The Closest Thing to Crazy explained

The Closest Thing to Crazy
Cover:	Katie Melua - The Closest Thing to Crazy.JPG
Type:	single
Artist:	Katie Melua
Album:	Call Off the Search
Length:	4:11
Label:	Dramatico
Producer:	Mike Batt
Next Title:	Call Off the Search
Next Year:	2004

"The Closest Thing to Crazy" is the debut single of Georgia-born singer Katie Melua. The song is featured on her first studio album, Call Off the Search (2003). The song was written as part of the musical Men Who March Away, and appeared first in 1995 on Mike Batt's album Arabesque.

The single was originally due out in January 2004 but was released a month early in an attempt by Terry Wogan to make it that year's Christmas number one in the United Kingdom; it stalled at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart. However, owing to the success of the album reaching number one, the song climbed back into the top 20 during January and February and resulted in Melua's first nomination for the annual Record of the Year prize on ITV1. At the end of 2004, due to its longevity on the UK chart, the song came in at number 77 on the year-end ranking, making it the lowest-charting song to finish within the top 100 for that year.

Composition and lyrics

The song is played in the key of E major at a tempo of 64 beats per minute. The vocal range is G₃ to C₅. It has an irregular meter with a mix of,, and .^{[1] [2]}

The lyrics of the song take the form of a series of rhetorical questions, describing the contradictory emotions of being in love. It appears that the object of the singer's love treats the singer unkindly, and may not return the emotion.

Track listings

UK CD single 1^[3]

1. "The Closest Thing to Crazy" (Mike Batt)
2. "Faraway Voice" (Katie Melua)
3. "I Think It's Going to Rain" (Randy Newman)

UK CD single 2^[4]

1. "The Closest Thing to Crazy" (Batt)
2. "Downstairs to the Sun" (Melua)
3. "Thank You, Stars" (Batt)
4. "The Closest Thing to Crazy" (video)

European CD single^[5]

1. "The Closest Thing to Crazy" (Batt)
2. "Downstairs to the Sun" (Melua)
3. "The Closest Thing to Crazy" (video)

Australian CD single^[6]

1. "The Closest Thing to Crazy" (Batt)
2. "Downstairs to the Sun" (Melua)
3. "Thank You, Stars" (Batt)

Personnel

• Katie Melua – guitar, vocals
• Mike Batt – organ, piano, conductor
• Jim Cregan – guitar
• Tim Harries – bass
• Irish Film Orchestra – orchestra
• Michael Kruk – drums
• Alan Smale – leader
• Chris Spedding – guitar
• Henry Spinetti – drums
• Mike Batt – producer
• Steve Sale – engineer
• Mike Batt – arranger

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (2003)	Position
UK Singles (OCC)^[7]	152
Chart (2004)	Position
UK Singles (OCC)^[8]	77

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)
United Kingdom	1 December 2003	CD	Dramatico	^[9]
United States	3 May 2004	Adult contemporary radio		^[10]
	10 May 2004	Triple A radio		^[11]

External links

• Katie Melua website
• New Music: Katie Melua (BBC News)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Katie Melua: Closest Thing to Crazy Sheet Music. SheetMusicDirect.
2. Web site: The Closest Thing to Crazy by Katie Melua – Digital Sheet Music. Musicnotes. 20 December 2020.
3. The Closest Thing to Crazy. Katie Melua. 2003. UK CD single liner notes. Dramatico. DRAMCDS0003.
4. The Closest Thing to Crazy. Katie Melua. 2003. UK CD single liner notes. Dramatico. DRAMCDS0003.
5. The Closest Thing to Crazy. Katie Melua. 2003. European CD single liner notes. Dramatico. DRAMCDS0006.
6. The Closest Thing to Crazy. Katie Melua. 2004. Australian CD single liner notes. Dramatico. 675179.2.
7. Web site: The Official UK Singles Chart 2003. UKChartsPlus. 14 May 2021.
8. Web site: The Official UK Singles Chart 2004. UKChartsPlus. 20 May 2018.
9. Web site: The Closest Thing to Crazy. Amazon. 16 June 2021.
10. Going for Adds. Radio & Records. 1553. 24. 30 April 2004. 16 June 2021.
11. Going for Adds. Radio & Records. 1554. 28. 7 May 2004. 16 June 2021.