source: Hunter Hayes' official site

I know I just wrote about a male country artist last week, but I can't help it: I can't get "I Want Crazy" by Hunter Hayes out of my head.

I first heard this song when Hunter Hayes made an appearance on "The Voice" and performed "I Want Crazy" as a duet with eventual winner Danielle Bradbery. I didn't love the song then, probably because Danielle's phrasing, though beautiful, made the song sleepier and more generic than Hunter's original version. I can't remember what brought the song back into my periphery, but I must've heard it somewhere and given the song in its original form a shot. And now I can't stop listening to it.

Hunter Hayes, if you don't already know, has been in the music business for a large chunk of his 21 years. He began making television appearances at age 4, and by age 17, he'd been signed to Universal as a songwriter, and he co-wrote a song with Rascal Flatts. He was nominated this year for 3 Grammy Awards, and is the youngest country artist to have been nominated in the three categories he was nominated for.

Normally, I shy away from the type of twangy country voice Hunter Hayes has, though I'm seriously reconsidering this practice. Because if you take away the twang, so much of contemporary country music is just pop music with a banjo or similarly "Americana" instrument thrown into it. Most young country artists are set up for a crossover at any given moment.

"I Want Crazy" is that song for Hunter Hayes. It has a sort of pop music vibe to it in its upbeat, frenetic pace. In a way, it reminds me of Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe." They're both fun, harmless, annoyingly catchy, and terribly youthful.

"I Want Crazy" is definitely more meaningful and romantic than "Call Me Maybe," though. But it speaks of a passionate love that, at my age, I no longer believe can last a lifetime:

But I don't want "good" and I don't want "good enough"
I want "can't sleep, can't breathe without your love"
Front porch and one more kiss, it doesn't make sense to anybody else
Who cares if you're all I think about.
I've searched the world and I know now
It ain't right if you ain't lost your mind
Yeah, I don't want easy, I want crazy
Are you with me baby? Let's be crazy.
Still, it makes for a great song.