Need You Tonight
Encyclopedia
"Need You Tonight" is the fourth song on INXS
's 1987 album Kick as well as the first single from the album released worldwide. It is the only INXS single to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100
. It also achieved their highest charting position in the United Kingdom, where the song reached number two on the UK Singles Chart
, however this peak was only reached after a re-release of the single in November 1988. On its first run on the UK Charts in October 1987, it stalled at No. 58. While it would arguably become the band's signature song, it was one of the last songs recorded for the album.
's official autobiography, INXS: Story to Story, Andrew Farriss
said that the famous riff to the song appeared suddenly in his head while waiting for a cab to go to the airport to fly to Hong Kong
. He asked the cab driver to wait a couple of minutes while he grabbed something from his motel room. In fact, he went up to record the riff and came back down an hour later with a tape to a very annoyed driver. This riff was later described as sounding like a cross between Keith Richards
and Prince
.
The song is a much more electronic track than most of the band's material before or after, combining sequencers with regular drum tracks and a number of tracks of layered guitars. To approximate the sound on the recorded track, the band often utilizes click tracks for a frequent synthesizer
chord as well as rim shots heard throughout the song.
On the Kick album, the song is linked to the next song, entitled either "Mediate" or "Meditate" depending on the pressing of the album. On some compilations, the two tunes appear together and on others, only "Need You Tonight" appears (rarely, if ever, has "Mediate" appeared on its own).
combined live action and different kinds of animation. Directed by Richard Lowenstein
, the video was actually "Need You Tonight / Mediate", as it combined two songs from the album. Lowenstein claimed that the particular visual effects in "Need You Tonight" were created by cutting up 35mm film and photocopying the individual frames, before re-layering those images over the original footage.
For "Mediate", it segues into a tribute to Bob Dylan
's "Subterranean Homesick Blues
". The members flip cue cards with words from the song, followed by a Kirk Pengilly saxophone solo. Beneath the lyric "a special date" in the "Mediate" portion of the video, the cue card shown reads "9-8-1945" which in Australian date format is 9 August 1945, the date which the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan.
The video won five MTV Video Music Awards
including Video of The Year and was ranked at number twenty-one on MTV
's countdown of the 100 greatest videos of all time.
7" LP SINGLE - 888813-7 Mercury/Europe
7" LP SINGLE - INXS8 Mercury/UK
7" LP SINGLE - PD 2573 Mercury/South Africa
7" LP SINGLE - 7-258181 WEA/Australia
7" LP SINGLE - P-2337 WEA/Japan
7" LP SINGLE - INXSRA8 Mercury/UK
7" LP SINGLE - INXS12 Mercury/UK (OCT 1988)
7" LP SINGLE - INXSG12 Mercury/UK Special 7" Magic Pack
7" LP SINGLE - INXRA12 Mercury/UK
12" LP SINGLE - 7-86645-0 Atlantic/USA
12" LP SINGLE - INXS812 Mercury/UK
12" LP SINGLE - 0-258181 WEA/Australia
12" LP SINGLE - 0-258076 WEA/Australia
12" LP SINGLE - INXS1212 Mercury/UK (OCT 1988)
12" LP SINGLE - INXSR1212 Mercury/UK (OCT 1988)
CD3 - 10SW-2 WEA/Japan
CD5 - INXCD8 Mercury/UK
CD5 - 888 813-2 Mercury/Germany
CD VIDEO SINGLE - O80394-2 Mercury/UK
CD5 - INXCD12 (872 215-2) Mercury/UK
1 Static Revenger/Koishii & Hush Mixes
2 Remixes
group Ac Rock covered Need You Tonight on their album Acapellago. The a cappella passages in the cover is designed to model the instrumentation of the original, but it is in contrast to the original very pop backed heavy and as a bonus track on the cd-single is a cover of Crowded House
song Don't Dream It's Over
there. besides there are also different length versions of the cover: For example, an extended version with a length of 6:36 and a 4:03 minute long remix.
covered and remixed "Need You Tonight" and released it as a single in Australia. The song was renamed "One of My Kind", where it reached #10 on the Australian Top 100 Singles Chart, becoming their first top-10 hit. "One of My Kind" is the second single released by the Rogue Traders
for their debut album We Know What You're Up To
. Because it was the only hit single from the album
, the band was publicly considered one-hit wonders until "Voodoo Child" reached #4 in 2005.
The music video is set in a dance party where the lizard on the single cover wanders around looking for a girl of his kind. He finds one looking lonely. The two sit together and he singles the line 'you're one of my kind' before the video ends.
