18 Songs About Going Insane And Being Crazy (Musical Insanity!)

We all feel like we’re going crazy sometimes.

But for most of us, it is thankfully temporary.

Some stressor simply causes us to feel a bit insane for a while.

For some, however, a serious mental illness means permanent insanity.

Either way, musicians have penned countless songs about going insane and being crazy.

And quite a few of those songs (primarily the ones below) are excellent.

Keep reading for a list of songs about insanity. Every one of the tracks below is a great song, but they are all quite different, so there should be something for everyone.

 

Songs About Going Insane And Being Crazy

I tried to include as many different genres as possible in this list of songs about going crazy. That way there should be at least a few songs that you will love. As always, if you have suggestions for additional songs, please let me know in the comments below.

 

Crazy by Seal

Crazy is Seal’s most recognized song from his self-titled 1991 album. The lyrics of Crazy are open to interpretation, but the singer explained in an interview that they were all about making a change and how insanity was necessary for surviving such a change. The song may also refer to the collapse of the Berlin Wall.

In Crazy, the singer believes that you has to go a little crazy if you want to leave this realm. Otherwise, you risk being stuck in the current realm forever. A little bit of insanity is absolutely necessary for survival.

 

Frayed Ends of Sanity by Metallica

In Frayed Ends of Sanity, Metallica portrays an individual on the brink of insanity due to paranoia. The song describes the struggles of this person living with depression, schizophrenia, delusions, and constant paranoia.

All these mental issues hold the sufferer hostage to the point that they are waging a constant battle against those voices in their head.

The chorus of Frayed Ends of Sanity is repeated over and over to symbolize hopelessness and the constant fear many mental health patients live in.

 

Mind Playing Tricks on Me by Geto Boys

Mind Playing Tricks on Me is from Geto Boys’ 1991 album We Can’t Be Stopped. It was originally slated to be included on Geto Boys member Scarface’s solo album, since he wrote three of the verses, but the record label decided it made more sense as a group single.

Even though the song title comes from something Scarface’s grandmother once said, the lyrics deal with the heavy subject matter of mental illness. Included are multiple illnesses, like PTSD, paranoia, and suicidal thoughts.

The song was the groups most successful, climbing as high as the 23rd spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. It’s legacy has only grown since and it is now regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time (number 5 on Rolling Stone’s 2012 list). IT has been referenced and/or sampled too many times to count.

 

Crazy by Aerosmith

Released in 1993, Aerosmith’s Crazy is a masterpiece of a song that will never grow old. I am sure many people have fond memories of this powerful rock ballad, especially its video starring two beauties: Alicia Silverstone and Liv Tyler, singer Steven Tyler’s daughter.

The song refers to the reckless and abnormal behaviors in which infatuated people, or people in love, often indulge. It beautifully captures the roller-coaster nature of love, which tends to have so many ups and downs.

The track’s video also portrays youthful rebellion and the desire to go all out and escape from societal norms. It beautifully conveys the craziness and the feeling of being “head over heels” in love.

 

I’m Going Slightly Mad by Queen

Freddie Mercury wrote this song as his disease progressed and while he was just months away from death. His bandmates supported him and his ideas, knowing he wasn’t going to be around for long.

The result was this beautiful piece describing Freddie’s descent into madness. The upbeat tempo of the song makes us believe that insanity may not be such a bad thing after all.

 

Coming Undone by KoRn

KoRn’s Coming Undone describes a person undergoing a completely psychotic breakdown. He feels as if his brain is a ticking bomb about to explode and that his dark thoughts are completely taking over.

The lead singer of KoRn, Jonathan Davis, explained that they wanted to write a song about someone who had completely gone off and reached their breaking point: someone about to do something crazy.

Many teenagers suffering from depression have found KoRn’s Coming Undone highly relatable. Music like this from artists like KoRn gives them hope and the comfort of knowing that someone understands them.

 

Eyes of The Insane by Slayer

Eyes of The Insane pays tribute to soldiers with PTSD, while capturing the horrors of this mental condition. As many as 24 vets commit suicide each day (and another 18-20 die by self-injury), and Slayer highlights this issue through art.

The video for the track also depicts a soldier so crippled by his war experiences that he eventually commits suicide. Many people battling anxiety and other mental health issues have found Eyes of the Insane highly relatable.

 

Virtual Insanity by Jamiroquai

Jamiroquai’s Virtual Insanity talks about a future where the world has gone completely crazy. In an upbeat manner, the singer laments that mankind will “need a new religion since mothers can now order a child in any color they want!”

He also imagines a world where people are all forced to live underground because of mankind’s obsession with twisting technology. Has Jamiroquai predicted the future, we wonder?

The song’s music video also became popular, since it featured Jamiroquai singing on a moving floor! It depicts insanity and craziness like no other track!

 

Insane by Black Gryph0n and Baasik

You will love Insane when you listen to it using headphones. The drops in certain places always hit hard. Be warned: it is a super-addictive track! Gabriel “Black Gryph0n” Brown and Baasik created this upbeat track for the web series Hazbin Hotel.

Sure, the song has some evil undertones since it is written from Alastor’s perspective after he dies. Alastor now enjoys “getting in the way of people and causing them pain and misery”.

The crazy dude has a blast “bathing everyone in the entertaining fire”! We certainly want more songs like this one to depict craziness!

