The verses have a jerky, menacing and paranoid feel that fits the lyrics perfectly. There's a break on the chorus, which switches to a more major-key feel. The other day I had a hankering to hear it again, and not just in my head, so I searched it on YT. I found a live version I'd never heard before so I clicked.
The thumbnail showed my boy John "Willie" Wilcox, long-time drummer in Todd's band Utopia, singing while playing drums. I knew he sang backup and has a nice voice, but when I saw the video, much to my surprise he was singing lead. It sounded a little like Todd singing, but Todd can change his voice in a number of ways. I thought maybe Todd was letting him sing it live but Todd had sung it on the record, but it's all Willie.
Not only did he sing it on the record but he also wrote it. Learn something new every day. It was cool of Todd to put other band members' songs on Utopia records. So many band leaders wouldn't hear of it, but one thing I really love about Todd is that as famous as he is and has been since the beginning of his career, when he gets into a band, he's simply another member, and not "Todd Rundgren and..." Granted, Utopia was often billed as "Todd Rundgren's Utopia," but that was only in name, not attitude. Todd treated his band members like bandmates, not sidemen.
That's so refreshing, and IMO makes for a happier and more well-rounded band. The last time I saw him, years ago, he was playing with another guitarist, and he probably took more leads than Todd. Todd was perfectly happy to play rhythm guitar and just be a member of the band.
All this time I thought Todd had written this song but it was Willie, which makes me love him even more. Willie is one of the drummers that I adore, but for some reason I don't think about him too often when the subject of my favorite drummers comes up. Sorry, Willie. I love you man. I also love your lyrics.
I waited all night
I smoked a hundred cigarettes
I chewed my lip 'til it bled
But the phone made not a sound
You know you make me crazy
What you do to me
It's a chemical reaction or an allergy
You know you make me crazy
You're aware of that
Why don't you come and put me away
It was a long night
I could barely keep my head
I heard a knock at the door
It was only Harry Jones
You scared me
The way you move in the night
Your face is something frightening
You're not so nice
I got to see Utopia when Willie was playing his famous "motorcycle" kit. After I walked in I did my usual pre-show rig check, and when I saw what was apparently his drum kit, at first I didn't know what I was looking at. I recognized cymbals and electronic pads, but it just didn't compute until I looked a little closer and realized that it was built onto a motorcycle frame. It was so cool it made me laugh.
Wilie's drumming is very smooth but also very tight. It's not always easy to play super-tightly without sounding stiff or robotic. Willie was perfectly happy to keep a simple beat through Todd's more poppier stuff, but he could also stretch out on the "Prog" stuff, and no matter how he played he played with feeling. He had Rock chops, Jazz chops and Funk chops for days, but he wouldn't whip them out until it was time. Although he could hit hard, he had a nice touch and could play at a whisper if needed. He was very musical.
I'm talking about him in the past tense but he's still very much active...playing, writing and producing, although I don't know his status with Todd. I just think Willie is cool in general, plus he wrote a song I love that I thought was Todd's. It's really cool to know he sang that song, not to mention he wrote it. Rock on, Willie!
You Make Me Crazy (live) by Willie Wilcox (Utopia): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky0GQEGmrUc.
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