I Need a Lover
{{short description|1978 single by Johnny Cougar}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2017}}
{{Infobox song
| name = I Need a Lover
| cover = Johnny Cougar I Need a Lover Single.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Johnny Cougar
| album = A Biography and John Cougar
| B-side = Welcome to Chinatown
| released = 1978
| recorded = 1977
| studio = AIR (London, UK)
| genre = Hard rock
| length = 5:38, 3:30 (single)
| label = Riva
| writer = John Mellencamp
| producer = John Punter
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Factory
| next_year = 1978
}}
"I Need a Lover" is the debut single by John Mellencamp, first released in 1978 under the stage name "Johnny Cougar".
Background
The song appeared on his 1978 album A Biography, which was not released in the United States. After becoming a top 10 hit in Australia, the song was later included on his 1979 follow-up album John Cougar to introduce it to U.S. audiences, and was released there as a single, becoming his first U.S. top 40 hit when it reached No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1979.
AllMusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine described "I Need a Lover" as Mellencamp's "first good song". Cash Box said that "Cougar's gutsy, forthright vocals and lyrics are nicely backed by passionate guitar and a footstomping, hell-raising beat."{{cite news|title=CashBox Singles Reviews|date=September 8, 1979|page=18|newspaper=Cash Box|accessdate=2022-01-01|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1979/CB-1979-09-08.pdf}} Record World said that "Cougar's midwestern roots grow into urban urgency on this explosive rocker."{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=September 15, 1979|accessdate=2023-02-11|title=Hits of the Week|page=1|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/79/RW-1979-09-15.pdf}}
On his inspiration for writing "I Need a Lover", Mellencamp said: "The song's about a friend of mine who goes to Concordia College. When that song was written, he was pretty sad. He was . . . livin' in his bedroom. I told him, 'You got to get the hell out of the house!' He'd say, 'Man, if I only had a girl, she'd make me forget my problems.' I just said, 'Well . . . '"
Mellencamp has also stated that "I Need a Lover" was inspired by the Rolling Stones' 1972 song "Happy".
Pat Benatar version
{{Infobox song
| name = I Need a Lover
| cover = Pat Benatar I Need a Lover Single.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Pat Benatar
| album = In the Heat of the Night
| B-side = No You Don't
| released = August 1979{{cite book |first1=Pat |last1=Benatar |author-link=Pat Benatar |title=Between a Rock and a Heart Place |date=2010 |publisher=William Morrow |isbn=978-0-06-195377-4 |page=61 |edition=1st}}
| recorded = 1979
| studio = MCA Whitney Studios (Glendale, CA){{cite AV media notes |title=In the Heat of the Night |type=liner notes |others=Pat Benatar |publisher=Chrysalis Records |year=1979 |id=CHE 1236}}
| venue =
| genre = Arena rock{{cite book|first=Eric |last= Deggabs |editor1-first= Gary |editor1-last= Graff |editor2-first= Daniel |editor2-last= Durchholz |year= 1998 |title= MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |chapter= Pat Benatar |publisher= Visible Ink Press |location= Detroit |pages= 94–95}}
| length = 3:30
| label = Chrysalis
| writer = John Mellencamp
| producer =
- Mike Chapman
- Peter Coleman
| prev_title = We Live for Love
| prev_year = 1979
| next_title = Rated X
| next_year = 1980
}}
The song was covered and released as the debut single in 1979 by American rock singer Pat Benatar for her debut studio album, In the Heat of the Night (1979). The song became an album-oriented rock radio hit for the singer and has been part of the live set list on tour. Chrysalis Records released a live music video for the song, released in 1981.
In popular culture
- Hamilton Leithauser (of indie rock band the Walkmen) performed a version of the song in August 2014 for The A.V. Club{{'s}} A.V. Undercover series.{{cite web |first=Josh |last=Modell |title=Hamilton Leithauser covers John Cougar (and he's playing A.V. Fest) |url=http://www.avclub.com/video/hamilton-leithauser-covers-john-cougar-and-hes-pla-208012 |work=The A.V. Club |publisher=Onion, Inc. |date=12 August 2014 |access-date=12 August 2014}}
References
{{Reflist|refs=
{{cite AV media notes |title=The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988 |title-link=The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988 |others=John Mellencamp |year=1997 |page=9 |type=CD liner |publisher=Mercury Records |id=314 536 738-2 |location=U.S.}}
{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=a-biography-r34027|pure_url=yes}} |title=John Cougar: A Biography: review |work=Allmusic |access-date=October 21, 2010}}
{{John Mellencamp}}
{{Pat Benatar}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:I Need A Lover}}
Category:John Mellencamp songs
Category:Songs written by John Mellencamp
Category:Chrysalis Records singles
{{1970s-single-stub}}