Mama Weer All Crazee Now
Encyclopedia
"Mama Weer All Crazee Now" is a popular song originally recorded by the British Glam rock
band Slade
on their album Slayed?
.
Written by Jim Lea
and Noddy Holder
and produced by Chas Chandler
, it was the band's third number-one single in the United Kingdom. The single entered the charts on its first week at #2, then followed by #1 for the next 3 weeks in September 1972. It was last seen in the top 100 on 04/11/1972 at #39. The single fared less well in the USA, where it peaked at #76. It also topped the chart in Ireland.
The single peaked at #121 for 1972 on rateyourmusic.
No promotional video was created for the song.
Dave Thompson, from allmusic described the song as "a full-on adrenalin monster, ear-splittingly loud with its lyrics a raw-throated bellow.".
In the late 70s, The Boomtown Rats
would play Slade's "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" over the PA as they walked on stage at their American performances.
NME magazine wrote "Slade don't fool around - this immediately comes on like a number one record and thats exactly what its going to be. After the hits they've had already I consider this their best by far from the fuzzed out guitar intro to the rocking; stomping, chorus through to the crowd singing along at the end. Slade personify the excitement thats obtainable through the forty-five market."
Disc magazine wrote "With howls they tear straight into another huge boogie with that typical distant and manic voice sounding like rending calico Slade's unique power comes from the fact that they fit memorable melodies to their boogies. By the time this one ends you could believe, so dense does the sound and the atmosphere become, that 50,000 people were roaring along with the band in some distant dark stadium. The total line is shouted over and over with a lot of whoopig and shrieking behind it and there's another bust of that hand-clapping that is incorporated so well into the band records, how on earth can a record like this fail? And what curmudgeon would want it to?"
A 1984 cover by Quiet Riot made number 51 in the US.
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
band Slade
Slade
Slade are an English rock band from Wolverhampton, who rose to prominence during the glam rock era of the early 1970s. With 17 consecutive Top 20 hits and six number ones, the British Hit Singles & Albums names them as the most successful British group of the 1970s based on sales of singles...
on their album Slayed?
Slayed?
Slayed? is the third studio album by the British rock group Slade. It was released on 1 November 1972, and reached No. 1 on the UK charts. The album lasted on the UK charts for a total of 34 weeks, and was also their longest-charting album in the United States where it stayed on the charts for half...
.
Written by Jim Lea
Jim Lea
Jim Lea , is an English musician, most notable for playing bass guitar, keyboards, violin, guitar, and singing backing vocals in Slade.-Career:...
and Noddy Holder
Noddy Holder
Neville John "Noddy" Holder MBE is an English musician and actor. He was the lead vocalist and guitarist with the rock band Slade....
and produced by Chas Chandler
Chas Chandler
Bryan James "Chas" Chandler was an English musician, record producer and manager of several successful music acts....
, it was the band's third number-one single in the United Kingdom. The single entered the charts on its first week at #2, then followed by #1 for the next 3 weeks in September 1972. It was last seen in the top 100 on 04/11/1972 at #39. The single fared less well in the USA, where it peaked at #76. It also topped the chart in Ireland.
The single peaked at #121 for 1972 on rateyourmusic.
Background
Some months before the band had played at the Boston Gliderdrome in Linolnshire, a bouncer had told them about another act who'd appeared there drunk - "crazy with whiskey" - and this gave Holder the idea for the lyrics. The song was originally titled "My My We're All Crazy Now" -- the title was changed by manager Chas Chandler; the spelling, of course, was adapted by the band's own traditions. Several of the most distinctive parts of the record were virtual ad-libs, including the "mama mama mama yeah" coda at the end. Producer Chas Chandler also opened the song with a howl recorded during some of Holder's vocal exercises.No promotional video was created for the song.
Dave Thompson, from allmusic described the song as "a full-on adrenalin monster, ear-splittingly loud with its lyrics a raw-throated bellow.".
