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"Crazy" as an upbeat number in which Rusty tries to convince the coaches to see him as a credible race contender.

Written for the 1992 London revamp, "Crazy" has featured in every production since. In 2002, it was added to the German production.

Context[]

In The New Starlight Express, "Crazy" takes place half way through Act One, after Control commands the engines to find race partners (Hitching and Switching). Pearl ends up on her own, and Rusty tries to persuade her that he's "the fastest engine in the world!" The coaches get swept up in his high spirits, but they don't buy into his optimism. Pearl's happy to go with Rusty, "'til someone better comes along".

As part of the 2018 revisions, "Crazy" was moved near the start of Act One, after "Rolling Stock". The revisions reconceive Rusty and Pearl as strangers, and "Crazy" is sung before they meet. There are 3 reprises in the 2018 show: one in the same place as the 1992 version, with Rusty trying to conceive Pearl to race, with ironic/downbeat versions appearing before Make Up My Heart, and finally in Act Two, after Terrorising Rusty.

Music[]

"Crazy" has been re-orchestrated frequently, particularly in the German production. The original arrangement had a "doo-wop" feel. Later arrangements favoured modern dance music feel, before becoming alternative rock in 2018.

Aside from orchestration, however, the song has not altered significantly since its debut.

Lyrics[]

1992 London Lyrics[]

RUSTY: Where I go the rest better follow!
Look out everybody move aside!
May go now or may go tomorrow,
Hold on, I'll take you for a ride!
COACHES: Crazy - Can you believe him?
He's crazy - Love him or leave him!
He's crazy - Going crazy! Going crazy!
RUSTY: Watch me, see me hit that horizon!
PEARL: Take it slowly what you got to prove?
RUSTY:  Ride with me, you'll know you've been riding!
No one, can move the way I move!
COACHES: Crazy - Can you believe him?
He's crazy - Love him or leave him!
He's crazy - Going crazy! Going crazy!
RUSTY: You know I'm crazy yeah!
COACHES: Crazy - Can you believe him?
He's crazy - Love him or leave him!
He's crazy - Going crazy! Going crazy!
RUSTY: Hold on tight! I'll turn up the pressure
Must be right, no way it can be wrong!
You and me, go steamin' together!
PEARL: Till someone better comes along!
Oh yeah!
COACHES: Crazy - Can you believe him?
He's crazy - Love him or leave him
He's crazy - Going crazy! Going crazy!
RUSTY: You know I'm crazy - yeah!
COACHES: Crazy - Can you believe him?
He's crazy - Love him or leave him!
He's crazy - Going crazy! Go crazy!
Going crazy! Going crazy!
RUSTY: I'm just so crazy!
ALL: Going crazy!

1997 Mexico + Translation[]

Sung by Ferro (Rusty) in this production.[1]

FERRO (Spanish): Es mejor que todas me sigan RUSTY (English): It's the best if everybody follows me
¡Aguas!, abran paso y van a ver Look out! Open up and you will see
Que lo haré, digan lo que digan What I will do, say what they say
Vengan, las llevo a corer Come on, I will take you to run
COCHES: Loco; no hay que pelarlo por loco COACHES: Crazy, You can't do anything about him, he's crazy
Hay que tirarlo de a loco Give it up, he's crazy
Y más loco y más loco More Crazy and more crazy
FERRO: Me verás volar con el viento RUSTY: You will see me fly with the wind
PERLA: Calma, nada tienes que probar PEARL: Calm down, you've got nothing to prove
FERRO: Tu sabrás que en movimiento RUSTY: You know that in movement,
Nadie me puede igualar No one can do it like I can!
COCHES: Loco, no hay que pelarlo por loco COACHES: Crazy, You can't do anything about him, he's crazy
Hay que tirarlo de a loco Give it up, he's crazy
Y más loco y más loco More Crazy and more crazy
FERRO: ¿Quién yo? RUSTY: What am I?
COCHES: Loco, no hay que pelarlo por loco COACHES: Crazy, You can't do anything about him, he's crazy
Hay que tirarlo de a loco Give it up, he's crazy
Y más loco y más loco More Crazy and more crazy
FERRO: ¡Vamos las palmas todos! RUSTY: Everybody put your hands together!
COCHES: Uhh, Wap, wap, wap, wap COACHES: Uhh, wap, wap, wap, wap
Uhh, wap, wap, wap, wap Uhh, wap, wap, wap, wap
Uhh, wap, wap, wap, wap Uhh, wap, wap, wap, wap
FERRO: ¡Yeah! RUSTY: Yeah!
¡Estoy muy loco! ¡Estoy muy loco! I'm very Crazy! I'm very crazy!
Vas muy bien agárrate fuerte You will go with very strong power
Subo más fuerza del vapor Raise up the power of steam
Vamos juntos vaporizando We'll go steaming together
PERLA: En tanto llega el major PEARL: Until someone better comes
COCHES: Loco, no hay que pelarlo por loco COACHES: Crazy, You can't do anything about him, he's crazy
Hay que tirarlo de a loco (Estoy tan loco) Give it up, he's crazy (I'm so crazy!)
Y más loco y más loco (estoy tan loco) More crazy and more crazy (I'm so crazy!)
Loco, no hay que pelarlo por loco Crazy, You can't do anything about him, he's crazy
Hay que tirarlo de a loco Give it up, he's crazy
Y más loco y más loco And more crazy, and more crazy!

