Madonna Single: Crazy For You (1985)

Madonna
“Crazy For You”

Release: March 2, 1985

1. Crazy For You
2. I’ll Fall In Love Again (Sammy Hagar)

Producer: John “Jellybean” Benitez
Songwriters: John Bettis and Jon Lind

Billboard Hot 100: #1 (1 week)
UK Singles Chart: #2 (3 weeks)


Over the years, Madonna has used soundtracks as an opportunity to release singles between albums, and some of her biggest hits have been non-album singles from soundtracks. “Crazy For You” from the film Vision Quest was her first soundtrack single, yet it came at the height of her Like a Virgin popularity. Rather than distract fans, it only added to the Madonna frenzy of 1985, hitting #1 in the US just a few weeks after “Material Girl” had peaked at #2. Frequently Madonna has appeared in the films whose soundtracks have showcased her hits; in Vision Quest, she appears performing both “Crazy For You” and “Gambler” as a nightclub performer.

“Crazy For You” was also Madonna’s first major ballad, and showcased the singer using her lower vocal register, which she had experimented with during the recording of Like a Virgin. Just as he had saved Madonna by remixing many of its tracks, Madonna’s ex-boyfriend swooped in to remix the early cut of “Crazy For You,” ultimately earning production credit. While she was already established as a major pop star, “Crazy For You” broadened her appeal to adult contemporary audiences too. It was an effective contrast to the R&B/dance-oriented pop of “Like a Virgin” and “Material Girl.” The single hit #2 in Britain during the summer of 1985, overlapping in the top 10 with “Into the Groove.” “Crazy For You” was re-released in 1991 as the second British single from The Immaculate Collection, where it again peaked at #2.

The “Crazy For You” video, directed by Vision Quest director Harold Becker, is entirely clips from the film, including cuts of Madonna singing the song in the nightclub. “Crazy For You” remains one of Madonna’s most enduring early hits and can frequently be heard today on adult top 40 and adult contemporary radio stations.