12" vinyl
Australian CD single
INXS
INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
's 1987 album Kick as well as the first single from the album released worldwide. It is the only INXS single to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. It also achieved their highest charting position in the United Kingdom, where the song reached number two on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, however this peak was only reached after a re-release of the single in November 1988. On its first run on the UK Charts in October 1987, it stalled at No. 58. While it would arguably become the band's signature song, it was one of the last songs recorded for the album.
Background
In INXSINXS
INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
's official autobiography, INXS: Story to Story, Andrew Farriss
Andrew Farriss
Andrew Charles Farriss is a rock musician , best known as the keyboardist and main composer for the Australian band INXS.-Career:...
said that the famous riff to the song appeared suddenly in his head while waiting for a cab to go to the airport to fly to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. He asked the cab driver to wait a couple of minutes while he grabbed something from his motel room. In fact, he went up to record the riff and came back down an hour later with a tape to a very annoyed driver. This riff was later described as sounding like a cross between Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
and Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
.
The song is a much more electronic track than most of the band's material before or after, combining sequencers with regular drum tracks and a number of tracks of layered guitars. To approximate the sound on the recorded track, the band often utilizes click tracks for a frequent synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
chord as well as rim shots heard throughout the song.
On the Kick album, the song is linked to the next song, entitled either "Mediate" or "Meditate" depending on the pressing of the album. On some compilations, the two tunes appear together and on others, only "Need You Tonight" appears (rarely, if ever, has "Mediate" appeared on its own).
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
combined live action and different kinds of animation. Directed by Richard Lowenstein
Richard Lowenstein
Richard Lowenstein is an Australian film director. He has written, produced and directed the feature films He Died With A Felafel In His Hand, Dogs In Space, Say a Little Prayer, Strikebound and Ghost Story, as well as numerous ground-breaking and award-winning music videos for bands such as INXS...
, the video was actually "Need You Tonight / Mediate", as it combined two songs from the album. Lowenstein claimed that the particular visual effects in "Need You Tonight" were created by cutting up 35mm film and photocopying the individual frames, before re-layering those images over the original footage.
For "Mediate", it segues into a tribute to Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's "Subterranean Homesick Blues
Subterranean Homesick Blues
"Subterranean Homesick Blues" is a song by Bob Dylan, originally released in 1965 as a single on Columbia Records, catalogue 43242. It appeared 19 days later as the lead track to the album Bringing It All Back Home. It was Dylan's first Top 40 hit, peaking at #39 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also...
". The members flip cue cards with words from the song, followed by a Kirk Pengilly saxophone solo. Beneath the lyric "a special date" in the "Mediate" portion of the video, the cue card shown reads "9-8-1945" which in Australian date format is 9 August 1945, the date which the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan.
The video won five MTV Video Music Awards
MTV Video Music Awards
An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
including Video of The Year and was ranked at number twenty-one on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's countdown of the 100 greatest videos of all time.
Track listings
7" LP SINGLE - 7-89188 Atlantic/USA7" LP SINGLE - 888813-7 Mercury/Europe
7" LP SINGLE - INXS8 Mercury/UK
7" LP SINGLE - PD 2573 Mercury/South Africa
7" LP SINGLE - 7-258181 WEA/Australia
7" LP SINGLE - P-2337 WEA/Japan
- "Need You Tonight" — 3:01
- "I'm Coming (Home)" — 4:54
7" LP SINGLE - INXSRA8 Mercury/UK
- "Need You Tonight" — 3:01
- "Need You Tonight" (Mendelshon extended mix) — 7:02
7" LP SINGLE - INXS12 Mercury/UK (OCT 1988)
7" LP SINGLE - INXSG12 Mercury/UK Special 7" Magic Pack
- "Need You Tonight" — 3:01
- "Move On" — 4:47
7" LP SINGLE - INXRA12 Mercury/UK
- "Need You Tonight" — 3:01
- "Need You Tonight" (Mendelshon 7" mix) — 3:58
12" LP SINGLE - 7-86645-0 Atlantic/USA
12" LP SINGLE - INXS812 Mercury/UK
12" LP SINGLE - 0-258181 WEA/Australia
- "Need You Tonight" — 3:01
- "Mediate" — 2:35
- "I'm Coming (Home)" — 4:53
12" LP SINGLE - 0-258076 WEA/Australia
