Story Behind the Song: 'Love Like Crazy' recorded by Lee Brice
Songwriters Doug Johnson and Tim James have an interesting story behind the 2010 hit "Love Like Crazy" recorded by Lee Brice. Often when a song is co-written, it's clear which writer contributed what. In the case of this song, which spent a whopping 55 weeks on the charts, the two writers came to the table with the inspiration of their parents on their minds,
Nashville Songwriters Association International Executive Director Bart Herbison spoke with Johnson and James about how the song came together.
Herbison: "That is one heck of a song," Herbison said. "Take us back to that day, guys, when you wrote the song."
James: "My dad had passed away and he was a big influence (on me). He just had all sorts of simple advice. I say that all the time. My dad had an eighth-grade education, but he was a smart guy and he would just say simple things like 'do this and you'll have a good and productive life.'"
He mentioned this to Johnson, who said he thought they might have been raised by the same dad.
Johnson: "We have that in common and he started playing that little like and it just kind of fell out like a gift. We talked about how both of our parents stayed together and I think that's when one of us said, 'man, that's love like crazy.'
Johnson added that while he doesn't think his dad actually ever said any of the lines in the song's chorus, he lived them every day. As did James' dad.
Here's that chorus:
Be a best friend, tell the truth, and overuse "I love you"Go to work, do your best, don't outsmart your common senseNever let your prayin' knees get lazyAnd love like crazy
'Love Like Crazy' and enjoy the feedback
James: "When I play corporate gigs, I close with that song and I always say 'you know there is plenty of hate to go around and if nothing else, you can live by the chorus of this song and it feels like to me, you'll have it."
He added the number of letters he has gotten from rabbis and priests as well as everyday common people has been an amazing part of this song.
James: "I've had priests tell me they based a sermon around that song. I don't know there's anything more gratifying than that.
Johnson agreed and added that he always has people come up to him and say "that's my grandparents" in that song.
Johnson: "To have a song that makes somebody feel close to and proud of their family is amazing as well."
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Show up, be quiet, listen — and write a hit song
James got some really good advice once from pro football Hall of Famer Mike Reed who, when asked what the secret to success was, said "Show up for work."
The day the two were scheduled to write this particular day, James said he remembered almost cancelling the write, but then remembered Reed's advice.
James: "I was like, I'm just not the right headspace. I don't feel good about it, but I thought to myself, my dad and Mike Reed both said, go to work. So I went to work."
And that's the day "Love Like Crazy" was written.
Johnson: "I think for songwriters out there I think it's really important to have a time and especially space where we just show up and we sit down and maybe pit the guitar up or sit down at the piano and let God or the muse or whatever is inside us to, you know, just say, 'I'm here and I'm going to be quiet and let it write me.' And I think Tim and I both would say that song sort of had its way with us."
He added, "Neither one of us had any part of that song. It was a fact that we got together and our energy and our hearts were in the room. And we were thinking about our parents and how blessed we were. And I am very proud that my dad and my parents are in a song."
About the series
In partnership with Nashville Songwriters Association International, the "Story Behind the Song" video interview series features Nashville-connected songwriters discussing one of their compositions. For full video interviews with all our subjects, visit www.tennessean.com/music.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: We have the Story Behind the Song 'Love Like Crazy'
