‘I Hate Myself for Loving You’ is a song by American rock band Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, released as the lead single from their sixth studio album, Up Your Alley (1988). The song reached number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100, Jett's third and last single to reach the top 10, and was her first since ‘Crimson and Clover’ in 1982. The song spent six weeks longer on the charts than did the group's biggest hit, ‘I Love Rock 'n' Roll’ (which was on the chart for 20 weeks). On September 10, 2011, the single reached number 39 on the US Rock Digital Songs chart.
Joan Jett's producer Kenny Laguna told Songfacts that Joan came up with the guitar riff for this song and wrote it as ‘I Hate Myself Because I Can't Get Laid.’ She took it to the writer/producer Desmond Child, who thought the title would never fly and convinced Joan to change it to something with "Love" in the title. Child, who got a co-writing credit on the song, knows something about the hit potential of love: he also co-wrote ‘I Was Made For Lovin' You’ for Kiss and ‘You Give Love A Bad Name’ for Bon Jovi. He has a knack for finding the right hook and making a song sound larger than life.
Former Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor played the guitar solo in the song. Cash Box called it "a mean, growling performance from the high-flying Jett" in which "over a craggy landscape of heavy guitars she exudes a sexual anger and power." The song received a nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 31st Grammy Awards.
The song was adapted for NBC Sunday Night Football, named "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night" with Carrie Underwood (previously Pink and Faith Hill) on vocal and Joan Jett on guitar. The song was used in the opening scene of Harley Quinn moving on after her breakup with the Joker in Birds of Prey and for the Season 5 trailer for Big Mouth.
Label – Blackheart
Songwriters – Joan Jett, Desmond Child
Producers – Desmond Child Kenny Laguna
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]Midnight, gettin' uptight, where are you?
You said you'd meet me, now it's quarter to two
I know I'm hangin' but I'm still wantin' you
Hey Jack, it's a fact they're talkin' in town
I turn my back and you're messin' around
I'm not really jealous, don't like lookin' like a clown
[Pre-Chorus]
I think of you every night and day
You took my heart and you took my pride away
[Chorus]
I hate myself for loving you
Can't break free from the things that you do
I wanna walk but I run back to you
That's why I hate myself for loving you
Ow! Uh
[Verse 2]
Daylight, spent the night without you
But I've been dreamin' 'bout the lovin' you do
I'm over bein' angry 'bout the hell you put me through
Hey, man, bet you can treat me right
You just don't know what you was missin' last night
I wanna see you begging, say forget it just for spite
[Pre-Chorus]
I think of you every night and day
You took my heart and you took my pride away
[Chorus]
I hate myself for loving you
Can't break free from the things that you do
I wanna walk but I run back to you
That's why I hate myself for loving you
Ow! Uh
[Guitar Solo]
[Pre-Chorus]
I think of you every night and day
You took my heart and you took my pride away
[Chorus]
I hate myself for loving you
Can't break free from the things that you do
I wanna walk but I run back to you
That's why I hate myself for loving you
Ow! Uh
[Chorus]
I hate myself for loving you
Can't break free from the things that you do
I wanna walk but I run back to you
That's why I hate myself for loving you
Ow! Uh
[Outro]
I hate myself for loving you
I hate myself for loving you
I hate myself for loving you
I hate myself
I hate myself for loving you