- "Need You Tonight" — 3:01
- "Need You Tonight" (Mendelshon extended mix) — 7:02
- "Mediate" — 2:35
- "I'm Coming (Home)" — 4:53
- "Move On" — 4:47
- "Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain)" — 3:54
12" LP SINGLE - INXS1212 Mercury/UK (OCT 1988)
- "Need You Tonight" (Mendelshon extended mix) — 7:02
- "Move On" — 4:47
- "Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain)" — 3:54
12" LP SINGLE - INXSR1212 Mercury/UK (OCT 1988)
- "Need You Tonight" (Ben Liebrand mix) — 7:18
- "Move On" — 4:47
- "New Sensation" (extended mix) — 6:30
CD3 - 10SW-2 WEA/Japan
- "Need You Tonight" — 3:01
- "I'm Coming (Home)" (edit) — 4:12
CD5 - INXCD8 Mercury/UK
CD5 - 888 813-2 Mercury/Germany
- "Need You Tonight" — 3:01
- "Mediate" — 2:35
- "I'm Coming (Home)" — 4:53
CD VIDEO SINGLE - O80394-2 Mercury/UK
- "Tiny Daggers" — 3:20
- "Mediate" — 2:35
- "Need You Tonight" — 3:01
- "I'm Coming (Home)" — 4:53
- "Need You Tonight" (video) — 3:50
CD5 - INXCD12 (872 215-2) Mercury/UK
- "Need You Tonight" (Mendelshon mix edit) — 5:11
- "Move On" — 4:47
- "Original Sin" — 5:19
- "Don't Change" — 4:24
Charts
| Chart (1987/88) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart | 16 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 10 |
| German Singles Chart | 16 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
2 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 8 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
7 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | 10 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 12 |
| Chart (2005/06)1 | Peak position |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... 1 |
16 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... 2 |
40 |
1 Static Revenger/Koishii & Hush Mixes
2 Remixes
Ac Rock version
In 1999 A cappellaA cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
group Ac Rock covered Need You Tonight on their album Acapellago. The a cappella passages in the cover is designed to model the instrumentation of the original, but it is in contrast to the original very pop backed heavy and as a bonus track on the cd-single is a cover of Crowded House
Crowded House
Crowded House are a rock band, formed in Melbourne, Australia and led by New Zealand singer-songwriter Neil Finn. Finn is the primary songwriter and creative director of the band, having led it through several incarnations, drawing members from New Zealand , Australia and the United States...
song Don't Dream It's Over
Don't Dream It's Over
-12": Capitol / 12CL 438 United Kingdom :* also available on CD and MC-Personnel:*Neil Finn: Vocals and guitar*Nick Seymour: Bass guitar*Paul Hester: Drums and backing vocals*Mitchell Froom: Keyboards-Release history:- Charts :...
there. besides there are also different length versions of the cover: For example, an extended version with a length of 6:36 and a 4:03 minute long remix.
Track listings
Maxi CD single- "Need You Tonight" 3:05
- "Don't Dream It's Over" 4:00
- "Need You Tonight" (Extended version) 6:36
- "Need You Tonight" (Remix) 4:03
Rogue Traders remix
Rogue TradersRogue Traders
Rogue Traders are an Australian electronic pop rock band fronted by Melinda "Mindi" Jackson with James Ash on keyboards, Tim Henwood on guitars and Peter Marin on drums. The group's original members met in London in 1989. Before forming Rogue Traders, Ash and Davis worked together on many...
covered and remixed "Need You Tonight" and released it as a single in Australia. The song was renamed "One of My Kind", where it reached #10 on the Australian Top 100 Singles Chart, becoming their first top-10 hit. "One of My Kind" is the second single released by the Rogue Traders
Rogue Traders
Rogue Traders are an Australian electronic pop rock band fronted by Melinda "Mindi" Jackson with James Ash on keyboards, Tim Henwood on guitars and Peter Marin on drums. The group's original members met in London in 1989. Before forming Rogue Traders, Ash and Davis worked together on many...
for their debut album We Know What You're Up To
We Know What You're up To
We Know What You're Up To is the debut album by Australian dance group Rogue Traders. It was released by Vicious Grooves, Virgin in Australia on 5 May 2003 . After disappointing sales and poor publicity, Rogue Traders was dropped from the label...
. Because it was the only hit single from the album
We Know What You're up To
We Know What You're Up To is the debut album by Australian dance group Rogue Traders. It was released by Vicious Grooves, Virgin in Australia on 5 May 2003 . After disappointing sales and poor publicity, Rogue Traders was dropped from the label...
, the band was publicly considered one-hit wonders until "Voodoo Child" reached #4 in 2005.
The music video is set in a dance party where the lizard on the single cover wanders around looking for a girl of his kind. He finds one looking lonely. The two sit together and he singles the line 'you're one of my kind' before the video ends.
