What You Need (song)

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What You Need is a song by Australian band INXS. It is the leadoff track from their 1985 album, Listen Like Thieves, "What You Need" was the second single single off the album (after "This Time") and was the band's first American Top Ten hit.

The song was written by Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence.

"What You Need" had a stomping groove that sounded a little like the Rolling Stones without the blues influence, plus a swaggering performance by vocalist Michael Hutchence. The arrangement was spacious and the parts of the individual instruments simple, allowing them all to interlock easily — from the electronic drums and driving, rumbling bass line to the spare chordal strokes of the guitars and the stylish saxophone. During the chorus, the guitars suddenly kick up the intensity, hitting ringing power chords as the drums pound harder behind them. After the second chorus, there's also a funky breakdown in which Michael Hutchence chants the title over a drumbeat with effects layered over his voice; the guitar enters and plays a down-and-dirty single-note riff before returning to the verse figure.

Like nearly every great pop single, "What You Need" is tightly constructed, with no wasted space or unnecessary repetition anywhere. Even though INXS would prove themselves a terrific pop outfit many times over the next few years, "What You Need" remains one of their most infectious numbers.

[edit] Trivia

After the album Listen Like Thieves was recorded and finished and ready to be given to the record label for inspection, producer Chris Thomas said that the album didn't have a "hit", so he ordered Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence to write a song overnight and be ready for early tomorrow to record. In the end they accomplished that feat and the song they wrote was What You Need.