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. Like "If Only You Knew", the song features LaBelle singing the song at her mid-range whereas in previous songs prior to 1983, LaBelle mostly sung in a straightforward soprano voice.

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 sampled 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