Crazy (Willie Nelson song) Crazy (Willie Nelson song) "Crazy" is a ballad composed by Willie Nelson. It has been recorded by several artists, most notably by Patsy Cline, whose version was a No. 2 country hit in 1962. Partly due to the genre-blending nature of the song, it has been covered by dozens of artists in several genres over the years; nevertheless, the song remains inextricably linked with Cline. Nelson's own version appears on his 1962 debut album "...And Then I Wrote". With some help from a friend named Oliver English, Nelson wrote the song in early 1961; at the time he was a
Crazy (Willie Nelson song) for the object of his affection. Patsy Cline was already a country music superstar and looking for material to extend a string of hits. She picked it as a follow-up to her previous big hit "I Fall to Pieces". "Crazy", its complex melody suiting Cline's vocal talent perfectly, was released in late 1961, immediately became another huge hit for Cline and widened the crossover audience she had established with her prior hits. It spent 21 weeks on the chart and eventually became one of her signature tunes. Cline's version is No. 85 on "Rolling Stone"s list of The 500 Greatest