"I Need to Know"
Single by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
from the album You're Gonna Get It!
B-side"No Second Thoughts"
ReleasedJune 1978
RecordedShelter Studios, Hollywood, late 1977
GenreHard rock, power pop[1]
Length2:26
LabelShelter
Songwriter(s)Tom Petty
Producer(s)Denny Cordell, Noah Shark, Tom Petty
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers singles chronology
"Breakdown"
(1977) 		"I Need to Know"
(1978) 		"Listen to Her Heart"
(1978)

"I Need to Know" is a song written by Tom Petty and recorded by American rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. It was released in 1978 as the first single from their second album You're Gonna Get It!. It peaked at #41 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1978.[2] This song as well as "Listen to Her Heart" was already being played live in concert as early as June 14, 1977, as is evidenced in a performance on Germany's music television show "Rockpalast".[3]

Cash Box said that it is "hard driving rock 'n' roll" and that "the hook repeats hypnotically as the guitars drive the message home."[4] Record World called it an "energetic rocker."[5]

Other versions

Stevie Nicks (of Fleetwood Mac) has been performing "I Need to Know" live in her solo concerts since 1981. Nicks also performed this song with Tom Petty together on Petty's 30th anniversary concert (which was filmed and released on DVD as Runnin' Down a Dream).

In 1981 the Swedish band Gyllene Tider recorded a version of the song with Swedish lyrics, written by singer Per Gessle (the male half of Roxette), named "Vill ha ett svar!"

Poison recorded a cover of the song for their 2007 album Poison'd!.

Hour of the Wolf recorded a cover for their 2012 greatest hits album, Decompositions Vol. II.

Following Petty's death on October 2, 2017, Local H have been playing the song in concert.[6]

In 2020, Starcrawler previewed a cover of the song for Tom Petty's 70th Birthday Bash on SiriusXM,[7] featuring Mike Campbell on rhythm guitar. The band later officially released the cover as a single on music streaming services.[8]

All appearances

Charts

Chart (1978) Peak
position
Canadian RPM Top Singles 46
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 41
U.S. Cash Box Top 100[10] 53

See also

References

  1. ^ "Robert Christgau: CG: tom petty and the heartbreakers". Robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  2. ^ Joel Whitburn, Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles: 1955-2010, Record Research, 2011.
  3. ^ "Tom Petty Live In Rockpalast 1977—在线播放—优酷网，视频高清在线观看". V.youku.com. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
  4. ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. June 10, 1978. p. 21. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  5. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. June 10, 1978. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  6. ^ "Local H Setlist at First Avenue, Minneapolis". Setlist.fm. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  7. ^ "Tom Petty | Wildflowers & All The Rest". Tompetty.com. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  8. ^ Elaine, Zoe (15 December 2020). "Mike Campbell Joins Starcrawler for Cover of "I Need To Know," Recorded for Tom's 70th Birthday Bash". Grimygoods.com. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  9. ^ Reilly, Jim (2010-08-20). "Rock Band 3 Set List Revealed - IGN". Ps3.ign.com. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
  10. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, August 5, 1978". Cashboxmagazine.com. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
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