"Crazy"

[alwaysamy]

Seal's "Crazy" came on the radio today as I was driving home from the RWA chapter meeting (where a retired female police officer from the Syracuse force entertained us with stories of undercover work, "hooking" for the job, and other interesting tales).

"Crazy" is one of those songs I've loved since it came out, but for years it's touched off a very specific memory for me every time I hear it. It's visceral -- if I shut my eyes (which I don't do while driving, naturally), I can be in a certain place and time.

And with this song it's riding -- no, speeding -- down a narrow, gutted rural road in the Adironacks, in the backseat of my friend's car, an open can of beer between my legs and a cigarette in my hand. Six of us (five? that's not clear anymore -- six would have been tight) were in that car that day, ostensibly hunting wildflowers for the wedding we'd come to the Adirondacks to attend. The bride was driving -- in a pair of still damp bike shorts from a dip in the green lake, and a bikini top beneath a cut-off T-shirt -- and when this song came on, she cranked it.

It was one of those perfect summer days, softly hazed with sun, the sky a rippling blue sheet, and the air full of the scent of damp earth, wildflowers, car exhaust, and lake water. The wind in the backseat was terrific, but it didn't matter -- the bride turned it up louder, and we were all singing along, shouting, heedless. There was no one around to hear.

"...we're never gonna survive unless we get a little crazy..."

Totally trite, but true that day -- four of us had drive up from Jersey the day before, without two of our husbands and two of our boyfriends, who were meeting us later on that night. We were away from the world for a long weekend, staying in a deserted church camp, with free booze, music, and food to look forward to, and we were already a little crazy. It felt like a day from summers past, with nothing to do but drink beer and smoke cigarette after cigarette, passing around the last of the Marlboro Lights and fighting each other to control the radio.

It was freedom, remembered, missed, pure wind-in-the-hair, speeding, reckless freedom, and it felt good.

Comments

[ex-fashioni.livejournal.com]

That's a beautiful memory and beautifully captured with your words.

I've been putting together a manuscript soundtrack for a friend and I actually used that song. It's an amazing song and Seal is an amazing wordsmith himself.

[amy37.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I adore Seal. And that day was just ... one of those days, you know? Surreal and sort of perfect.

[debg.livejournal.com]

What Barb said. And I adore Seal, too. One of his videos was shot here in town, at the Palace of Fine Arts; I didn't hear about it until he was gone and I sulked for DAYS.

BTW, we've been working on a SLWD cover (or, rather, Nic and Deena have). I am in love.

[amy37.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Just hit me today that I should write it down.

[sweeper-stuff.livejournal.com]

Wow! You should be like a writer or something. *grin*
HUGS!

[amy37.livejournal.com]

Heh.

::hugs you back::

[sweeper-stuff.livejournal.com]

A bunch of us are getting together next Saturday. As often happens, what I thought was going to be just a little gathering is turning into quite "a thing". Ha! So far we've got: Mercy, belmont, Swoop, Petrona & kids, Genevieve's Lucie & Girls, us and LenS.

I'll give everybody hugs & "Hi!"s for/from you!
http://www.geocities.com/sweeper12/mercyvisit.html

[amy37.livejournal.com]

Oh, please do!

[casperflea.livejournal.com]

Heh, that's one of my favorite songs - the whole album, really. I don't usually like music loud, but that one goes loud really well.

[amy37.livejournal.com]

That song really rocks when it's cranked. I love loud music, though. That's what I miss, having kids. Getting them all out of the house so I can crank it while cleaning, or whatever, is next to impossible. And it never happens when they're tiny.

[fufaraw]

That's a fantastic memory, and very well told. Took me back, a little.

[amy37.livejournal.com]

Heh. I love that icon.

[cass404.livejournal.com]

> "Crazy" is one of those songs I've loved since it came out, but for years it's touched off a very specific memory for me every time I hear it. It's visceral -- if I shut my eyes (which I don't do while driving, naturally), I can be in a certain place and time.

Gah! I was just talking to a friend that I have had forever, or twenty plus years, whichever is longer, about music memory. This one song fifteen years ago that took us back to a very specific locale and set of memories. I was kinda giddy when I knew that we were both recalling that same moment in our friendship. I mean, we've friends for a long time but that one thing brought us to this one place.

And your writing? Gorgeous.

My trying explain all that? 1 a.m. and brain sleepy.

[amy37.livejournal.com]

Thank you, love! And I got what you meant, 1 a.m. or not.