Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)

Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy) (titled I Drive Myself Crazy in the United States), is a song by American boy band NSYNC. It was released on February 22, 1999 in Germany as the seventh single in the German market and the fourth single from their self-titled debut album on March 16, 1999 in the US. The track was also featured on the group's seasonal European album, The Winter Album. The song is notable as being one of the few songs where someone other than Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez sang lead vocals; Chris Kirkpatrick sings the first verse in the US version, while Chasez sang Kirkpatrick's part in the European version. It was heard once in the PEN15 episode, "First Day".

"Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)"
Single by NSYNC
from the album 'N Sync and The Winter Album
Released	March 16, 1999
Recorded	1998
Studio	Trans Continental Studio (Miami, Florida)
Genre	Pop
Length	4:00
Label	RCA
Songwriter(s)	Rick Nowels, Allan Rich, Ellen Shipley
Producer(s)	Veit Renn
NSYNC singles chronology
"Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" (1998) "Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)" (1999) "Music of My Heart" (1999)
Music video
"Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)" on YouTube

Release

The song was released on February 22, 1999 in Germany as the seventh single in the German market and the fourth single from their self-titled debut album on March 16, 1999 in the US. The track was also featured on the group's seasonal European album, The Winter Album.

Music video

Background

The video was directed by Tim Story and debuted on April 1, 1999, during an episode of TRL. The version of the video featured on 'N the Mix is adjusted to feature the US version of the song.^[1] The video shows members of the band in an asylum, Camarillo State Mental Hospital, which closed in 1997. The viewer gets to see each man's torment as he remembers the girl who put him there. Each member came up with his own storyline.

Synopsis

A flashback shows Kirkpatrick ignoring his girlfriend as he talks on the cell phone, so she gets up and leaves. He sees visions of his girlfriend walking past him. Timberlake's flashback shows him trying to give a necklace to a girl, but she returns it and leaves and embraces another guy.

Chasez sees the girl who cheated on him on TV, on a show reminiscent of The Jerry Springer Show. He gets mad and starts shaking the tv after watching it again. Lance Bass reminisces to a scene where he is plucking the petals off a flower. His girlfriend sidles up to him, pulls a few petals off, but then leaves him. Joey Fatone is with his girlfriend Elisa Donovan , when another girl walks by and kisses him. His girlfriend slaps him and then leaves.

In the asylum, Fatone continually slaps himself in the face with a flyswatter. The scenes in the asylum gradually get more frenetic, with their normal expressions changing to crazed expressions, Chasez who attacked the TV and being restrained, Bass ripping up flowers and Fatone running around in a Superman costume. At the end the five are released, and the girls are shown being brought to the asylum instead, as the group run past and tease them.

Track listing

1. "Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)" (Radio Edit) – 4:00
2. "Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)" (Riprock and Alex G's Crazy Driving Club Mix) – 4:00
3. "Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)" (Riprock and Alex G's Remix) – 3:26
4. "Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)" (U.S. Version) – 4:00
5. "Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)" (Riprock and Alex G's Smooth Haze Remix) – 3:46
6. "Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)" (CD-ROM Video) – 4:11

Credits and personnel

Recording^[2]

• Recorded at Trans Continental Studio, Orlando, FL

Personnel^[2]

• Rick Nowles – songwriter
• Allan Rich – songwriter
• Ellen Shipley – songwriter
• Veit Renn – producer
• Joe Smith – mixing
• Adam Barber – recording, mixing assistant
• Tony Battagllia – guitar

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1999) Peak position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[3] 16 Germany (GfK)[4] 71 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[5] 12 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[6] 15 Spain (AFYVE)[7] 4 US Billboard Hot 100[8] 67 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[9] 14 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[10] 22

Year-end charts Chart (1999) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[11] 90 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[12] 97 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] 98

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label	Ref.
Germany	February 15, 1999	CD single	Sony	[14]
United States	March 16, 1999	Contemporary hit radio rhythmic contemporary radio	Jive	[15]

References

1. Music Video Database for "I Drive Myself Crazy", Mvdbase.com
2. Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy) (liner notes). NSYNC. RCA Records. 1999. 74321638552.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
3. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8138." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
4. "'N Sync – Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
5. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 19, 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
6. "'N Sync – Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
7. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
8. "N SYNC Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
9. "N SYNC Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
10. "N SYNC Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
11. "RPM 1999 Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Retrieved February 12, 2022 – via Library and Archives Canada.
12. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1999". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
13. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1999" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
14. "Thinking of You". Amazon Germany.
15. "R&R" (PDF). Worldradiohistory.com. March 12, 1999. Retrieved March 14, 2022.