When I Need You
"When I Need You" | ||||
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Single by Leo Sayer | ||||
from the album Endless Flight | ||||
B-side | "I Think We Fell in Love Too Fast" | |||
Released | February 1977 | |||
Genre | Soft rock[1] | |||
Length | 4:09 | |||
Label |
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Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Richard Perry | |||
Leo Sayer singles chronology | ||||
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"When I Need You" is a popular song written by Albert Hammond and Carole Bayer Sager. Its first appearance was as the title track of Hammond's 1976 album When I Need You. Leo Sayer's version, produced by Richard Perry, was a massive hit worldwide, reaching number 1 on the UK Singles Chart for three weeks in February 1977 after three of his earlier singles had stalled at number 2.[2] It also reached number 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 for a single week in May 1977;[3] and the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks.[4] Billboard ranked it as the No. 24 song of 1977. Sayer performed it on the second show of the third season of The Muppet Show.
Melody comparison[]
The melody of the "hook" line, or chorus of "When I Need You" is identical to the part of the Leonard Cohen song "Famous Blue Raincoat", where the lyrics are as follows: "Jane came by with a lock of your hair, she said that you gave it to her that night, that you planned to go clear". The melody of these lyrics matches the lyrics of "When I Need You" as follows: "(When I) need you, I just close my eyes and I'm with you, and all that I so want to give you, is only a heart beat away".
In a 2006 interview with The Globe and Mail Cohen said:
I once had that nicking happen with Leo Sayer. Do you remember that song 'When I Need You'?" Cohen sings the chorus of Sayer's number one hit from 1977, then segues into 'And Jane came by with a lock of your hair', a lyric from 'Famous Blue Raincoat'. 'Somebody sued them on my behalf … and they did settle', even though, he laughs, 'they hired a musicologist, who said, that particular motif was in the public domain and, in fact, could be traced back as far as Schubert.[5]
The same melody can be heard in Elton John's "Little Jeannie" in the lyrics: "Stepped into my life from a bad dream / Making the life that I had seem / Suddenly shiny and new"
Personnel[]
- Leo Sayer – vocals
- James Newton Howard – synthesizer
- Bobby Keys – saxophone[6]
- Michael Omartian – electric piano
- Dean Parks – electric guitar
- Jeff Porcaro – drums
- Willie Weeks – bass
Chart performance[]
Weekly charts[]
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Year-end charts[]
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Other versions[]
Albert Hammond version[]
Albert Hammond's version, which was recorded prior to Sayer's, appeared in his record , released in 1977. He also recorded a Spanish version, titled "Si Me Amaras" ("If You Loved Me"), which was included in his 1977 album Mi Álbum de Recuerdos and can also be found in CD reissues of his 1976 album My Spanish Album.[30][31]
Lani Hall version[]
Lani Hall recorded the Spanish version of the song, "Si Me Amaras," for her Grammy-winning 1985 album Es Fácil Amar, which was produced by Hammond.
Mia Martini version[]
Mia Martini recorded an Italian version of the song, titled "se ti voglio", for her 1977 album per amarti
Perry Como version[]
Perry Como covered this song for his 1977 album Where You're Concerned.
Sylvie Vartan version[]
Sylvie Vartan recorded a French version of the song, titled "Je Pardonne," from Album 1977 Georges,.
Rod Stewart version[]
Rod Stewart recorded the song for his 1996 ballad compilation album If We Fall in Love Tonight. This version was produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and was released as the second single from the album, though it did not chart in the US or UK.
Celine Dion version[]
"When I Need You" | ||||
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Single by Celine Dion | ||||
from the album Let's Talk About Love | ||||
Released | 7 September 1998 | |||
Recorded | 1997 Chartmarker Studios, Paramount Studios | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 4:12 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | David Foster | |||
Celine Dion singles chronology | ||||
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"When I Need You" is a promotional single from Celine Dion's Let's Talk About Love album, released on 7 September 1998 in Brazil only.[32]
Background and release[]
After Dion finished her Falling into You Tour in June 1997, she began to record her next English album. Dion and her manager and husband René Angélil wanted to include few cover versions on it. David Foster came up with the idea of recording Leo Sayer's hit "When I Need You". The song, recorded at Paramount Studios and Chartmaker Studios, was produced by Foster and included on Dion's Let's Talk About Love album, released on 15 November 1997. Dion performed this song during the Let's Talk About Love avec Julie Snyder Canadian TV show in late 1997.
After a string of successful singles like "My Heart Will Go On" and "Immortality", Sony Music Entertainment decided to release "When I Need You" as a promotional single in Brazil (September 1998). Two previous singles were very successful in Brazil. However, with no music video and no promotion "When I Need You" failed to repeat the success of Dion's earlier songs.
Authors of "When I Need You" worked with Dion also on several other songs. Albert Hammond wrote "Just Walk Away", included on The Colour of My Love album (1993) and Carole Bayer Sager wrote "The Prayer", which became a part of These Are Special Times (1998).