German Lyrics[]

RUSTY: And're sehen mich nur von hinten,
Achtung, Leute, geht mir aus der Bahn!
Du kannst keinen schnelleren finden,
Komm' mit und häng' dich bei mir an!
COACHES: Crazy!
Lass' den doch steh'n, er ist Crazy,
Kannst du nicht seh'n?
Er ist Crazy, völlig Crazy, völlig Crazy!
RUSTY: Wie der Blitz von Osten nach Westen.
PEARL: Nicht so schnell, was ist denn dein Plan?
RUSTY: Fahr' mit mir, du weißt doch am besten:
Keiner kommt jemals an mich ran!
COACHES: Crazy!
Lass' den doch steh'n, er ist Crazy,
Kannst du nicht seh'n?
Er ist Crazy, völlig Crazy, völlig Crazy!
RUSTY: You know, I'm crazy, yeah.
COACHES: (RUSTY): Crazy (Kommt schon Leute,) crazy (macht mit!),
Crazy (Hey yeah yeah yeah), crazy (wowowo yeah, you know I'm crazy yeah)
Crazy (völlig crazy), crazy (völlig crazy).
RUSTY: Ich entführ' dich in weite Ferne,
Komm, wir zieh'n das Tempo nochmal an.
Und wir dampfen ab, zu den Sternen.
PEARL: Bis einer kommt, der's besser kann.
Wow yeah.
COACHES: Crazy!
Lass' den doch steh'n, er ist Crazy,
Kannst du nicht seh'n?
Er ist Crazy, völlig Crazy, völlig Crazy!
RUSTY: You know, I'm crazy! Yeah Yeah!
COACHES: Crazy, lass' den doch steh'n,
Er ist Crazy, kannst du nicht seh'n?
RUSTY: You know, you know, you know, I'm crazy!
COACHES: Er ist Crazy, völlig Crazy, völlig Crazy!
Völlig Crazy, völlig Crazy, völlig Crazy, völlig Crazy!
RUSTY: I'm just so crazy, yeah yeah yeah,
ALL: Völlig Crazy

2017 London Workshop (Reprise) Lyrics[]

This is set before Pearl You‘re Honored

RUSTY: Let's go Pearl, 'cause race time is looming
You'll be with me when the winner's crowned
PEARL: Rusty, I don't like you assuming!
I'll let myself be pushed around!
RUSTY: Crazy!
This is the place to be crazy!
Not racing with me would be crazy!
It's okay, see?
PEARL: No, it's crazy!
Rusty, I know you and I,
We go back a long way...
RUSTY: Sure we do, it's me and you,
And that's how we'll stay.
PEARL: You think if you whistle,
You'll get me to stay,
But each time you whistle,
You push me away.
A coking smoker yesterday,
The world is moving on!
It's clean and green
And steam machines are history -
They'll soon be dead and gone!

