I wrote the lyrics to "When Crazy Was King" in the 1990s, when I was challenging myself to write story-driven songs that didn't depend on personal confessions or emotional backstories.
A Song Born from Sticker Shock and Storytelling
Even back then, in the 1990s, the cost of living felt steep, and prices were beginning to climb in ways that made everyone shake their head. That sense of disbelief across generations became the spark for the song—but my goal wasn't to write a memoir; it was to write a narrative propelled by voices, memory, and perspective.
Of course, even when we try not to write about ourselves, parts of who we are find their way in. Inflation and how each generation reacts to it became the backdrop. It's something we all feel—whether we're buying our first home, filling our gas tank, or scratching our head at the price of shoes.
The frustration is universal and sometimes humorous, and I wanted to capture it through the voices of four generations in my own family line.
So "When Crazy Was King" began as a project—but became a reflection. A wink to the past, a raised eyebrow to the present, and a nod to how little truly changes in how we feel about money and the world around us.
Four Generations, Four Perspectives, One Constant: "It Never Used to Be Like This"
Even though the song isn't about my life in a literal way, the voices I used are unmistakably familiar.
My grandfather, my mother, I, and one of my sons form the arc of the story—not to describe our lives in detail, but to highlight how each era has viewed money and progress with a mix of "wtf", disbelief, and resignation.
My grandfather's voice represents that earlier generation who really watched prices shift in a way that felt explosive. His version of shock is rooted in memory—what things cost when he was young, how far a dollar stretched, how much effort it took to "get ahead."
My mother's perspective picks up the same refrain—life could feel expensive even then, long before today's costs crept in and swallowed whole paychecks. She didn't hesitate to warn me that the world was "half gone crazy," passing along equal parts caution, encouragement, and expectation.
And then there's me, passing along that same guidance to my own son. Except by the time he enters the picture, even my jaw drops—and he's there to remind me that the world has moved again, that what seems shocking to me is merely standard to him.
Smiles, Sighs, and What We Pass Along
In the end, When Crazy Was King isn't just a song about prices or inflation—it's a story about perspective, memory, and the way each generation measures the world.
It's a reminder that what feels overwhelming or absurd today has echoes in the past, and that the voices guiding us—whether from grandparents, parents, or children—carry wisdom, humor, and a touch of disbelief.
Writing it reminded me that even as the world keeps changing, some truths remain the same: we navigate life as best we can, we pass along what we've learned, and we can still look back with both a smile and a sigh at the days when "crazy" ruled.
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