Click here to listen to the MP3 file.
Making of
Years ago when I started writing songs I leaned really heavily into creating a song that copied bands I like. Drive Me Crazy was my attempt to create a Beatles song.
The earliest record I have is this demo recorded on my Fostex MR-8HD. The file says it’s from 2007 but I found an email to my cousin Troy talking about how I came up with the melody in 2008. Here’s the 2008 demo. Watch out for the non-kid friendly language near the end folks.
“Anyhow, I am knee deep in studying right now and I swear it opens up
the brain a little more because when I was taking a break, I noticed a
piece of paper I had found last week while cleaning up my files. Lo
and behold, it was just some cheesy lyrics with two single chords
written out…E A.
So I started playing it and a melody popped into my head. I have been
listening to a lot of Beatles and more specifically Paul McCartney’s
solo stuff right about now. But I had just listened to Help! so I
think that influenced the song.
It’s a little rough around the edge live-wise but I envision it to be
an old-school Beatles track with the bubble gum lyrics and backup
vocals singing ‘the yeah yeah yeah’ parts. Also in the chorus it
could have backups of ‘ooooh ahhhh’ You get the drift.
Anyhow, here’s the lyrics. Enjoy my bout of spontaneity! That song
was written start to finish in a half hour.” – Email to Troy (December 12, 2008)
Lyrically there are some nods to my relationship with Vero. Drive Me Crazy is more about being crazy in love and not her annoying me! “I don’t want to pressure you.” is all about how I was older than Vero and she was freaked out about the adult things I was up to like buying a house and she was still living the university life. I had to focus on having fun instead of bringing up serious life topics that would scare her away!
From what I can tell from emails and some files on hard drives, it looks like I went to London, Ontario to record in the Red Room (Troy’s home studio) in June 2015. I have fond memories of getting close to Troy around a condenser mic to record our backing vocals, Beatles style. I swear I had photos from that session but I can’t seem to find any.
Fast forward ten years later and I have various emails talking about finishing the song. At first I was thinking a piano solo would sound good. Then I leaned more towards a guitar solo. My bud Marty graciously offered up his lead guitar skills to finish off the track. He sent over a few ideas a few years ago and it wasn’t until February 2025 that we finally got together and recorded some lead guitar licks properly so I could finally finish the song.
I did always have an idea to add a 12 string guitar bit in the bridge but I abandoned that idea as the song had morphed into a more rocking type of song. The idea for the picking part of the bridge can be heard in the demo.
It’s a fun song and it’s been a long time coming! From the concept back in December 2008 to the final recording in February 2025!
Special thanks to Troy and Marty for helping me with this song.
Recording notes
- Bulk of the recording was done in June 2015 at Red Room Studio. Vocals, backing vocals, guitar, maybe even the bass was recorded there then. This would have been recorded into Troy’s Bose recording system.
- Lead guitar work recorded February 2025 in Marty’s basement.
Lyrics (unchanged since 2008! I’m typing this in 2025 and it’s pretty wild for me to think about that)
Do I recognize you baby
come and love me baby
it’s made for me and you baby
you’re driving me crazy
it’s you, the one that I love
it’s true, coming from above
never recognized you baby
but if you said maybe
i’ll be yours baby
you’re the one that’ll save me
it’s you, the one that i love
it’s true, coming from above
too soon, i don’t think so but
i don’t want to pressure you
can’t recognize you baby
you changed that smile little lady
it drives me wild now baby
i think it’s gonna tame me
it’s you, the one that i love
it’s true, coming from above
too soon, i don’t think so but
i don’t want to pressure you
catching a glimpse from just last night
when everything was said just right
from my lips came a favourite line
it said to you “will you be mine?”
i kinda recognize you baby
make some love to me baby
it’s made for me and you baby
you’re driving me crazy
your’e driving me crazy
you’re driving me crazy