"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.
| "I Need to Be in Love" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Single picture sleeve | ||||
| Single by Carpenters | ||||
| from the album A Kind of Hush | ||||
| B-side | "Sandy" | |||
| Released | May 21, 1976 | |||
| Recorded | 1976 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | A&M | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Richard Carpenter | |||
| Carpenters singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| A Kind of Hush track listing | ||||
10 tracks
| ||||
Background
editThe 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
editCash 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
edit- Karen Carpenter - lead vocals
- Richard Carpenter - piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano, harpsichord, Hammond organ, orchestration
- Joe Osborn - bass
- Tony Peluso - electric guitar
- Jim Gordon - drums
- Earle Dumler - English horn
- Gayle Levant - harp
- David Shostac - flute
- The O.K. Chorale - backing vocals
Chart performance
editThe 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"). Richard Carpenter claims 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 100 | 25 |
| US Billboard Easy Listening | 1 |
| Canada RPM Top Singles | 31 |
| Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[8] | 1 |
| Ireland | 14 |
| Japanese Singles Chart (Oricon) | 62 |
| UK Singles Chart | 36 |
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[9] | 47 |
| US Cash Box Top 100[10] | 31 |
| Chart (1995) | Peak position |
| Japan (Oricon) | 5 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Japan (RIAJ)[12] I Need to Be in Love / Top of the World |
4× Platinum | 450,000[11] |
| Japan (RIAJ)[13] Digital |
Gold | 100,000* |
|
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
Cover versions
edit- Shirley Bassey recorded this song on her 1977 album You Take My Heart Away.
- Filipino bossa nova singer Sitti recorded a cover of this song for her second album My Bossa Nova.
- This song was sung by the Pakistani pop singer Hadiqa Kiyani as a tribute to the Carpenters.
- Japanese female singer Chihiro Onitsuka covered the song for her 2012 cover album Famous Microphone.
- Korean jazz duo Winterplay covered the song for their 2010 album Touché Mon Amour.
- In 2016, Dami Im recorded a version for her album Classic Carpenters.
- Richard Carpenter recorded a solo piano/vocal version live on Japanese television.[14]
- Michael Poss recorded this song combined with "They Say It's Wonderful" by Irving Berlin on his 2000 album Silver Screen Serenades
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "A Kind Of Hush | The Carpenters Complete Recording Resource". Carpenters.amcorner.com. 29 March 2012. Retrieved 2013-06-04.
- ^ a b "Carpenters •• I Need To Be In Love". Richardandkarencarpenter.com. 2008-06-04. Retrieved 2013-06-04.
- ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. June 5, 1976. p. 16. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
- ^ "The Hot 100". Billboard. June 12, 1976. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ "I Need to Be in Love" USA chart history, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
- ^ Carpenters UK chart history, The Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 48.
- ^ RPM Adult Contemporary, July 31, 1976
- ^ David Kent (1993). Australian Charts Book 1970—1992. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Cash Box" (PDF). Worldradiohistory.com. 1978-07-17. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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
- ^ "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
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "RICHARD CARPENTER - I Need to be in Love LIVE ( remastered + exclusive )". YouTube.
