The Blues Magoos were a music group which hailed from the Bronx, New York. … Read Full Bio ↴The Blues Magoos were a music group which hailed from the Bronx, New York. The band was formed in 1964 as "The Trenchcoats". The original members were Emil Thielhelm aka Peppy Castro (vocals and guitar), Dennis LaPore (lead guitar), Ralph Scala (organ and vocals), Ronnie Gilbert (bass) and John Finnegan (drums). The band made a name for itself in various clubs in Greenwich Village. By 1966 the band had changed its name to fit in with the psychedelic vibe of the times - they first changed their name to the Bloos Magoos, though they changed that to the more conventional Blues Magoos. They also made some line-up changes, bringing in Mike Esposito as lead guitarist, and Geoff Daking as drummer.

Like their name, the group's sound was of the psychedelic variety. They released singles on smaller labels, like Ganim Records and Verve Records, but those singles did not gain the band much recognition. However, Mercury Records signed the band to a record deal in late 1966 and the group's debut album, Psychedelic Lollipop was released shortly thereafter. It was one of the first records to contain the word "Psychedelic" on the sleeve (along with the 13th Floor Elevators' The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators).

The group's biggest song, "(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet" was released as a single in 1967, with "Gotta Get Away" as the b-side. The song hit number 5 on the US charts, although it did not fare nearly as well in the UK. The next single by the Blues Magoos, "There's A Chance We Can Make It," was only a minor hit, with its b-side "Pipe Dream" actually charting higher (though neither side hit the top 40). After one more minor chart single with "One By One," subsequent singles were largely ignored by record buyers. Neither of the two albums released after Psychedelic Lollipop, Electric Comic Book (1967) and Basic Blues Magoos (1968), had much success. By 1968, the band was discouraged and they split up.

The group's management had other plans. The band was signed to ABC Records, but most of the members did not go along with this plan. Only Castro agreed and started up a revamped Blues Magoos, with Eric Katz, Richie Dickon, John Leillo and Roger Eaton. In 1969, the band completed Never Goin' Back To Georgia, but that release did not attract public attention either. Eaton left the band, and the other Blues Magoos used session musicians for the follow up Gulf Coast Bound. It did poorly as well and though the Magoos struggled for another two years, they eventually parted ways. In 1981, Castro resurfaced with the group Balance.

The original group's output on CD is now complete. Repertoire has released their three albums in deluxe digi-packages with detailed liner notes. Each CD has bonus tracks which include mono versions of single releases, fan club exclusives, and obscure early recordings. Additionally, Collectibles still has the doubled-up "Lollipop/Comic Book" CD for sale and Mercury's "Kaliedoscopic Compendium" anthology is still available as well. The post-1969 group's output has not been released on CD to date.

After a stint with the rock musical Hair and recording with Mercury label mate Exuma (Tony McKay), Peppy Castro formed Barnaby Bye with fellow cast members Bobby and Billy Alessi. The group released two albums on Atlantic Records, Room to Grow (1972) and Touch (1973). In 1981, Castro resurfaced again with the group Balance whose song "Breaking Away" reached No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In July 2008, the Blues Magoos with original members Ralph Scala, Castro and Geoff Daking reunited for the first time in years for two concerts, including one with The Zombies at the Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza in New York City. In December 2009 they traveled to Spain for the Purple Weekend festival.

In 2014, The Blues Magoos released their first new album in 43 years, titled Psychedelic Resurrection. The Blues Magoos toured in 2015.

I'll Go Crazy
The Blues Magoos Lyrics

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If you leave me, I'll go crazy
If you leave me, I'll go crazy]Cause I love you... I love you
Oh, I love you too much

If you quit me, I'll go crazy
If you forget me, I'll go crazy
'Cause I love you... I love you
I love you too much

You got to live for yourself
For yourself and nobody else
You got to live for yourself
For yourself and nobody else (Yeah!)

If you leave me I'll go crazy
If you forget me I'll go crzy
Cause I love you, I love you
I love you too much

You got to live for yourself
For yourself and nobody else
You got to live for yourself
For yourself and nobody else

If you quit me I'll gocrazy
If you forget me I'll go crazy

'Cause I love you, I love you
I love you too much...Yeaah!

Overall Meaning

In "I'll Go Crazy," The Blues Magoos sing about their intense love for someone and how it drives them to the brink of insanity. The lyrics are straightforward and repetitive, emphasizing the singer's desperation and fear of losing the one they love. The chorus, "If you leave me, I'll go crazy," is repeated multiple times throughout the song, creating a haunting and almost obsessive quality to the lyrics.

The clarity of the lyrics and the catchy, upbeat melody of the song suggest that The Blues Magoos are aware of the irony in their words. They sing about love driving them to madness, all while creating a joyful and danceable track. The line "You got to live for yourself" stands out in contrast to the rest of the lyrics, almost like a warning not to let love consume you completely.

Overall, the lyrics to "I'll Go Crazy" are a testament to the power of love and the fear of losing it. The repetitive chorus and upbeat melody add a layer of irony and humor to the otherwise serious topic.

Line by Line Meaning

If you leave me, I'll go crazy
I can't live without you, my life revolves around you and if you're not there, I'll lose my mind

Cause I love you... I love you
My love for you is so strong that I have to repeat it, I can't contain it

Oh, I love you too much
My love for you is overwhelming, it's too much for me to handle

If you quit me, I'll go crazy
If you break up with me, I won't be able to handle it, I'll go insane

If you forget me, I'll go crazy
If you stop thinking about me or stop loving me, I'll lose my sanity

You got to live for yourself
You need to prioritize your own happiness and wellbeing

For yourself and nobody else
Don't live your life to please others, live it for yourself

If you leave me I'll go crazy
My existence revolves around you, if you're not in my life, I'll go mad

If you forget me I'll go crazy
My love for you is so intense that if you ever forget about me, I'll lose my mind

Cause I love you, I love you
There's no denying my love for you, it's so strong and pure

I love you too much
My love for you is boundless, it knows no limits

Yeah!
An exclamation of strong emotion and passion

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMES BROWN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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