CRAZY

Wild Word Friday!

I participate in a bluegrass/country musicgroup. Each Saturday afternoon we meet for a jam session. I play the mandolin and dulcimer and the baglama, which is a Greek stringed instrument. Lest you be too impressed, please understand that I don’t play any of these instruments well. Not at all. My husband plays the guitar and banjo, and he’s much better at stringed instruments than I am. The thing is, we have fun. We sing and we play and we enjoy listening to folks who have strong inclinations towards patience when it comes to someone (me) who plays three chords really well and not much else.

Last week I finally felt prepared enough (or CRAZY enough) to attempt Patsy’s Cline’s song CRAZY. My husband had spent a month learning the CRAZY chords to accompany my singing. (What in the heck is an Fmaj7?) The debut went well. We didn’t crash and burn, and we have a lot of experience in the crash and burn department. Meanwhile, the word CRAZY caught my interest.

CRAZY has its roots in the Old Norse word krase, to crackel, which is similar to the Old French acraser and the Middle English crasen, to crack or break. All these words referred to pottery, not temperament.

Nowadays, when we say CRAZY we usually mean that someone is insane or else that someone is over the top with enthusiasm. In reference to insanity, CRAZY did not come into popular use until the 1600s.  In reference to enthusiasm, I think the 20th century has been its venue.

Q4U: So let’s talk enthusiasm. What are you CRAZY about?

Blessings!

Sue