‘I Need a Lover’ is the debut single by John Mellencamp, first released in 1978 under the stage name "Johnny Cougar". The song appeared on his 1978 album A Biography, which was not released in the United States. After becoming a top 10 hit in Australia, the song was later included on his 1979 follow-up album John Cougar to introduce it to U.S. audiences, and was released there as a single, becoming his first U.S. top 40 hit when it reached No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1979.
On his inspiration for writing ‘I Need a Lover’, Mellencamp said: "The song's about a friend of mine who goes to Concordia College. When that song was written, he was pretty sad. He was . . . livin' in his bedroom. I told him, 'You got to get the hell out of the house!' He'd say, 'Man, if I only had a girl, she'd make me forget my problems.' I just said, 'Well . . . '" Mellencamp has also stated that ‘I Need a Lover’ was inspired by the Rolling Stones' 1972 song ‘Happy’.AllMusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine described ‘I Need a Lover’ as Mellencamp's "first good song". Cash Box said that "Cougar's gutsy, forthright vocals and lyrics are nicely backed by passionate guitar and a footstomping, hell-raising beat." Record World said that "Cougar's midwestern roots grow into urban urgency on this explosive rocker."
Pat Benatar recorded this on her first album in 1979. Her producer, Mike Chapman, heard Mellencamp perform the song at the Los Angeles club The Whisky a Go Go when he was the opening act for the British band The Jam. Benatar's album sold well, and as the credited writer on one of its 10 tracks, Mellencamp got a welcome infusion of cash from the royalties.
On the album version of this song, which runs 5:35, there is a 2:29 intro before the vocals come in. Most of this intro was excised from the single release, which runs 3:44. Why the unconventionally long intro? Mellencamp explained to GQ: "We had just discovered that you could change keys in the middle of the song. It's like 'Oh listen, if you go to here, we can play the same f--kin' part but in a different key and it kinda uplifts the song."
Label – Riva
Songwriter – John Mellencamp
Producer – John Punter
SONG LYRICS
[Intro][Chorus]
I need a lover that won't drive me crazy
(I need a lover that won't drive me crazy)
I need a lover that won't drive me crazy
Some girl that knows the meaning of, uh
"Hey, hit the highway"
[Verse 1]
Well, I've been walkin' the streets up and down
Racing through the human jungles at night
I'm so confused, my mind is indifferent
Hey, I'm so weak, won't somebody shut off that light
[Verse 2]
Electricity runs through the video
And I watch it from this hole I call home
And all the stony's are dancin' to the radio
And I got the world calling me up here tonight on the phone
[Chorus]
I need a lover that won't drive me crazy
Some girl to thrill me and then go away
I need a lover that won't drive me crazy
Some girl that knows the meaning of, uh
"Hey, hit the highway"
[Verse 3]
Well, I'm not wiped out by this poolroom life I'm living
I'm gonna quit this job and go to school, or head back home
And I'm not askin' to be loved or be forgiven
Hey, I just can't face shakin' in this bedroom
One more night alone
[Chorus]
I need a lover that won't drive me crazy
I need a lover that won't drive me crazy
I need a lover that won't drive me crazy
Some girl that knows the meaning of, uh
"Hey, hit the highway"
I need a lover that won't drive me crazy
Some girl to thrill me and then go away
I need a lover that won't drive me crazy
Some girl that knows the meaning of, uh
"Hey, hit the highway"
You betcha