Crazy Cool by Paula Abdul

Album: Head over Heels (1995)

Charted: 58

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

This raunchy declaration of love was penned by the songwriters Peter Lord, Jeffrey Smith and Sandra St. Victor for Paula Abdul's third album, Head over Heels. The trio, who had their own band called the Family Stand, had previously worked with Abdul in 1991 on her second album, Spellbound. Peter Lord told Songfacts that Abdul progressed between the two albums. "She was even more confident in the studio, stronger vocally and we also had a wonderful working relationship," he said.
MTV deemed the official video - in which Abdul pours beer over her chest while riding a mechanical rodeo bull - too promiscuous, and demanded a cleaner version from director Matthew Rolston. The video is all Paula, with no backup dancers to distract from her pole dancing, mechanical bull exploits, and whatever she's doing with that guitar (looks like she's trying to play Guitar Hero with it).
Head over Heels marked Abdul's return to the music business after battling bulimia. It was her last album release.

Comments: 1

Historian from East Coast, UsaThe MTV censorship came at a time when MTV was taking A LOT of heat over their music video and animated content, They threw Paula's video on the bonfire as a sacrificial goat. For starters, Paula wasn't exactly the type of artist MTV paid any attention to back in those days, and by making a bunch of noise about refusing to show her video, they were trying to propitiate the self-appointed guardians (Tipper Gore, anyone?) into leaving them alone.
Happily, BTV put the video in heavy rotation and thus saved America from itself.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

I SwearAll-4-One

"I Swear" was a #1 country hit for John Michael Montgomery before All-4-One made it a #1 pop hit.

I Won't Back DownTom Petty

"I Won't Back Down" is a very personal song for Tom Petty. "I thought it wasn't that good because it was so naked," he said.

MargaritavilleJimmy Buffett

"Margaritaville" is a state of mind, but it's most associated with Key West, Florida, where Jimmy Buffett moved when he was 24.

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On MeElton John

Recording "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me," Elton John was frustrated and sang the line "don't discard me" with an exaggerated American accent, which is why is sounds strange.

Cult of PersonalityLiving Colour

"Cult of Personality" by Living Colour incorporates speeches by John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Street HassleLou Reed

Lou Reed's 11-minute "Street Hassle" features a spoken part by Bruce Springsteen.

Editor's Picks

Stephen Christian of AnberlinSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer/lyricist for Anberlin breaks down "Impossible" and covers some tracks from their 2012 album Vital.

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.

Art Alexakis of EverclearSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer of Everclear, Art is also their primary songwriter.

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)Songwriter Interviews

Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai were two of Graham's co-writers for some '80s rock classics.

They Might Be GiantsSongwriter Interviews

Who writes a song about a name they found in a phone book? That's just one of the everyday things these guys find to sing about. Anything in their field of vision or general scope of knowledge is fair game. If you cross paths with them, so are you.

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many SongsSong Writing

For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.