When I decided to go visit my parent and surprise my mom on Mother’s Day, I started out listening to NPR.  Sunday morning tends to have some good programming but, as I expected, I lost reception when I approached the mountain pass.  I had my iPhone plugged into my car and its stereo, so I hit play, a bit unsure what I would encounter.  The first song was this one:

So here I was, driving down the road, passing the slow pokes, singing this song at the top of my lungs.  Why? Because it has to be done.  This is not a song you can listen to without singing along.  Plus, you have to kinda go crazy in the midst of it all.  The song is about life – about just going for it – just giving all your love and crazy until someone takes you away in a van to the looney bin.  How can you not get behind that?!?

I guess I’m thinking about it tonight because I’m at home with a sick kid and an emo teen — and Purple Rain is on TV…..so I can’t help but watch it and think about the music and how 32 years later, I’m still feeling it – just maybe in a different way.

Here are the whole lyrics….

Dearly beloved
We are gathered here today
To get through this thing called life

Electric word life
It means forever and that’s a mighty long time
But I’m here to tell you
There’s something else
The after world

A world of never ending happiness
You can always see the sun, day or night

So when you call up that shrink in Beverly Hills
You know the one, Dr. Everything’ll Be Alright
Instead of asking him how much of your time is left
Ask him how much of your mind, baby

‘Cause in this life
Things are much harder than in the after world
In this life
You’re on your own

And if the elevator tries to bring you down
Go crazy, punch a higher floor4

If you don’t like the world you’re living in
Take a look around you
At least you got friends

You see I called my old lady
For a friendly word
She picked up the phone
Dropped it on the floor
(Ah, ah) is all I heard

Are we gonna let the elevator
Bring us down
Oh, no let’s go!

Let’s go crazy
Let’s get nuts
Let’s look for the purple banana
‘Til they put us in the truck, let’s go!

We’re all excited
But we don’t know why
Maybe it’s ’cause
We’re all gonna die

And when we do (When we do)
What’s it all for (What’s it all for)
You better live now
Before the grim reaper come knocking on your door

Tell me, are we gonna let the elevator bring us down
Oh, no let’s go!

Let’s go crazy
Let’s get nuts
Look for the purple banana
‘Til they put us in the truck, let’s go!

C’mon baby
Let’s get nuts
Yeah
Crazy

Let’s go crazy

Are we gonna let the elevator bring us down
Oh, no let’s go!
Go crazy

I said let’s go crazy (Go crazy)
Let’s go, let’s go
Go
Let’s go

Dr. Everything’ll be alright
Will make everything go wrong
Pills and thrills and daffodils will kill
Hang tough children

He’s coming
He’s coming
Coming

Take me away!