“I will lie for you,
beg and steal for you,
I will crawl on hands and knees until you see,
you’re just like me.”
History lesson:
#1 Crush was released on the single to Vow as the b-side, released in Europe, South Africa and Australia in June 1995. Nelee Hooper remixed the song for inclusion in Baz Luhrmann’s film, Romeo + Juliet, re-working the percussion and synth elements of the song, as well as adding in the distorted vocal sample from Madonna’s song, Bedtime Story. Singer, Shirley Manson, was concerned that listeners would not realize the song is about a stalker, she is quoted as saying the following about #1 Crush:
“It’s about somebody who wasn’t quite right. The song however were slightly autobiographical. Everybody’s felt obsessive about something or somebody in their life. I’ve felt crazy about somebody before,” she explained, “That feeling – usually when you’ve split up with somebody – when you’re absolutely obsessed with what they are doing. It’s all to do with being pathetic. All real love is a form of obsession. If you love someone more than anything else, that degree of exclusivity requires an abnormal amount of passion and care. And that can be positive,” contrasting with the protagonist of “#1 Crush, “It’s just that keeping it short of unhealthy, short of violence, really requires a bit of moderation. You can’t let something like that take over all of your thought processes.”
Drummer, Butch Vig, was quoted as referring to #1 Crush as “disturbing.”
By the end of the song’s chart-run in May 1997, #1 Crush had spent a total of 16 weeks on the Hot 100 Airplay chartand 22 on the Modern Rock chart.
Personal Reflection:
I find myself in agreement with Shirley in that most of us, at one time in our lives, have felt absolutely obsessed with someone else. I think, for a good long time, I felt that kind of all-consuming, crazy-making obsessive feeling was passion, and that if I did not feel that way then something was missing. I think part of this stems from my past involvments with very creative and overly emotional lovers and partners, their own passions bordering on dysfunctional, often heightened by addictions.
It is a fine line between passionate and dangerous, and sometimes that teetering tightrope is addictive in itself. There is definitely a part of me that craves passion, and sometimes that craving can veer into unhealthy places, but I do try to remind myself that love can exist in peace, as well (and sometimes I even believe that).
#1 Crush :: Garbage (original version)
#1 Crush :: Garbage (Romeo + Juliet remix)
