I Need Love

LL Cool J

About I Need Love

"I Need Love" is the second single from LL Cool J's second album, Bigger and Deffer. It reached #1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 while becoming one of the first rap songs to enjoy mainstream popularity in the UK, reaching #8 in the UK Singles Chart. The single won a Soul Train Music Award for Best Rap Single in 1988 Soul Train Music Awards. The song ranked #13 on About.com's Top 100 Rap Songs. Number 60 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop. The drums were played with a Roland TR-808 and the keyboard tone was played with a Yamaha DX7 using the Fulltines patch.  


Year:
2003
5:23
80 
#1

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When I'm alone in my room
Sometimes I stare at the wall
And in the back of my mind
I hear my conscience call
Telling me I need a girl who's as sweet as a dove
For the first time in my life, I see I need love
There I was, giggling about the games
That I had played with many hearts and I'm not saying no names
Then the thought occurred, Tear drops made my eyes burn
As I said to myself, "Look what you've done to her"
I can feel it inside, I can't explain how it feels
All I know is that I'll never dish another raw deal
Playing make believe, pretending that I'm true
Holding in my laugh as I say that I love you
Saying amore, kissing you on the ear
Whispering "I love you" and "I'll always be near"
Although I often reminisce, I can't believe that I've found
A desire for true love, floating around
Inside my soul, because my soul is cold
One half of me deserves to be this way till I'm old
But the other half, needs affection and joy
And the warmth that is created by a girl and a boy
I need love

I need love

Romance, sheer delight, how sweet
I've got to find me a girl to make my life complete
You can scratch my back, we'll get cozy and huddle
I'll lay down my jacket so you can walk over a puddle
Give you a rose, pull out your chair before we eat
Kiss you on the cheek and say "Ooh girl, you're so sweet"
It's De Ja Vu, whenever I'm with you
I can go on forever telling you what I'll do
But where you at? You're neither here nor there
I swear, I can't find you anywhere
Damn sure you ain't in my closet, or under my rug
This love search, is really making me bugged
And if you know who you are, why don't you make yourself seen?
Take a chance with my love and you'll find out what I mean
Fantasies can run, but they can't hide
And when I find you I'ma pour all my love inside
I need love

I need love

I wanna kiss you, hold you, never scold you, just love you
Suck on your neck, caress you and rub you
Grind, mold, and never be alone
If you're not standing next to me you're on the phone
Can't you hear it in my voice? I need love bad
I've got money but love's something I never had
I need your ruby red lips, sweet face and all
I love you more than a man, who's ten feet tall
I watch the sun rise, in your eyes
We're so in love, when we hug, we become paralyzed
Our bodies explode in extacy unreal
You're as soft as a pillow and I'm as hard as steel
It's like a dream land, I can't lie, I've never been there
Maybe this is an experience that me and you can share
Clean and unsoiled, yet sweaty and wet
I swear to you, this is something I'll never forget
I need love

I need love

See what I mean? I've changed, I'm no longer
A playboy on the run, I need something that's stronger
Friendship, trust, honor respect, admiration
This whole experience has been such a revelation
It's taught me love, and how to be a real man
To always be considerate and do all I can
Protect you, you're my lady and you mean so much
My body tingles all over with the slightest touch
Of your hand, and understand, I'll be frozen in time
Till we meet face to face and you tell me you're mine
If I find you girl, I swear I'll be a good man
I'm not gonna leave it, in destiny's hand
I can't sit and wait, for my princess to arrive
I gotta struggle and fight, to keep my dream alive
I'd search the whole world for that special girl
And when I finally find you, watch our love unfurl
I need love

I need love

Girl, listen to me.
When I be sitting in my room, all alone, staring at the wall,
Fantasies, they go through my mind.
And, I've come to realize that, I need true love.
And if you want to give it to me girl, make yourself seen.
I'll be waiting, I love you.

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LL Cool J

James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), better known as LL Cool J, for Ladies Love Cool James ), is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor from Bay Shore, New York. He is known for romantic ballads such as "I Need Love", "Around the Way Girl" and "Hey Lover" as well as pioneering hip-hop such as "I Can't Live Without My Radio", "I'm Bad", "The Boomin' System", and "Mama Said Knock You Out". He has released thirteen studio albums and two greatest hits compilations, including 2008's Exit 13, the last for his record deal with Def Jam Recordings, and currently has a new studio album in the works. He has also appeared in numerous films, including Halloween H20: 20 Twenty Years Later, and currently stars as NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna on the CBS crime drama… more »

2 fans

Written by: CHRISTOPHER A. STEWART, BOBBY F. ERVIN, STEVEN J. ETTINGER, TERIUS YOUNGDELL NASH, DARRYL LA MONT PIERCE, DWAYNE EMIL SIMON, JAMES TODD SMITH

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


16 facts about this song

Artist
"I Need Love" was written and performed by James Todd Smith, known popularly as LL Cool J, an iconic figure in the hip-hop music industry.
Record Label
It was produced under the Def Jam Recordings label.
Release Information
The song was first released on September 13, 1987.
Album Inclusion
"I Need Love" is part of LL Cool J's second studio album, "Bigger and Deffer".
Genre Type
This song is notably one of the first to bring love ballads into the realm of hip-hop music.
Chart Performance
"I Need Love" hit number one on the Hot Black Singles chart, and also crossed over to pop audiences, reaching number fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100.
Time Signature
The song has a 4/4 time signature which means there are four beats per measure.
Song Length
"I Need Love" has a duration of approximately five minutes and twenty-three seconds.
Music Video
The music video for "I Need Love" was one of the landmark videos aired during the early days of MTV network.
Awards
The song won the Soul Train Music Award for Best Rap Single in 1987.
Career Impact
"I Need Love" played a significant role in popularising LL Cool J's career and exposing a broader audience to hip-hop.
Lyrics
The lyrics are a heartfelt confession of a man seeking real, everyday love. This sentimental side of rap was quite unique at the time of the song’s release.
Song Sample
In recent years, the song has been sampled in various forms by other artists, underlining its ongoing influence in music industry.
Legacy
"I Need Love" is considered a foundational "rap ballad", paving the way for other artists to incorporate emotional lyrics and slow, soothing beats into hip-hop music.
Collaboration
Dwayne Simon, one of the early members of LL Cool J’s crew, is listed as a co-writer and co-producer of the song.
Cultural Impact
The song is often cited as one of the greatest rap songs and has been acknowledged in various pop culture references.

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    I Need Love

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1987

    Billboard #14


    Album

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