 

In My Room by Insane Clown Posse

Insane Clown Posse released In My Room in 2004 as part of their album The Wraith: Hell’s Pit. The song never saw any success on the charts, but no ICP song really does.

Instead, the song was a huge success, because the Juggalos (ICP’s army of fans) loved it. The reason it did not see mainstream success is that ICP’s style is just too strange for a mainstream audience. They combine horrorcore with rap and a few other things to create their own unique genre. And it works for them.

In My Room describes a man’s descent into madness and isolation. The man is alone in his room and he begins to foster a relationship with a ghost of some type. For more, check out our analysis of the In My Room lyrics meaning.

 

Delirium by Lacuna Coil

Lacuna Coil is one of those many underrated hard rock-metal bands that deserve more followers.

Andrea Ferreo wrote this song based on a super intelligent woman whose brain “simply could not handle all that intelligence, and who eventually went crazy”. Andrea’s raspy baritone complements his co-singer Cristina Scabbia’s crisp, clear soprano perfectly.

The word delirium is derived from the Latin word ‘delius,’ meaning a person who cannot plough on or is crazy. The powerful song plays with many different themes including depression, emptiness, loneliness, etc. The word “delirium” is also repeated over and over in high notes, giving it a haunting feeling.

 

Insane by Eminem

In Insane, Eminem provokes and pushes boundaries while challenging societal norms. The track is from one of his earlier albums, Relapse, released in 2009.

Love him or hate him, Eminem’s rhythm schemes and flows are top-tier and few rappers (if any) can come close to his skills. He is especially raw in this track and yet still manages to show his superior lyrical and technical abilities.

Insane is about a deeply disturbed, crazy person who talks about violence, rape, murder, and drugs. It is clear the lyrics are meant to shock listeners.

In a sense, Eminem may have written Insane based on his personal experiences. Although he keeps his personal life quite private, Eminem often talks about his relationships through his songs.

 

I’m Gonna Show You Crazy by Bebe Rexha

Bebe Rexha is a Brooklyn-born singer and songwriter who has worked with many famous names like Rihanna, David Guetta, etc. She has produced many hits, including Last Hurrah and I’m a Mess.

In I’m Gonna Show You Crazy, Bebe talks about a constant war in her head. Her therapist tells her that she cannot be fixed and prescribes her some pills to become “normal”.

The singer says she’d rather be crazy instead of taking those drugs, and that she doesn’t care if the world thinks she is crazy. Bebe challenges the definition of sanity and firmly believes that many times a person is normal, but the world around them makes them feel crazy.

 

Asylum by Disturbed

Catchy, diverse, intense, and beautiful, Asylum by Disturbed talks about the death of a loved one that is driving the singer to the brink of insanity.

Lead singer David Draiman wrote Asylum when he was dealing with a breakup and the death of his pet dog, all at the time when a friend had betrayed him in some business dealings.

Such things are sure to drive anyone crazy. David mentioned in an interview that giving an outlet to the “demons inside his head through his music” was a great catharsis and the best therapy one could have.

 

All The Madmen by David Bowie

Bowie’s All The Madmen is like a beautiful folk song with impeccable guitar work. It conveys a whole world of emotions and is an ode to all the people out there who have “always felt different or weird”.

Bowie was inspired to write the song based on his half-brother, Terry Burns, who suffered from serious mental health issues. Terry escaped from a mental hospital only to kill himself on some train tracks. David Bowie wrote several other songs based on Terry’s suicide.

 

Brain Damage by Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd’s Brain Damage is about an individual’s struggle with mental health and the toll it takes on his relationships. The lyrics “The lunatic is on the grass” indicate a person losing his grip on reality and represent the disconnect he feels with the real world.

The words “I will see you on the dark side of the moon” became the title of Pink Floyd’s (arguably) most famous album. It is certainly my favorite, along with Animals.

The phrase “I will see you on the dark side of the moon” indicates experiencing something exceedingly difficult. Brain Damage also refers to original Pink Floyd band member Syd Barrett, who experimented with hallucinogens and eventually had to be dismissed from the band, when he started making mistakes on stage.

 

Basket Case by Green Day

Basket Case is about a guy who is going crazy due to his panic attacks. Green Day’s lead singer, Billie Joe Armstrong, wrote this song based on his own childhood experiences with night-time panic attacks. He recalls having to walk around the neighborhood to overcome his anxiety.

Basket Case represents paranoia and refers to a completely insane and useless person who is incapable of functioning.

 

The Right To Go Insane by Megadeth

In The Right to Go Insane, Megadeth depicts the narrative of an individual who has no money and is starving. The singer keeps saying he has nothing left to lose but his sanity, so he might as well go insane.

The main themes of The Right to Go Insane are disillusionment, mental breakdown, and the daily struggles of an individual driven mad due to financial woe.

 

Songs About Going Crazy: Final Thoughts

As mentioned, I tried to include as many genres as possible in my list of songs about going insane. However, I know some genres are underrepresented, or missing entirely. I simply don’t know many songs in some genres.

That’s where you can help! If you know of any great songs about being crazy that I missed, please feel free to let me know in a comment below. I will be happy to add great suggestions in a future update to this post.

Some people believe anyone who is a bit different is crazy in some way. Witches were long seen as crazy, when in fact, they were just women who did not conform to the societal norm.

However  you feel about them, they fascinate us and there are many songs about witches to underscore that point. We compiled the best of them in our article on songs about witchcraft and witches.