In the late 70s, The Boomtown Rats
The Boomtown Rats
The Boomtown Rats were an Irish punk rock band that had a series of Irish and UK hits between 1977 and 1985. They were led by vocalist Bob Geldof.-Biography:All six members were originally from Dún Laoghaire, Ireland...
would play Slade's "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" over the PA as they walked on stage at their American performances.
Critical reception
Upon release, Record Mirror magazine reviewed the single, "O mi gord, thuy av dun eet agen. Thuy R monsturs in evry meenin of the wurd. It's hard-driving beat, full of sheer bloody-minded slay them enthusiasm, and a wall of sound behind the vocal line. It's hammer, hammer, hammer all the way - exciting foot-and-skull thumping which doesn't vary much in intensity, but is blessed with an exactly commercial hook. A smash of course. Bigger than others? Probably - chart certain."NME magazine wrote "Slade don't fool around - this immediately comes on like a number one record and thats exactly what its going to be. After the hits they've had already I consider this their best by far from the fuzzed out guitar intro to the rocking; stomping, chorus through to the crowd singing along at the end. Slade personify the excitement thats obtainable through the forty-five market."
Disc magazine wrote "With howls they tear straight into another huge boogie with that typical distant and manic voice sounding like rending calico Slade's unique power comes from the fact that they fit memorable melodies to their boogies. By the time this one ends you could believe, so dense does the sound and the atmosphere become, that 50,000 people were roaring along with the band in some distant dark stadium. The total line is shouted over and over with a lot of whoopig and shrieking behind it and there's another bust of that hand-clapping that is incorporated so well into the band records, how on earth can a record like this fail? And what curmudgeon would want it to?"
Chart performance
| Chart (1972) | Peak position |
Total weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 3 | 11 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 6 | 8 |
| Belgian Singles Chart | 10 | 9 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 7 | 6 |
| French Singles Chart | 30 | 14 |
| German Singles Chart | 6 | 13 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 1 | 6 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 5 | 12 |
| UK Singles Chart | 1 | 10 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 76 | 10 |
A 1984 cover by Quiet Riot made number 51 in the US.
Cover versions
- In 1973, Les Humphries Singers & OrchestraLes Humphries SingersThe Les Humphries Singers was a 1970s musical group formed in Hamburg, Germany in 1969 by the English born Les Humphries , who had been inspired to do his own version of the Edwin Hawkins Singers.The Les Humphries Singers dissolved at the end of the...
released a cover of the song on their album Sound '73. - In 1978, American girl band The RunawaysThe RunawaysThe Runaways were an American all-girl rock band that recorded and performed in the second half of the 1970s. The band released four studio albums and one live set during its run. Among its best known songs: "Cherry Bomb", "Queens of Noise", "Neon Angels On the Road to Ruin", "California Paradise"...
recorded a cover of the song and included it on their 1979 album And Now... The RunawaysAnd Now... The RunawaysAnd Now... The Runaways is the fourth and final studio album by the The Runaways, released in 1979. The album was issued by Cherry Red in the UK...
. In 1981, the group released a five track mini-album under the song's title. - In 1984, American rock band Quiet RiotQuiet RiotQuiet Riot is an American Heavy Metal band. They are best known for their hit singles "Metal Health" and "Cum On Feel the Noize". They were founded in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni, under the original name Mach 1, before changing the name to Little Women and finally Quiet...
released the song as a single where it peaked at #51 in America, becoming the band's last charting single. The song was included on the band's album Condition CriticalCondition CriticalCondition Critical is the fourth studio album by Quiet Riot. The album was released in 1984. It was also given an infamous two-word review in Rolling Stone magazine: "Condition terminal."...
