"I Want You Back" is a song by Australian

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

group

Hoodoo Gurus Hoodoo Gurus are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1981 by Dave Faulkner (songwriter, lead singer and guitarist) and later joined by Richard Grossman (bass), Mark Kingsmill (drums), and Brad Shepherd (guitar, vocals, harmonica). Th ...

, released in March 1984 as the fourth and final single from their debut album '' Stoneage Romeos''. "I Want You Back" was written by Dave Faulkner. Its B-side, "Who Do You Love?" (a.k.a. "Hoodoo You Love?") was recorded live at

2JJJ Triple J is an Australian government-funded national radio station founded in 1975 as a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). It aims to appeal to young listeners of alternative music, and plays far more Australian conten ...

. The 7" single and video clip version of the song is an edit that removes the second half of the double verse usually heard before the first chorus. To date the regular album version has been used on all subsequent Hoodoo Gurus compilations. In an interview with Fred Mills of ''

Harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orchestras or ...

'' magazine in January 2007, Faulkner revealed that the song was written not about a former lover but about the split with Radalj: "Basically, when Rod Radalj left the Gurus he was very dismissive of us, trying to move on and kind of burn everything behind him: 'Oh, it's not worth staying in that band. They're terrible!' So I basically turned that emotion around: 'Here's this guy who ditched us and he's acting like the spurned lover!' It was me saying, 'You'll regret it.'...Well, yeah, I just turned all that stuff into a relationship song. I don't know why people don't realise that it's an anger song. You're right, they think it's a longing song. But it's not a song about 'I wish you'd come back' but 'You'll wish you were back!'" In 2007 Faulkner said: "'I Want You Back' was one of the few songs of mine to ever be covered by another artist, a fellow mysteriously named

Simon F Intaferon was a short-lived English new wave duo, consisting of Simon Fellowes and Simon Gillham. They were signed to Chrysalis Records. Their song, "Get Out of London" (produced by Martin Rushent) was featured in the 2001 Mary-Kate and Ashle ...

, produced by

Billy Idol William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Idol achieved fame in the 1970s on the London punk rock scene as the lead singer of Generation X ...

's then-guitarist

Steve Stevens Steve Stevens (born Steven Bruce Schneider; May 5, 1959) is an American guitarist. He is best known as Billy Idol's guitarist and songwriting collaborator, and for his lead guitar work on the theme to ''Top Gun'' – " Top Gun Anthem" – for ...

. Some writers refer to their creations as their 'children', well this felt more akin to having your child grow up to be a serial killer. Their (per)version was not a hit, but then neither was ours."

Track listing

; 7" single (BTS1077) # "I Want You Back" (Dave Faulkner) — 2:45 # "Who Do You Love?" (Ellas McDaniel a.k.a.

Bo Diddley Ellas Otha Bates (December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist and singer who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, including Buddy ...

) — 2:05

Personnel

Credits *

James Baker James Addison Baker III (born April 28, 1930) is an American attorney, diplomat and statesman. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 10th White House chief of staff and 67th United States secretary ...

— drums * Clyde Bramley — bass, vocals * Dave Faulkner — vocals, guitar *

Brad Shepherd Bradley Mark Shepherd (born 1 February 1961) is an Australian rock musician. Shepherd is a guitarist, singer-songwriter and harmonica player; he has performed with several bands, especially Hoodoo Gurus. Biography Early life Shepherd was born ...

— guitar, vocals * Producer, Engineer — Alan Thorne * Mixed — Alan Thorne (track 2) * Recorded — Peter Watts (track 2)

Charts

References

{{Authority control 1984 singles Hoodoo Gurus songs 1984 songs Demon Music Group singles Songs written by Dave Faulkner (musician) Power pop songs Australian pop rock songs