Written by Joe Jackson, and sung by Graham Maby, it was released as a single in 1981.

"[1] The lyrics of the song complain of how kids of the time are too busy on drugs – saying that they are all too "beat crazy" – to take responsibility and get jobs.

"Beat Crazy" was described by AllMusic reviewer Chris True as Jackson's "first real attempt at breaking out of his quasi-snide power pop and bringing in other styles and musical forms to add depth to his work."

He continues, saying, "He pulls it off fairly well, he is a pretty good songwriter and has a great ear for sound and production, but, as stated before, reggae was already a minor element in rock at the time, so it doesn't really make or break the song, it’s just a small step into new ground.

On his official website, Jackson, who felt that the Beat Crazy album was mixed, said, "There’s some good stuff on it," later saying, "I especially like the title track and 'Biology'.