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A famous philosopher once said that adversity is the key to success. In the case of songwriters, that philosopher might have added-”adversity-plus talent-breeds success.” And in the case of Willie Nelson-all of the above certainly applies. Willie has proven-more than once-that he has enough talent for an entire neighborhood and he could write a book on adversity.
Most songwriters have a reason for writing their songs. A lot of songs are pages from the lives of writers-about his wife-or his ex-wife-his love life-or the lack of a love life-or a million and one other stories. But most of those stories-and songs—have to do with love-at some stage in their life—in one form or another.
Willie Nelson said he never really had a reason for writing “Crazy,” a song that became the signature song for Patsy Cline and a country music standard. But “Crazy” could have been a reflection of Willie’s place in life at the time he wrote it. It was one of those songs he wrote soon after moving to Nashville, Tennessee. And as the story goes in the business of songwriting, the first several artists Willie pitched to song to were not the least bit interested in recording it. Willie was in Nashville without his family and with very little money. He could barely afford to move himself-much less bring his family with him. He had hoped to make enough money from his music to relocate his family to Music City but things just weren’t working out.
In the eyes of his critics, Willie must have been “Crazy” to keep trying the “Crazy” music business! Soon after finishing the song, he gave a tape copy to Patsy Cline’s husband, Charlie Dick. Although Dick loved the song, Patsy did not and there was no way she’d ever record it. Later, Willie personally pitched the song to Patsy and again, she flatly refused to have anything to do with it.
But as in the music business-as in life in general-all things are subject to change and sometimes when you least expect it. “Crazy” was pitched to Patsy’s record producer, Owen Bradley, who thought the song was made for Patsy and he informed her that she WOULD record the song. As was he case of most Patsy Cline recording sessions, the battle between she and Bradley was on – but Owen being the boss – he had the final say – and he finally said that Patsy Cline WOULD record “Crazy.”
Patsy was unable to perfect her voice on the first record session, as she was still healing from broken ribs suffered in a car crash several weeks earlier. But a week later, she was back in the studio and this time her vocal version of “Crazy” was heard round the world! Willie Nelson said that “Crazy” went from being a song that he never really cared for to being his favorite of all the songs he’d written! And his critics no longer called him “Crazy” for sticking with songwriting.
“Crazy” entered the country music charts November 13th, 1961. It has been reported that it is the song most-played in any juke box.