"She Drives Me Crazy" is a song released in 1988 by English group Fine Young Cannibals, and included on their 1989 album The Raw & the Cooked. Peaking at No. 5 on the British singles chart in January 1989, "She Drives Me Crazy" is the band's highest charting single in their native UK. The single proved an even bigger hit in the US, topping the BillboardHot 100 on 15 April 1989 for one week and becoming the first of two chart-topping singles for the band on that chart. "She Drives Me Crazy" also reached No.1 on the US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart, as well as in countries including Australia, Austria, Canada, New Zealand and Spain. It reached the top 3 on several European charts including Belgium, Germany, Iceland, Ireland and Switzerland. In 2018, Time Out magazine listed "She Drives Me Crazy" at No. 28 in their countdown of The 50 best '80s songs.
Background and recording
The unique snare drum "pop" sound was created by recording the snare drum portion separately. A speaker was then placed on top of the snare drum, and a microphone below. The original recording of the snare drum part was played back through the speaker and re-recorded.
Music video
Two music videos were produced for the song, one by Philippe Decouflé and another by Pedro Romhanyi. As with Decouflé's only other music video, his version includes extensive choreography and performers in unusual costumes. One looks like a pillow and another resembles the title character from the movie Beetlejuice. Also included are two identical dancers wearing similar but different coloured outfits with goggles used in tanning salons, and a karate fighter with a TV on his head. A guitar is seen catching fire. The video received several nominations at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, including "Best Video".
Re-release
The song was re-released in 1997 in support of Fine Young Cannibals' compilation albumThe Finest. It included a remix by Roger Sanchez, as well as Mousse T. remixes of "Johnny Come Home". The single reached No. 36 on the UK singles chart.
American comedian Arsenio Hall, under the pseudonym "Chunky A", recorded a novelty parody of the song, called "Ho is Lazy." It appears on the 1989 album Large and in Charge.
Former Cantopop singer Yvonne Lau Man-Kuen released a Cantonese cover in 1990 named "The Grey Art Gallery".
Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy recorded a version as the opening track to the 1994 Muppet album Kermit Unpigged. The accompanying music video featured cameo appearances by various celebrities; different versions were created for both the UK and US market.
The Flying Pickets recorded an a cappella version for their 1994 album .
Dolly Parton covered the song for her 2008 album Backwoods Barbie, changing the title to "Drives Me Crazy".
Aesthetic Perfection released a cover version of the song on the "A Nice Place To Destroy" single in 2012.
Electric Six recorded a cover version as part of a pledge package for their Absolute Treasure Kickstarter campaign. The cover was subsequently released online.
English synthpop band The Good Natured released a cover of "She Drives Me Crazy" on their 2013 Extended Play release of their song "5-Ht".
