of guys seemed like elvis but it's just the style of music. I mean what about Jerry lee Lewis? Hes kinda like elvis but ehh? It's up tempo music in a major key with good rhythm. Personally (and I love this music and country) there were a bunch of guys no one remembers today I liked better then the elvis. Jimmy lloyd/ Jimmy logsdon , onie wheeler, gene Vincent, a lot of guys did this music and were good at it , but everyone justa remember the elvis. Elvis career got side tracked by that col Tom character. The music he made was worse then when he first started, his movies are so forgettable I dont remember, then it just went downhill. He got into doing these big numbers "the wonder of you" is a good example, that were ok but over the top and more pop. His country roots were gone. Had elvis not had the col tom ppl in his life and played music closer to his roots hed of made better music and maybe not died on the toilet. Others who played this type music were better then the elvis but they're gone and mostly forgotten. The elvis is remembered.

@warrendelay

2y↑3

Elvis came before all that you named,, and No,,, no one did it like Elvis Before Elvis. No one!! This guy is a 100% copy cat of Elvis.

@rockinbones8508

1y↑1

@@warrendelay Yes. There were guys that were certainly doing Rockabilly, Carl Perkins and his brothers for one and the Johnny Burnette Trio, which Elvis probably copied seeing them around Memphis. Bands like Sonny Burgess and Maddox Brothers were also wild on stage but there are no early clips of these artists so we don't know for sure what they were doing live on stage

@throttlegalsmagazineaustra7361

42w

@@warrendelayCarl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Ronnie Dawson even Sid King were doing their own style if not before then at the same time as Presley. He wasn't the inventor or the first to play rockabilly, not by a long shot.

@BHAKTIBROPHY

8y↑2

This guy obviously loves Elvis... but the guitarist's solo was totally hep, Daddy-O. 😉

🎶🎸🎶

@hartmutwrith3134

8y↑1

his name is Jay Salam. An Arabic imigrant of the 1950ies. Not joking.

@dkfelix

7y↑1

No, the name is attached tothe guitar player or bass ditto - the other one being Billy Buntin whose family came over on the Mayflower as servants: Mary and Paddy O' Bointinaighn from Ireland and Sean McBoonteen from Aberdeen.

@fernandogonzalez9222

He got that elvis look

@lamper2

8y↑3

watered down rock at best. feel so sorry for the people who think this is authentic

@gerardojuarez2941

8y↑2

Cool! Thanks!!

@anthonyclegg1511

Cool.

@tonykerr865

Rockabilly

@rockinchair7762

Decca Records !

@LususSaule

If you can't afford Elvis Presley, get Johnny Carroll

@bigtoozly

12y

ahh the many hair transformations of johnny carroll

@andrewbeaumont1140

9y↑1

great hit on the london scene in the 80s real hot bppere sure to get the cats on the floor.

@dominiquefaraut998

5y↑1

Is The Movie " Rock Baby Rock It " Avaliable On DVD ?

@michaelbevins2405

Todays guitar players with all the prosessing ,some how are less players? Real rock music is gone.

@Fritztoons

12y↑1

@audrapriscilla No, no copy! He had been just Johnny. Not every rapper is copying the other nowadays.

@JamieToddBand

Looks like a Gibson ES 140 3/4 guitar.

@perarvesen3986

oh johnny carrolbluecoatman😁

@maxvigarotti7904

6y↑2

These guys rock your socks off and then when you get a new pair they get rocked off too 🤔

@jumpinup

12y

is there someone who knows which nap and guitar use the lead guitar player?

@johnr3546

Great rocker!..anyone know the name of this movie??

@francoismeuldeur7590

10y

monsieur J C him self!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@jamesd.wheeler6190

I wonder if he ever did something original!

@mkgnr1

11y↑15

why do people put singers down because they are influnced my others, you say he is like elvis ok so was cliff richard, billy fury, johnny kidd, gene vincent and a host of others so you want to put all of them down as well, so we may as well get rid of the stones and the beatles for wanting to sound like buddy and eddie in their eary days and you can just keep going hell you got to get rid of elvis as well for copying early black music,so i say just shut up and listen to them for their own music

@sandydavidson4056

and Elvis lifted a lot of his stuff from black singers, hound dog for instance and not just songs but delivery style, you can be negative and call it rip of or postive and call in influence or appreciation, people chose which perspective they wish t view things from, 1 makes em happy the other angry or sad, their choice tho

@JC-hh6il

Sandy Davidson Elvis Presley was a individual,!,He was influence by Arthur Crudup Bill Monroe Dean Martin and He mixed it up altogether,!!!

@larryeagleson3182

@@JC-hh6il And Dean Martin was heavily influenced by Bing Crosby who in turn worshiped Al Jolson.

@leeetchells609

@@larryeagleson3182 yes but there is a difference in being influenced by someone and impersonating someone! Even the clothes the hair the sideburns and the moves!
He even records " trying to get to you" just like Elvis!

