I'll Go Crazy (James Brown song)

"I'll Go Crazy"
"I'll Go Crazy"
Single by James Brown and The Famous Flames
from the album Live at the Apollo
A-side	"Lost Someone"
Released	January 1966
Recorded	October 24, 1962, Apollo Theater, New York, NY
Genre	Rhythm and blues
Length	2:10
Label	King; 6020
Songwriter(s)	James Brown
Producer(s)	James Brown
James Brown charting singles chronology

"I'll Go Crazy"
"I'll Go Crazy"
Single by James Brown and The Famous Flames
from the album Think!
B-side	"I Know It's True"
Released	1960
Recorded	1959
Studio	King Studios, Cincinnati, OH
Genre	Rhythm and blues
Length	2:05
Label	Federal; 12369
Songwriter(s)	James Brown
Producer(s)	Unknown
James Brown charting singles chronology
Audio video
	"I'll Go Crazy" on YouTube

"I'll Go Crazy" is a rhythm and blues song recorded by James Brown and The Famous Flames. Released as a single in 1960, it was Brown's fourth R&B hit, charting at #15.^[1] Brown and the Flames also performed it as the first song on their 1963 album Live at the Apollo.

The Live at the Apollo performance of "I'll Go Crazy" was also later released as the B-side of a single in 1966, backed with "Lost Someone" (also from the live album). It charted #38 R&B and #73 Pop.This live version was the last song featuring The Famous Flames to chart.

Personnel

James Brown – lead vocal

and the Famous Flames:

Bobby Byrd – vocals
Bobby Bennett – vocals
Baby Lloyd Stallworth - vocals
Johnny Terry – vocals
Willie Johnson – vocals

with the James Brown Band:

J.C. Davis – tenor saxophone
Bobby Roach – guitar
Bernard Odum – bass guitar
Nat Kendrick – drums

plus:

Sonny Thompson – piano
James McGary – alto saxophone^[2]

Chart performance

Chart (1960)	Peak position
US Hot R&B Sides (Billboard)	15

Chart (1966)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100^[3]	73
US Top Selling Rhythm & Blues Singles (Billboard)^[4]	38

Cover versions

"I'll Go Crazy" has inspired cover versions by many different artists, including:

Tommy James and the Shondells released a cover version of the song on their debut album, Hanky Panky.
The Rolling Stones
The Kingsmen
The Blues Magoos
The Residents
The Moody Blues^[5]
The Buckinghams
Chris Isaak
Jerry Garcia and David Grisman
Buddy Guy
The Nighthawks
Tommy Quickly
Graham Bonnet
Delfini
The Honeycombs live in Tokyo
Clarence Clemons.

Popular culture

It was performed by Dan Aykroyd in the actor's tribute to Brown on his induction at the 2003 Kennedy Center Honors.
This song was used on the Late Show with David Letterman as theme music for the "Who Said It?" segment.

References

^ White, Cliff (1991). "Discography". In Star Time (pp. 54–59) [CD booklet]. New York: PolyGram Records.
^ Leeds, Alan, and Harry Weinger (1991). "Star Time: Song by Song". In Star Time (pp. 46–53) [CD booklet]. New York: PolyGram Records.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 115.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 84.
^ Eder, Bruce. "The Moody Blues: The Magnificent Moodies". www.allmusic.com. Retrieved 4 January 2022.