Crazy Rhythm
Johnny Mercer Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Crazy rhythm, here's the doorway
I'll go my way, you'll go your way
Crazy rhythm, from now on we're through

Here is where we have a showdown
I'm too high hat, you're too lowdown
Crazy rhythm, here's goodbye to you
They say that when a highbrow meets a lowbrow
Walking along Broadway
Soon the highbrow, he has no brow
Ain't it a shame, and you're to blame

What's the use of prohibition?




You produce the same condition
Crazy rhythm, I've gone crazy, too

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Johnny Mercer's song Crazy Rhythm are centered around the theme of breakups and the end of a relationship. The opening line of the song “Crazy rhythm, here's the doorway” conveys the idea that the relationship has reached a point where there is no way forward, and it is time for both parties to go their separate ways. The phrase “Crazy rhythm” can also be seen as a metaphor for the erratic nature of the relationship, which has led to its eventual demise.


The second verse “They say that when a highbrow meets a lowbrow, Walking along Broadway, Soon the highbrow, he has no brow, Ain't it a shame, and you're to blame” can be interpreted as a commentary on social class and how it affects relationships. The "highbrow" and "lowbrow" refer to individuals from different social classes, and the phrase "he has no brow" suggests that the highbrow has lost his sense of superiority and distinction while interacting with the lowbrow. The final verse “What's the use of prohibition? You produce the same condition, Crazy rhythm, I've gone crazy, too” implies that the relationship was ultimately unsustainable and would have failed regardless of any external factors.


Line by Line Meaning

Crazy rhythm, here's the doorway
I've reached a turning point in our relationship, it's the end of the road


I'll go my way, you'll go your way
We've decided to part ways and pursue our separate paths


Crazy rhythm, from now on we're through
Our relationship has come to an end, there's no going back


Here is where we have a showdown
This is the moment of truth, we need to face our differences and make a decision


I'm too high hat, you're too lowdown
I'm too proud and you're too humble, we're just not compatible


Crazy rhythm, here's goodbye to you
I'm saying goodbye to you and moving on with my life


They say that when a highbrow meets a lowbrow
Some people believe that opposites attract


Walking along Broadway
Strolling through the city streets


Soon the highbrow, he has no brow
The highbrow loses their sense of superiority when they fall in love with a lowbrow


Ain't it a shame, and you're to blame
It's regrettable, and you're responsible for the outcome


What's the use of prohibition?
What's the point of trying to stop something?


You produce the same condition
Trying to control something often leads to the same result


Crazy rhythm, I've gone crazy, too
My thoughts and feelings are all over the place, I'm struggling to cope




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Irving Caesar, Joseph Meyer, Roger Wolfe Kahn

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

JACKJOHN HAMELD

The song belongs to Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald. Johnny Mercer born in Georgia had the right voice.
*Bright Star, Green Light: The Beautiful and Damned Lives of John Keats and F Scott Fitzgerald*.
A new book by the brilliant Jonathan Bates (2021) everyone's talking about.

More Versions