Critical reception[]
EW editor David Browne called the cover: "an obligatory remake (a precisely enunciated version of Leo Sayer's When I Need You)".[33] The New York Observer editor Jonathan Bernstein: "A sliver of redemption is found in the passable version of Leo Sayer's “When I Need You”".[34]
Formats and track listings[]
Brazilian promotional CD single
- "When I Need You" – 4:12
Cliff Richard version[]
"When I Need You" | ||||
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Single by Cliff Richard | ||||
from the album Love... The Album | ||||
Released | 29 October 2007 | |||
Recorded | Sound Kitchen, Sound House and Blue Wave Studios | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 4:14 | |||
Label | EMI | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Michael Omartian | |||
Cliff Richard singles chronology | ||||
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On 29 October 2007, Cliff Richard released "When I Need You" and reached number 38 on the UK Singles Chart.[35] It is also one of the five new recordings featured on his album Love... The Album.
Format and track listings[]
- "When I Need You"
- "My Pretty One"
- "Never Let Go"
Julio Iglesias version[]
The Spanish singer achieved one of his best performances of this song in 1994.
Luther Vandross version[]
In 1998, the American singer Luther Vandross covered the song as part of his I Know album. Longtime associate and smooth jazz musician Kirk Whalum performed the saxophone solo on the track.
In other languages[]
The Malaysian band Black Dog Bone released a version sung in the Malay language, entitled "Bila rindu" (When I Miss You).[36] The Indonesian band D'lloyd later covered the song with almost identical lyrics to Black Dog Bone's translation.[37]
A Cantonese version of the song called 對你我永不放棄 (For You, I Will Never Give Up) was sung by Gallen Lo and Flora Chan to serve as the opening theme for the TVB Jade drama Feminine Masculinity.
A swedish version sunged by Lill Lindfors was released 1984 and called "All min längtan" (All my longing).
References[]
- ^ "VH1's 40 Most Softsational Soft-Rock Songs". Stereogum. SpinMedia. 31 May 2007. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 336–7. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Bronson, Fred (2003). The Billboard Book of #1 Hits, 5th Edition (Billboard Publications)
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition (Billboard Publications)
- ^ "This page is available to GlobePlus subscribers". Theglobeandmail.com. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
- ^ 3 December 2014: Leo Sayer has paid tribute to his friend Bobby Keys who died at the age of 70. Keys, the sax player for the Rolling Stones since 1969, also played on Sayer's global hit ‘When I Need You’. In a statement Sayer said, “R.I.P. Bobby Keys. Bobby played the solo on “When I Need You”, 20 secs of tenor sax that no other player has ever been able to emulate. We toured together in the mid 70s, and Bobby was always fun to work with, a great musician everybody now knows as the sax man with the Rolling Stones. I'm so proud to have known you ‘Texas’!”[citation needed]
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Leo Sayer – When I Need You" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Leo Sayer – When I Need You" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 7 May 1977. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
- ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 28 May 1977. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – When I Need You". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 8, 1977" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Leo Sayer – When I Need You" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Leo Sayer – When I Need You". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
- ^ "Leo Sayer: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "Leo Sayer Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "Leo Sayer Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "Leo Sayer Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "Top 100 1977-05-21". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ "Australian Chart Book". Austchartbook.com.au. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1977". Ultratop. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ Canada, Library and Archives (17 July 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly". bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
- ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1977". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1977". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "Top Selling Singles of 1977 | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. 31 December 1977. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ Hunter, Nigel; Scaping, Peter, eds. (1978). "Top 100 Singles in 1977". BPI Year Book 1978 (3rd ed.). London, England: The British Phonographic Industry Ltd. pp. 216–17. ISBN 0-906154-01-4.
- ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1977/Top 100 Songs of 1977". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 1977". Billboard. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "Mi Álbum de Recuerdos".
- ^ "My Spanish Album".
- ^ Glatzer, Jenna (2005). Céline Dion: For Keeps. Andrews McMeel Publishing. ISBN 0-7407-5559-5.
- ^ Browne, David (21 November 1997). "White Noise". EW.com. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
- ^ Bernstein, Jonathan. "Celine Dion: Is She Cool? Someday, Maybe, but Not Now". Observer. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
- ^ "The Official Cliff Richard website: News". Cliffrichard.org. 20 April 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
- ^ Zaini Ghani (24 October 2013). "Black Dog Bone - Bila Rindu". Retrieved 12 April 2018 – via YouTube.
- ^ tjokynagabe (29 June 2011). "BILA RINDU - D'Lloyd". Retrieved 12 April 2018 – via YouTube.
External links[]
- Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
- Leo Sayer - When I Need You on YouTube
- 1976 songs
- 1977 singles
- 1998 singles
- 2007 singles
- Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
- Cashbox number-one singles
- Celine Dion songs
- Cliff Richard songs
- European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles
- Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
- Leo Sayer songs
- Pop ballads
- Rod Stewart songs
- RPM Top Singles number-one singles
- Song recordings produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
- Song recordings produced by Richard Perry
- Songs written by Albert Hammond
- Songs written by Carole Bayer Sager
- UK Singles Chart number-one singles
- Warner Records singles
- Chrysalis Records singles
- Columbia Records singles
- Epic Records singles
- EMI Records singles