Love, Need and Want You

"Love, Need and Want You" is a song recorded by Patti LaBelle, released in 1984 as the second single from her album, I'm in Love Again. The song is a mid-tempo R&B number written for LaBelle by accomplished musician Bunny Sigler and Kenny Gamble. Following the success of her breakthrough R&B hit, "If Only You Knew", the song peaked at no. 10 on the R&B chart.

The B-side, "I'm in Love Again", was, like several other songs from the album, recorded two years prior to being issued. While the album version of "I'm in Love Again" produced an adult contemporary, light pop sound, LaBelle's several live performances produced a slower, R&B version of the song allowing the singer to show off in both her mid-range and fuller vocal delivery. LaBelle hasn't performed it in her set list since the end of the eighties.

Covers and samples

"Love, Need and Want You" was first sampled by rapper Flesh-n-Bone for his hit "World So Cruel" (from the 1996 album T.H.U.G.S.), which featured rapper Rev. Run of the legendary hip-hop group Run-DMC. It was famously covered by rap singer Nelly and R&B singer Kelly Rowland (formerly of Destiny's Child) on their Grammy-winning hit, "Dilemma". Big Boi of the group Outkast released the hit song, "Ghettomusick" from the Outkast album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, and parts of the song sampled "Love, Need and Want You". A re-recorded version and a video of the song would feature LaBelle, who was also in the video to "Dilemma" as Rowland's mother. R&B singer Lloyd sampled it for his hit song, "Lay It Down". Responding to its success, Patti LaBelle was called to add in vocals for a remixed version of the song, released as "Lay It Down II: A Tribute to the Legends", which was dedicated to the late Teena Marie and a then-ailing Aretha Franklin. Singer Jaguar Wright covered the song for her debut album, Denials, Delusions and Decisions.

Charts

Credits

• Lead vocals by Patti LaBelle
• Instrumentation by Sigma Sound Studio musicians
• Produced by Kenny Gamble and Bunny Sigler