Summer of 2006…the only song you heard ANYWHERE was “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley. The song was so prevalent, that while at Lollapalooza that August, no less than three bands performed it as part of their sets – The Raconteurs, Violent Femmes and, of course, Gnarls Barkley. Cee Lo Green has one of the greatest soul voices (especially on this song), and his slot with Barkley-mate Danger Mouse was one of the weekend’s most anticipated sets. The song was a worldwide number one smash and it set and broke all kinds of download records in the then-burgeoning world of digital music. One would think it would be pretty hard to top Gnarl’s version of the song, but soul legend Bettye LaVette has recorded it for one of the most satisfying records released all year, her ”Thankful N’ Thoughtful” album, and she nails it. LaVette’s career began all the way back in 1962 with the top-ten hit “My Man – He’s A Lovin’ Man” and the 1965 top-twenty hit “Let Me Down Easy,” before sinking into obscurity for forty years. Since 2005 she’s recorded four excellent albums for the Anti record label, mostly consisting of well-chosen covers by her and her producer Craig Street. This is her inventive take of the now-classic Gnarls track, hear her make it her own for yourself.