2018 German Lyrics[]

RUSTY: Woo-woo! Woo-woo!
Keiner kann es besser als die Dampflok!
CARRIE, BELLE, DINAH: Woo-woo! Hört ihm nur zu!
Hält sich für die allergrößte Kampflok!
CONTROL: Hey da kommt Rusty!
Die allererste Lok meines Lebens, da war ich 6.
Ach der ist so knuddelig!
RUSTY: Andere sehen mich nur von hinten
Achtung Leute, geht mir aus der Bahn!
Ihr könnt keinen schnelleren finden
Kommt mit und hängt euch bei mir an!
CARRIE, BELLE, DINAH: Crazy!
Glaubt ihm kein Wort, er ist crazy.
Man sieht sofort er ist
Crazy, völlig Crazy, völlig crazy
RUSTY: Mit mir könnt ihr echt was erleben.
Denn ich tu nicht immer was ich soll
Sowas hat es lang nicht gegeben
Glaubt mir, ich roll ganz wundervoll!
CARRIE, BELLE, DINAH: Crazy!
Was er auch tut es ist crazy
Das ist kein Mut, das ist
Crazy, völlig Crazy, völlig Crazy
Crazy
Oh oh oh oh oh crazy
Oh oh oh oh oh crazy
Völlig Crazy, völlig crazy
RUSTY: Ich entführ dich in weite Fernen
Los wir zieh‘n das Tempo nochmal an!
CARRIE, BELLE, DINAH: Und wir dampfen ab zu den Sternen
RUSTY: Bis einer kommt der‘s besser kann! Yeah!
CARRIE, BELLE, DINAH: Crazy, Keiner verdient es so Crazy
Und jeder liebt ihn dafür, er ist
Crazy, völlig Crazy, völlig Crazy.
RUSTY: Ich bin so crazy yeaaaah
GREASEBALL, GANG: Crazy, klapprig und dreckig und crazy
Rostig und fettig und Crazy
Völlig Crazy, völlig crazy
ALL: Crazy!
Glaubt ihm kein Wort er ist crazy
Man sieht sofort er ist crazy
Völlig Crazy, völlig crazy
RUSTY: Ich bin so crazy yeah, völlig Crazy!

2018 German Lyrics Translation[]

RUSTY: Woo-woo! Woo-woo!
Nobody can do it better like the steam train!
BELLE/CARRIE/DINAH Woo-woo! Listen to him,
He pretends he is the greatest fight train!
CONTROL: Hey, here comes Rusty the steam train!
The very first locomotive of my life, I was six.
He‘s so cute!
RUSTY: Others only see me from behind
Be careful guys, get out of my way!
You can’t find anyone faster than me
Come with me and hang onto me!
DINAH, BELLE, CARRIE: Crazy!
Don’t believe a word, he‘s crazy
You can see right away he‘s crazy
Completely crazy, completely crazy
RUSTY: With me you can experience something
Cause I don’t always do what I‘m supposed to
Someone like me hasn’t been here in a long time
Believe me, I‘m rolling wonderfully!
DINAH, BELLE, CARRIE: Crazy!
That’s not courage, that’s crazy
Whatever he’s doing, it’s crazy,
Completely crazy, completely crazy
Crazy,
Oh oh oh oh oh, crazy
Oh oh oh oh oh crazy
Completely crazy, completely crazy
RUSTY: I‘ll take you far away
Let‘s take the pace up again
DINAH, BELLE, CARRIE: And we steam off to the stars
RUSTY: 'Till someone better comes along!
DINAH, BELLE, CARRIE: Crazy, ???, he's crazy
And everyone loves him for that, he’s crazy
Completely crazy, completely crazy
GREASEBALL, GANG, NATIONALS: Crazy, rickety, dusty and crazy,
Filthy and rusty and crazy,
Completely crazy, completely crazy
ALL: Crazy!
Don’t believe a word, he’s crazy
Completely crazy, completely crazy
Completely crazy, completely crazy
RUSTY: I‘m so crazy yeah, completely crazy!