Track listings
Maxi CD single- "One of My Kind" (radio edit)
- "One of My Kind" (club mix edit)
- "One of My Kind" (Phunked Remix)
12" vinyl
- "One of My Kind" (12" mix)
- "One of My Kind" (radio edit)
- "One of My Kind" (dub mix)
Australian CD single
- "One of My Kind" (Radio Edit)
- "One of My Kind" (Rogue Traders Club Adventure)
- "One of My Kind" (Swimming in blue mix)
- "One of My Kind" (Rogue Traders Dub)
- "Make It Better" (Original Mix)
Charts
The single spent 15 weeks in the charts, 9 of which were in the top 50. The single also topped the ARIA Dance chart.| Chart (2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... Singles Chart |
10 |
Other cover versions
- 1998 Jive Bunny and the MastermixersJive Bunny and the MastermixersJive Bunny and the Mastermixers were a 1980s and early 1990s novelty pop music act from Rotherham, Yorkshire, England. The face of the group was Jive Bunny, a cartoon rabbit who appeared in the videos, and also did promotional appearances for them...
covered the song for her medley Rock The Party. - CanadianCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
singer Jacynthe covered this song in 2003 for her album Seize the Day. - LostprophetsLostprophetsLostprophets is a Welsh rock band from Pontypridd, formed in 1997. Founded by vocalist Ian Watkins, bassist Mike Lewis, drummer Mike Chiplin and guitarist Lee Gaze, they were originally a side-project to hardcore punk band Public Disturbance. To date, Lostprophets have released four studio...
covered this song on The Fake Sound of ProgressThe Fake Sound of Progress-Personnel:* Ian Watkins – lead vocals* Lee Gaze – lead guitar* Mike Lewis – rhythm guitar* Stuart Richardson – bass* Jamie Oliver – synth, turntables, samples* Mike Chiplin – drums, percussion-Chart positions:-External links:*...
CD single. - PortuguesePortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
band The Room 74 covered this song in 2005 on their album Metrosexual, giving it an all new Funk sound. - AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n singer Gilli MoonGilli MoonGilli Moon is a Los Angeles based Australian singer-songwriter, artist, writer, producer and entrepreneur.-Overview:Gilli Moon is an Australian, Los Angeles based, singer, songwriter, recording artist, actor, author, music producer, and motivational speaker....
covered this song in 2003 on her album Woman as a much slower arrangement. - Cassettes Won't ListenCassettes Won't ListenCassettes Won't Listen is the Indie rock and Electronic one-man project of multi-instrumentalist and producer Jason Drake based out of Brooklyn, New York. Over the last few years Cassettes Won't Listen has received press from the likes of Spin, Perez Hilton, and URB. Cassettes Won't Listen has...
covered the song for the Guilt by Association Vol. 2Guilt by Association Vol. 2Guilt by Association Vol. 2 is a compilation album released November 18, 2008 by Engine Room Recordings. Like its predecessor, Guilt by Association Vol. 1, it features indie rock artists covering well-known pop and R&B songs.-Overview:...
compilation, released by Engine Room RecordingsEngine Room RecordingsEngine Room Recordings is an independent record label with a roster of Indie rock and Alternative rock musicians. Beyond marketing and distribution for its artists, the label does booking and artist management....
in November 2008. - DJ McSleazy produced a memorable mashup of this song, mixing it up with Neneh CherryNeneh CherryNeneh Mariann Cherry is a Swedish singer-songwriter, rapper, and occasional DJ and broadcaster...
's "I've Got You Under My SkinI've Got You Under My Skin (song)"I've Got You Under My Skin" is a song written by Cole Porter. It became a signature song for Frank Sinatra and, in 1966, became a top 10 hit for The Four Seasons...
". The resultant mashup has been entitled "Got your cherry tonight", and was aired on MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. - Crimpshrine has a live cover of this song on the Benecia By the Bay Compilation.
- Rock band Dirtbombs have performed the song live.
- General HospitalGeneral HospitalGeneral Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
's Nathan ParsonsNathan ParsonsNathan Parsons is an Australian-born American actor, best known for his work in daytime television on the ABC soap opera General Hospital as the character of Ethan Lovett.-Background:...
sang this song as a karaoke version at a reception on the show 29 September 2009. - In March 2010, UK Rapper Professor GreenProfessor GreenProfessor Green , better known by his stage name Professor Green, is a British rapper. He was signed to The Beats, a record label run by Mike Skinner and Ted Mayhem, until 12 February 2008, as the label went under. He won the inaugural JumpOff MySpace £50,000 battle rap tournament in July 2008...
released a song based entirely on the song called "I Need You Tonight".