On this day in 1984: Prince and the Revolution started a two week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with ‘Let’s Go Crazy’, his second U.S. #1, and a #7 hit in the U.K. It was the opening track on both the album and in the film Purple Rain.
Common to much of Prince’s writing, the song is thought to be exhortation to follow Christian ethics, with the “De-elevator” of the lyrics being a metaphor for the Devil. The extended “Special Dance Mix” of the song was performed in a slightly edited version in the film Purple Rain. It contains a longer instrumental section in the middle that includes a chugging guitar riff, an atonal piano solo and some muddled samples of the spoken word intro.
The song was also notable for opening with a funeral-like organ solo with Prince giving the “eulogy” for “this thing called life.” The introduction’s words are overlapped with each other on the single version. The song climaxes with a distinctive drum machine pattern and then features heavy guitar outro leads, electronic drums, bass and whirring synthesizers and a climatic drum outro. The song is also known for its two guitar solos both performed by Prince.
Let’s take a look at the Top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day in 1984:
1 2 LET’S GO CRAZY –•– Prince & The Revolution (Warner Brothers)-9 (1 Week at #1) (1)
2 1 MISSING YOU –•– John Waite (EMI-America)-15 (1)
3 5 DRIVE –•– The Cars (Elektra)-9 (3)
4 3 SHE BOP –•– Cyndi Lauper (Portrait)-11 (3)
5 9 I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU –•– Stevie Wonder (Motown)-7 (5)
6 4 WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT –•– Tina Turner (Capitol)-20 (1)
7 7 THE WARRIOR –•– Scandal Featuring Patty Smyth (Columbia)-14 (7)
8 8 THE GLAMOROUS LIFE –•– Sheila E. (Warner Brothers)-16 (8)
9 10 CRUEL SUMMER –•– Bananarama (London)-11 (9)
10 11 COVER ME –•– Bruce Springsteen (Columbia)-8 (10)
11 6 IF THIS IS IT –•– Huey Lewis & The News (Chrysalis)-11 (6)
12 14 HARD HABIT TO BREAK Chicago (Full Moon / Warner Brothers)-9 (12)
13 16 LUCKY STAR –•– Madonna (Sire)-6 (13)
14 17 WHEN YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES –•– Night Ranger (MCA / Camel)-12 (14)
15 22 CARIBBEAN QUEEN (No More Love On The Run) –•– Billy Ocean (Jive)-8 (15)
16 15 DYNAMITE –•– Jermaine Jackson (Arista)-11 (15)
17 19 TORTURE –•– The Jacksons (Epic)-7 (17)
18 12 STUCK ON YOU –•– Lionel Richie (Motown)-15 (3)
19 13 GHOSTBUSTERS –•– Ray Parker, Jr. (Arista)-16 (1)
20 25 THE LUCKY ONE –•– Laura Branigan (Atlantic)-9 (20)
21 21 WE’RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT –•– Twisted Sister (Atlantic)-10 (21)
22 29 I’M SO EXCITED –•– The Pointer Sisters (Planet)-25 (22)
23 26 THERE GOES MY BABY –•– Donna Summer (Geffen)-8 (23)
24 32 ON THE DARK SIDE –•– Eddie & The Cruisers / John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band (Scotti Brothers)-16 (24)
25 27 GO INSANE –•– Lindsey Buckingham (Elektra)-10 (25)
26 28 ARE WE OURSELVES? –•– The Fixx (MCA)-7 (26)
27 31 SOME GUYS HAVE ALL THE LUCK –•– Rod Stewart (Warner Brothers)-6 (27)
28 18 LIGHTS OUT –•– Peter Wolf (EMI-America)-12 (12)
29 33 BOP ‘TIL YOU DROP –•– Rick Springfield (RCA)-7 (29)
30 35 SWEPT AWAY –•– Diana Ross (RCA)-5 (30)