2018 German (Reprise) Lyrics + Translation[]

RUSTY: Pearl komm mit, jetzt startet das Rennen Pearl come with me, now the race starts
Häng‘ dich dran wir fahren alle um! Hang onto me, well knock them all down
PEARL: Rusty, langsam musst du erkennen Rusty, you slowly have to realize
Mich stößt man nicht so leicht herum! I‘m not easily being pushed around!
RUSTY: Crazy! Crazy!
Wir sind ein Paar, sei nicht crazy We’re a pair, don’t be crazy
Nicht mit mir zu fahren wär crazy, Not racing with me would be crazy
Völlig Crazy, Completely crazy
PEARL: Gar nicht crazy! Not crazy at all!
Ich mag dich sehr gern I like you very much
Aber mehr ist da nicht But that’s all there is to it
RUSTY: Merkst du nicht, wir sind viel mehr Don‘t you notice, we’re so much more
Als nur du und ich? Than just you and I?
PEARL: Du meinst wenn du pfeifst You think if you whistle,
Komm ich bald wieder her, I come to you soon
Du bist so veraltet, You’re so out of date,
So ist das nicht mehr, That’s not how things are anymore,
Dein Rauch und auch dein Kohlenstaub Your smoke and your coal dust
Sind heut‘ nicht mehr gewollt. Are no longer wanted today.
Die Welt ist grün und Dampfmaschinen The world‘s green and steam machines
Sind doch völlig alt und überholt! Are completely old and outdated!

2024 Wembley Lyrics[]

RUSTY: Woo-woo! Woo-woo!
Nobody can do it like a steam train!
COACHES: "Woo-woo!" Listen to you!
Yet another living-in-a-dream train!
CONTROL Hey, it's Rusty! My dad's old steam engine!
Let's see if he still works!
RUSTY: Ride with me, get in on the action
Had enough of doing what I'm told
Gonna be the new main attraction
Crazy, but that's the way I roll!
Crazy! Can you believe me? I'm crazy!
Love me and leave me, I'm crazy!
Going crazy, going crazy!
Crazy! Can you believe him? He's crazy!
Love him and leave him, he's crazy!
Going crazy, going crazy!
Woo-woo! Woo-woo! Wooo!
Crazy!
You know I'm crazy, yeah! Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! Crazy!
Going crazy! Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! Crazy!
Going crazy, yeah! Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! Crazy!
Hold on tight, I'll turn up the pressure!
Must be right, no way it can be wrong!
You and me go steaming together!
GREASEBALL & CHAMPIONS: 'Til someone better comes along!
Ye-a-a-a-ah!
COACHES, GREASEBALL & CHAMPIONS: Crazy!
Rugged and busted!
He's crazy!
Dirty and rusted!
He's crazy!
Going crazy, going crazy!
Ohhhh!
Crazy! Can you believe him? He's crazy!
Love him and leave him, he's crazy!
You know, you know, you know I'm crazy! Going crazy, going crazy!
I'm going crazy! Going crazy, going crazy!
You know I'm crazy! Going crazy, going crazy!
I'm going crazy! Going crazy!

2024 Wembley (Reprise) Lyrics[]

RUSTY: Let's go Pearl, 'cause race time is looming
You'll be with me when the winner's crowned
PEARL: Rusty, I don't like you assuming!
I'll let myself be pushed around!
RUSTY: Crazy!
This is the place to be crazy!
Not racing with me would be crazy!
It's okay, see?
PEARL: No, it's crazy!
I know you and I
Get along in a way
RUSTY: Sure we do, it's me and you,
And that's how we'll stay.
PEARL: You think when you whistle
The world shuts away
You don't get it do you
Steam's had its day...

Videos[]

Crazy_-_TV_performance,_2009

Crazy - TV performance, 2009

Kevin Kohler as Rusty, Crazy.

Crazy_-_Childs_Dream_German_TV_2007

Crazy - Childs Dream German TV 2007

Crazy_-_Kevin_Kohler_Open_Day_2013

Crazy - Kevin Kohler Open Day 2013

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

In Arlene Phillips' choreography, the coaches form a train twice during the song. In some productions the order for the first time is Pearl, Ashley, Dinah, and Buffy; the second time the girls are in the same order, but reversed. The second formation mirrors how passenger cars were ordered on some trains: first-class cars were at the back, with lower class closer to the engine: Pearl and Ashley are behind Dinah while Buffy is in the front. Also, Pearl, as an observation car, is at the back of the train. Dining cars were used to separate the classes on the trains.espee.railfan.net

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