Seriously, Let's Go Crazy

His androgyny sometimes

made me uncomfortable,

the frilly shirts, the wild

hair, the beauty mark,

the willingness to create

the 1989 Batman movie soundtrack.

Who didn’t Bat-Dance their

way into 1990?

I remember seeing the

footage of him on American

Bandstand from 1979 or 1980

and being a little concerned as

his look and sound defied the

norms of the time.

Plus he was tiny.

I mean he was a tiny guy.

He was only 5’, 2”.

He was pocket sized.

But the music was without

dimension.

We all partied like it was 1999

and felt the heat of Darling Nikki,

we heard the sound of doves crying,

and wore raspberry berets in little red

corvettes and heard Tom Jones cover

Kiss.

I’ll admit I got the chills this

morning as my local radio station

played Let’s Go Crazy. The D.J. implored

the listening audience to roll their windows

down in their cars and turn the radio up

to collectively celebrate the musical experience.

I turned it up.

I celebrated. 

The things that once made me uncomfortable

were long gone and I have enjoyed the person

without the reservations and misunderstandings

of youthful ignorance.

That’s the power of true music

to transcend and elevate us into something

better. That’s the point of any art really.

The betterment of us all through the unique

perspective of a single individual.

It’s a sacred gift, and I do mourn it’s loss.

Now, seriously,

Let’s Go Crazy!

Let’s Get Nuts!

Woo!

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