. Quiet Riot had previously released a cover of Slade's Cum On Feel the NoizeCum on Feel the Noize"Cum On Feel the Noize" is a rock song originally released by Slade in 1973.Written by Jim Lea and Noddy Holder and produced by Chas Chandler, "Cum On Feel the Noize" was Slade's fourth number-one single in the UK and their first to enter straight at number one...
in 1983 which peaked at #5 in America. - In 1984, Irish hard rock band Mama's BoysMama's BoysMama's Boys were a 1980s hard rock/heavy metal group from County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland featuring the three McManus brothers Pat, a.k.a. 'The Professor", , John , Tommy . Later in their career they became a four-piece adding Rick Chase on vocals in 1985 who was later replaced by Keith Murrell...
released a cover of the song as a single and was included on the band's self-titled album. - In 1990, Glam rock tribute released a cover of the song as a b-side to the 12" single "Merry Xmas EverybodyMerry Xmas Everybody"Merry Xmas Everybody" is a 1973 song by the English rock band Slade. Written by lead vocalist and guitarist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler, it was the band's sixth number-one single in the UK...
" which was also a cover of the Slade song. This single was produced by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea of Slade. The single peaked at #55 in the UK. - In 1996, John Springate of glam rock group The Glitter BandThe Glitter BandThe Glitter Band are a glam rock band from England, who initially worked as Gary Glitter's backing band under that name from 1973, when they then began releasing records of their own. They were unofficially known as the Glittermen on the first four hit singles by Gary Glitter from 1972 to 1973. The...
released a cover of the track on a glam rock tribute album titled Wham Bam Thank You Glam. - In 1997, Welsh anti-fascist Oi! band The OppressedThe OppressedThe Oppressed is a Welsh anti-fascist Oi! band that formed in 1981 in Cardiff. Most of the musicians in the band's various lineups were skinheads. Throughout the band's career, the members openly expressed opposition to racism and fascism — in their lyrics, interviews, on-stage comments and other...
released a cover of the song on their extended play "The Noise" which also featured covers of Slade's Cum On Feel the NoizeCum on Feel the Noize"Cum On Feel the Noize" is a rock song originally released by Slade in 1973.Written by Jim Lea and Noddy Holder and produced by Chas Chandler, "Cum On Feel the Noize" was Slade's fourth number-one single in the UK and their first to enter straight at number one...
and Gudbuy T' JaneGudbuy T' Jane"Gudbuy T' Jane" is a hit single from glam rock band Slade released in 1972. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea and appeared on their album Slayed?. The single peaked at #2 in the UK, losing the number one spot to Chuck Berry's single My Ding-A-Ling. It did however, peak...
. These three tracks were also included on the 1998 album More Noize For The Boys. - In 2009, American ska punk band Reel Big FishReel Big FishReel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California, best known for the 1997 hit "Sell Out". The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s, during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold certified album Turn the Radio Off. Soon after, the band...
released a cover of the song on the album Fame, Fortune and FornicationFame, Fortune and Fornication-Personnel:Reel Big Fish:* Aaron Barrett - Lead guitar, lead vocals* John Christianson - Trumpet* Derek Gibbs - Bass guitar* Scott Klopfenstein - Trumpet, vocals* Dan Regan - Trombone* Ryland Steen - DrumsAdditional Musicians:...
. - The song has also been covered by Arrows, Ángeles del InfiernoÁngeles del Infiernois a heavy metal band from Basque Country, Spain, formed in 1980. They achieved success in their home country and Latin America during the 1980s and the early 1990s. In 2003, the band reformed and signed to Warner Bros...
, James LastJames LastJames Last is a German composer and big band leader. His "happy music" made his numerous albums best-sellers in Germany and the United Kingdom. His composition, "Happy Heart", became an international success in interpretations by Andy Williams and Petula Clark...
, LondonLondon (heavy metal band)London is an American heavy metal band, based in Hollywood, California. The band is perhaps most notable for featuring members that would go on to play in more famous bands such as Mötley Crüe, Guns N' Roses, W.A.S.P...
(Nikki Sixx's pre-Mötley Crüe band), The MissionThe Mission (band)The Mission are a gothic rock band formed in 1986 from the splinters of the freshly dissolved rock band The Sisters of Mercy.The band was started by frontman Wayne Hussey and bassist Craig Adams , soon adding...
.
Personnel
- Noddy Holder: Lead vocals and guitar
- Jim Lea: Bass guitar and backing vocals
- Dave Hill: Lead guitar and backing vocals
- Don Powell: Drums