I Need to Be in Love

Last updated
"I Need to Be in Love"
I Need to Be in Love.jpg
Single picture sleeve
Single by Carpenters
from the album A Kind of Hush
B-side "Sandy"
ReleasedMay 21, 1976
Recorded1976
Genre Pop
Length
  • 3:25 (single version)
  • 3:49 (album version)
Label A&M
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Richard Carpenter
Carpenters singles chronology
"There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)"
(1976)
"I Need to Be in Love"
(1976)
"Goofus"
(1976)
A Kind of Hush track listing
10 tracks
  1. "There's a Kind of Hush"
  2. "You"
  3. "Sandy"
  4. "Goofus"
  5. "Can't Smile Without You"
Side two
  1. "I Need to Be in Love"
  2. "One More Time"
  3. "Boat to Sail"
  4. "I Have You"
  5. "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do"

"I Need to Be in Love" is a song written by Richard Carpenter, Albert Hammond and John Bettis. It was released as a single on May 21, 1976. It was featured on the A Kind of Hush album, which was released on June 11 of the same year.

Contents

Background

The single featured a version without the piano lead-in and starts immediately with a flute introduction by David Shostac. [1] Richard recalled that it was Karen's favorite Carpenters song. [2]

Reception

Cash Box said that it starts with a "beautiful string introduction" and that "Karen Carpenter's voice slips in with a sweet ballad melody." [3]

Personnel

Chart performance

The song entered the Billboard Hot 100 on June 12 at number 55, [4] and peaked at number 25. [5] It peaked at number 36 on the UK charts. [6] In 1995, it was released as a CD single in Japan, after being chosen for the theme song of the drama Miseinen. It was taken from the best-selling compilation 22 Hits of the Carpenters (promoted as a double A-side with "Top of the World"). On his website, Richard Carpenter wrote that "It became one of the biggest sellers of 1995, ultimately going quadruple platinum. In more ways than one, Karen would have loved that!" [2] "I Need to Be in Love" was also the Carpenters' fourteenth number one on the Easy Listening chart. [7]

Chart (1976)Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 10025
US Billboard Easy Listening1
Canada RPM Top Singles31
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary [8] 1
Ireland14
Japanese Singles Chart (Oricon)62
UK Singles Chart36
Australia (Kent Music Report) [9] 47
US Cash Box Top 100 [10] 31
Chart (1995)Peak
position
Japan (Oricon)5

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ) [11]
I Need to Be in Love / Top of the World
4× Platinum450,000 [12]
Japan (RIAJ) [13]
Digital
Gold100,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. "A Kind Of Hush | The Carpenters Complete Recording Resource". Carpenters.amcorner.com. 29 March 2012. Retrieved 2013-06-04.
  2. 1 2 "Carpenters •• I Need To Be In Love". Richardandkarencarpenter.com. 2008-06-04. Retrieved 2013-06-04.
  3. "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. June 5, 1976. p. 16. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  4. "The Hot 100". Billboard. June 12, 1976. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  5. "I Need to Be in Love" USA chart history, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  6. Carpenters UK chart history, The Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  7. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 48.
  8. RPM Adult Contemporary, July 31, 1976
  9. David Kent (1993). Australian Charts Book 1970—1992. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  10. "Cash Box" (PDF). Worldradiohistory.com. 1978-07-17. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  11. "Japanese single certifications – カーペンターズ – 青春の輝き/トップ・オブ・ザ・ワールド" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan.Select 1996年1月 on the drop-down menu
  12. McClure, Steve (February 10, 1996). "The Carpenters Are A Hit Among Young Japanese". Billboard . p. 49. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved July 28, 2023 via Google Books.
  13. "Japanese digital single certifications – カーペンターズ – 青春の輝き" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan . Retrieved October 19, 2020.Select 2017年3月 on the drop-down menu