Released: 1980
Queen’s smash hit, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” grabs rock ‘n’ roll by the horns and swings it back to its roots with a foot-tapping rhythm that’s hard to resist. The song dives headfirst into the whirlwind madness of falling in love, something everyone’s felt but struggles to fully grasp or manage. It’s a wild ride of emotions, wrapped up in a catchy tune that makes you want to dance and sing along to the confusion and exhilaration of love.
The opening lines immediately set the tone, with Freddie Mercury confessing, “This thing called love / I just can’t handle it.” He’s talking straight about how perplexing and overwhelming love can be; it’s a force that’s as baffling as it is beautiful, something that doesn’t come with a manual. The phrase “I must get ’round to it, I ain’t ready” speaks volumes about the hesitancy and unpreparedness that often accompanies the initial stages of falling in love. It’s like Mercury’s telling us that love is not just butterflies and rainbows but a complex emotion that catches you off guard when you least expect it.
The song then leans into the physical effects of love with lines like, “It cries (Like a baby) in a cradle all night / It swings, it jives / It shakes all over like a jelly fish.” These lyrics brilliantly illustrate the uncontrollable, often erratic nature of love and its capacity to evoke an intense spectrum of emotions, from joy to despair. The comparison of love to a baby crying all night captures its demanding, all-consuming nature, while likening it to the movements of a jellyfish and the act of dancing evokes its mesmerizing, albeit disorienting, effect.
Mercury throws us into the throes of passion with, “There goes my baby / She knows how to rock and roll / She drives me crazy.” Here, love is likened to rock and roll itself – unpredictable, electrifying, and with a beat that’s impossible to ignore. The mention of “hot and cold fever” and being left “in a cool, cool sweat” paints a vivid picture of the emotional rollercoaster that love is, filled with highs and lows, passion and indifference.
Finally, the resolve to “be cool, relax” and the repeated advice to “Get hip, get on my tracks / Take a back seat, hitch-hike / And take a long ride on my motorbike until I’m ready” serves as a call to embrace the journey of love, with all its uncertainty and excitement. It’s Mercury’s way of saying that while love might be a crazy little thing, it’s also an adventure worth taking, suggesting a leap into the unknown with an open heart and the will to let love take the lead.
In essence, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” is Queen’s ode to the rollercoaster ride of romance, a song that captures the essence of falling head over heels with its raw energy and poignant honesty. Through its lively beat and relatable lyrics, it resonates with anyone who’s ever been caught in love’s unpredictable tide, making it a timeless classic that still rocks the hearts of listeners across the globe.
