Mama Weer All Crazee Now by Slade

Album: Slayed (1972)

Charted: 1 76

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

This was originally the work of bassist Jim Lea; it was the first tune he wrote completely on his own. However, his writing partner Noddy Holder was responsible for the lyrics, standing on the stage after a typically boisterous London show and surveying the smashed seating left in the auditorium. "I thought everyone must have been crazy tonight," he later said.
The song was originally titled "My My We're All Crazy Now." The title was changed by their manager Chas Chandler, and the intentional misspelling became a Slade trademark years before Prince adopted a similar convention. Some of their other hits were "Look wot You Dun," "Cum On Feel The Noize" and "Skweeze Me Pleeze Me."
In the UK Slade enjoyed 16 Top 10 hits including six #1s. They didn't enjoy the same success in the US, where their biggest hit was "Run Runaway," which peaked at #20 in 1984. They had just one other American Top 40: "My Oh My" (#37) also in 1984.
The American metal band Quiet Riot broke big with a cover of Slade's "Cum On Feel The Noize" in 1983. For their next album, they did "Mama Weer All Crazee Now," issuing it as the first single. It reached #51, marking their last Hot 100 appearance. "We were already getting the stigma of, 'You had a hit with somebody else's song,'" their drummer, Frankie Banali, said in a Songfacts interview. "I could see the writing on the wall coming on that one."
Slade recorded "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" with Jimi Hendrix producer Chas Chandler. The creative producer used a primal howl that Holder made during a vocal warm-up and put it in the song before the first verse.

"The record was laid down with the four of us together, the way The Beatles had done it, usually on a first or second take," Holder remembered to Louder. "We were all in the same room, partitioned off but playing together as a band. I would be in a booth playing and singing live, and quite often it was the first time the band had heard me singing it. It was only then that they knew what a song was about – sometimes it was quite a shock. Any little mistakes could be patched up and the guitars double-tracked, but those recordings had a real sense of feel and spontaneity."

Holder added he didn't plan to sing "Mama, mama, mama, mama, mama, mama, mama... yeah" at the end of the song instead of the chorus. "That became another hook, particularly on stage," he enthused. "Chas said: 'Keep it, keep it, keep it!' Another lucky accident."

Comments: 14

George Pope from Vancouver BcNo mention of how Quiet Riot did this one & "Cum on Feel the Noize" -- correcting the misspelled titles?
Sandwich from London, United KingdomOnly between 1972 and 1984 would
Slade's biggest U.S. hit have been "Gudbuy T' Jane" (which peaked at #68). In 1984 "Run Runaway" peaked at #20 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and spent two weeks at #1 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Charts.
Garth from San Diego, CaSlade were the quinessential "good time" band. No drugs, a little booze and a hell of a good time. I saw them on four occasions as a teenager in the 70s in England.
Noddy Holder had a voice like broken glass but man, could he belt out a tune.
Basic back beat rock and roll and a few very good ballads thrown in for good measure.
In there hayday they had number 1 after number 1 in the UK. with a few of their songs going straight to number 1 upon release.
As a teenager I had all their albums and singles until the album Nobodys Fools.
My favorite album was Slade Alive and my favorite song was Get Down and Get With It - which was usually their closing number in concert.
Any cover version by Quiet Riot etc is a pale shadow of the raw energy that Slade put forth on stage and in many of their studio songs.
Their image was 70's glam rock but their sound was ass kicking, good time, rock and roll.
I encourage anyone who hasn't checked them out to do so, especially their ealier stff. You won't be disappointed.

Slade Rules O.K.
Percy from Melbourne, AustraliaI read in an interview years ago that Noddy Holder was John Lennon's favourite rock singer of all time.
As with everything else Lennon says, I agree totally.
Erik from Bloomfield Hills, Mi"I don't like to drink my whiskey but still do." Sounds like a cry for help to me.
Erik from Bloomfield Hills, MiQuiet Riot didn't want to do the Slade covers. They didn't even want to do "Cum On Feel The Noize", but their manager insisted, and he kept on having them do more Slade covers after they hit it big COFTN.
Brian from Uk, Englandslade best there is, drew go and buy an album of slade they are fantastic
Ray from Palm Bay, Idwent to see slade open up for zz top in the mid 70's. Slade was bood off the stage,and their guitarist dave hill came back out, stood on top of his amp stack and with volumes turned all the way up, cranked out a mean solo that left everyone stunned ! i went to see them, not zz top and was so mad that the crowd did not know them and let them play. ray. palm bay, fl
Nosferatufullattacke from Amazon, OtherThere is also a mama's boys cover for this song in 1984 and it is also good with electro-fiddle solos. But slade vocal is better than all!
Billie from Stuttgart, GermanySlade rocked and Quiet Riot simply aped them.
Steve from Solihull, EnglandIf you've never heard Slade's versions, I would recommend that you check them out. Nobody has a voice like Noddy Holder's.
Steve from Solihull, EnglandThe hit Far Far Away is from their movie Flame. It contains the classic line 'I've had a red-light off-the-wrist, without me even being kissed'.
I'll leave the readers to ascertain what that means.
Vera from Metz, MoThe bigest Slades success is the song "faraway"
Drew from Butler, NjI never heard Slade do this tune, wasn't it made popular by Quiet Riot, as was Cum On Feel the Noize. Maybe Slade wrote it, but I never heard their versions of these tunes. As I recall their most popular tune was Run Run Away. Or at least, the one I heard most often back in those days.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Wrecking BallMiley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus didn't write "Wrecking Ball" but could very much relate to it. She was having problems in her relationship with Liam Hemsworth, so the theme of giving your love only to have it wrecked really resonated with her.

Just A GirlNo Doubt

Gwen Stefani wrote "Just a Girl" as a message to her overprotective father.

Bitter Sweet SymphonyThe Verve

"Bittersweet Symphony" by The Verve samples an obscure orchestral arrangement of the 1965 Rolling Stones song "The Last Time." The Verve had to sign away most of the royalties before they could release the song.

Midnight RiderThe Allman Brothers Band

A roadie for the Allman Brothers came up with the line "The road goes on forever" for "Midnight Rider," and got a songwriting credit for his contribution.

WomanizerBritney Spears

"Womanizer" was Britney Spears' comeback song, going to #1 about 10 months after she was institutionalized to get treatment for addictions and mental health issues.

Video Killed The Radio StarBuggles

"Video Killed The Radio Star" by Buggles was the first video to air on MTV when the network started broadcasting on August 1, 1981.