@JohnnyFriendly

@@leeetchells609 Yes, this is the key point; there’s a difference between an originator, one who takes their influences and combines them with their own selves to create something new, and an imitator who simply copies. I think that's the core of people's criticism of this guy here.

2 More Replies...

@niccoarcadia4179

Where's the groupies?

@user-el2cj3db9o

Явно на Элвиса хочет быть похож

@johnleon9475

7y↑1

DID HE SING THE WORDS " SLIP YOUR LIPS ON MINE " ?

@francoismeuldeur7590

10y

@thomsen59

12y

@audrapriscilla ...who copied it from Little Richard.

@tuskedbeast

Watered down??? Okey dokeeee..........

@zammoak47

13y

why are they sitting down?!?! they should be dancing

@buzzawuzza3743

4y↑1

Elvis who?

@samsungtvset3398

Puts me in mind of Long Blonde Hair by The Crackerjacks -> https://youtu.be/9v08YFjRDiA

@SelectCircle

8y↑12

I'm sure Elvis felt really threatened by that guy. ... o_O

@mgn5667

5y↑1

lol

@AndrewNeale-go9eq

You must be joking, poor.

@SelectCircle

@@AndrewNeale-go9eq After 7 years - I don't know what I was doing.

@frankschimpke4380

leider eine sehr schlecht qualität

@hartmutwrith3134

9y↑2

Frank Schimpke Berufsnörgler???

@markusr7421

8y↑2

+Frank Schimpke welche Qualität ist "schlecht"? Bild? Ton? Mein Freund, diese Aufnahme sind 60 Jahre alt, was erwartest Du bitte???

@avantill

12y↑1

YOU DON'T THINK HE'S INFLUENCED BY ELVIS DO YOU ? LOL ! JUST A LITTLE, LOL !

@johncandy170

41w

stray cats

@hardnap

11y

He's just better

@eugeneendres5846

8y↑3

Who does this guy think he is, Elvis !?

@bingo1232

8y↑3

yesssss....he surely do the do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (got to give it up for effort!!!)

@hartmutwrith3134

he DID not think he is Elvis. He DID know he is Jhonny!

@AndrewNeale-go9eq

They all think they are Elvis

@flan453

10y↑5

Who copied whom ? Elvis or this guy ?

@john111257

9y↑1

flan453 great question, i dont know

@Mr300565

Very good question.

@javi__...

8y↑1

this song came out in 1956, a few years after elvis first record...

@dakyandell

think sun records.....a stable of musicians...Conway, Johnny, Elvis, sam perkins....all same sound! Sam Phillips controlled the sound!

@jamesd.wheeler6190

Who are we talking about nowadays?......not Johnny!

@nostalgia6578

I can't help but think that this movie clip was where they got the stereotype that white folks ain't got no rhythm. Obviously the rockabilly band was rockin' but the middle aged white folks were clapping and couldn't get with the beat! (Maybe they needed to go to Beale Street in Memphis 1957 to loosen up?) 😆🎹🎷🎸🥁

@jeangolo6755

48w

il montre un peu trop son cul m'a dit rhil pizza

@lenparis6237

10y↑2

.....part of the problem is he was too short......

@juancarloscabreramenendez7628

7y↑1

Este tío parece salido de una feria de imitadores de Elvis , que poca personalidad .

@Heartbreakin

Imitating Conway Twitty will git you no where son .

@Flippie123

12y↑3

This kid really thinks he's Elvis

@avantill

12y

HE'S A LITTLE TOO MUCH ! VERY OVERDONE BRO ! R.I.P.

@motorvating

11y↑1

You know nowt, if you new the slightest about music you would know Elvis just perfected what other white boys was already doing for several years before Elvis even got on a stage. Elvis wasn't the first, he copied those around him. If you really want to educate yourself, learn about the rock n Roll Trio, and how Elvis learned his trade from Johnny Burnette and the rock n Roll Trio

@AndrewNeale-go9eq

Talking rubbish,you no nothing about rock and roll, they all copied king Elvis.

@motorvating

@@AndrewNeale-go9eqReally lol. So Jackie Brenston and Rocket 88 released in 1951 was copying Elvis before Elvis was singing the music lol. How about Johnny Burnette and the Rock n Roll Trio? They wrote and performed Rockabilly Boogie in 1953 before Elvis had a Sun contract, but it wasn't released on vinyl until 1956. How about Real Rock Drive and Rock the Joint by Bill Haley in 1952, were they copying Elvis before Elvis sang the music lol. To see the origins of Rockabilly in particular you have to go back to people like the Delmore Brothers in 1945 with Hillbilly Boogie. You truly are ignorant of the music to the point of being thick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkjRDaoF39w

@trumanburbank6899

7y↑4

The worlds first Elvis impersonator, or worlds first cover band?
Being influenced is one thing, but you still want to maintain some originality. This guy was copying every aspect of Elvis.