Need Your Loving Tonight
"Need Your Loving Tonight" | ||||
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Single by Queen | ||||
from the album The Game | ||||
B-side | "Rock It (Prime Jive)" | |||
Released | 18 November 1980 (US)[1] | |||
Recorded | 1980 | |||
Genre | Power pop[2] | |||
Length | 2:49 | |||
Label | Elektra | |||
Songwriter(s) | John Deacon | |||
Producer(s) |
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Queen singles chronology | ||||
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"Need Your Loving Tonight" is a song by the rock band Queen and written by bass guitarist John Deacon. It is the fourth track on the first side of their 1980 album The Game and the second song on the album by Deacon (the other being "Another One Bites the Dust"). It was released as a single in some countries in November 1980.
Lyrics and music
The lyrics to "Need Your Loving Tonight" take the point of view of someone who is upset about losing his lover.[3] Queen historian Georg Purvis explains that the lyrics give a "false optimistic slant to the end of a relationship" by having the singer insist that the split was mutual.[4] Musician Benoît Clerc claims that the lyrics overuse the phrases "I love her" and "I love you."[3] According to Clerc, the music is "driven by a simple and repetitive rhythm" that Deacon plays on acoustic guitar, which he plays on this song in addition to his normal bass guitar.[3] Freddie Mercury sings the lead vocal in what music professor Nick Braae describes as his "sincere voice," where he primarily uses his chest voice but avoids a gravelly tone and sings at a generally lower volume.[5]
The structure of the song is unusual. While the song generally follows a
Reception
"Need Your Loving Tonight" was released as a single in some countries as a follow-up to "Another One Bites the Dust" but did not match its predecessor's success, peaking at #44 on the Billboard Hot 100.[4][16]
Live performances
"Need Your Loving Tonight" was played frequently during The Game Tour in 1980 and then less frequently in 1981, but was not played live thereafter.[9] Also during live performances of the song, Brian May and Roger Taylor sang backing vocals and Freddie Mercury played piano during Brian's guitar solo (both of which were absent in the studio version).
Personnel
- Freddie Mercury - lead and backing vocals
- Brian May - electric guitar, backing vocals
- Roger Taylor - drums, backing vocals
- John Deacon - bass guitar, acoustic guitar
References
- ^ "Queen singles".
- ^ a b Rivadavia, E. (30 June 2015). "How Queen Reached a Turning Point With 'The Game'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
- ^ ISBN 9780762471249.
- ^ ASIN B00BVJIYTS.
- ^ ISBN 9780197526767.
- ^ a b Rivadavia, Eduardo (19 August 2013). "Top 10 John Deacon Queen Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- Allmusic. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
- ISBN 9781617137280.
- ^ ISBN 9781789520033.
- ^ Basham, Tom (22 August 1980). "Civic Center getting more showy with Queen tomorrow night". Baltimore Sun. p. B6. Retrieved 2 August 2022 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Zeiler, Millie (28 December 2022). "Top 10 John Deacon Queen Songs". Classic Rock History. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
- ^ Pond, S. (18 September 1980). "The Game". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
- ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. 29 November 1980. p. 71. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "CashBox Album Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 12 July 1980. p. 9. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 29 November 1980. p. 1. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
- ^ "Queen Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 25 July 2020.