You Need Me, I Don't Need You

"You Need Me, I Don't Need You"
Single by Ed Sheeran
from the album +
Released 26 August 2011 (2011-08-26)
Format
Recorded 2010; Sticky Studios;
(Surrey, England)
Dean Street Studios;
(London, England)
Genre Alternative hip hop, rap rock
Length 3:40
Label Warner Music Group
Writer(s) Ed Sheeran
Producer(s)
  • Jake Gosling
  • Charlie Hugall
Ed Sheeran singles chronology
"Young Guns"
(2011)		 "You Need Me, I Don't Need You"
(2011)		 "Lego House"
(2011)
Music video
"You Need Me, I Don't Need You" on YouTube

"You Need Me I Don't Need You" (or simply "You Need Me") is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was released as the second single from his first studio album, +, and was released on 26 August 2011 in the United Kingdom.

The track "You Need Me" was originally released on the You Need Me extended play in 2009. The new version of "You Need Me, I Don't Need You" was re-recorded with a heavier beat, and peaked at number 4 on the UK Singles Chart. It was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry for shipments exceeding 200,000 copies.[1]

Background

During his headline set in the BBC Introducing tent at the Glastonbury Festival 2011, Sheeran revealed that "You Need Me, I Don't Need You" would be his second single.[2] The single was premiered on BBC Radio 1 as Zane Lowe's "Hottest Record In The World" on 6 July 2011.[3] He performed the song live for the SBTV YouTube channel, in which he made an entire song, backing track included, in just 5 minutes using a guitar and loop pedal.[4] This version included lyrics from Sheeran's cousin—rapper Alonestar (Jethro Sheeran)—and reggae group LaidBlak, but the official single release in 2011 included just lyrics written by Ed Sheeran himself.[5]

On 27 July 2011, Zane Lowe also made the Loadstar remix his "Hottest Record In The World".[6] Rizzle Kicks uploaded their remix of the song to YouTube on 14 August 2011. The original verses were replaced with their own lyrics, while Sheeran sings the chorus.[7]

Composition

According to the sheet music published by EMI Music Publishing, "You Need Me, I Don't Need You" is written in the key of E minor; Sheeran's vocals range from the note of D3 to G4. Instrumentation is provided by guitar, piano and vocals. The song incorporates R&B sonority.[8]

Critical reception

Writing for the Star-Ledger, Tris McCall described "You Need Me, I Don't Need You as "a frenetically strummed, wordy kiss-off, and the climax of +."[9] Lewis Corner of Digital Spy gave a 4/5 rating of song, stating:

'I sing, I write my own tune/ And I write my own verse, hell/ Don't need another wordsmith to make the tune sell,' he sing-speaks over an acoustic hip-hop beat complete with head-nodding guitar riff - marking a swift departure from the saccharine singer-songwriter sound of his heart-tugging debut. 'They say I'm up and coming like I'm f**king in an elevator,' he quips with steely conviction, prompting the response, 'We know you're a real artiste now, but there's no need to be cocky!'[10]

Live performances

On 24 June 2011, Sheeran performed the song at Glastonbury Festival 2011 on the BBC Introducing Stage[11] as well as live at the iTunes Festival on 8 July 2011 and at the 2011 Reading and Leeds Festivals. Sheeran also performed the track at the BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards on 9 October 2011 at Wembley Arena. At Sheeran's Brixton concert, on 21 January 2012, his performance of the song concluded the gig and included appearances from Rizzle Kicks, Wretch 32 and Devlin, with the performance lasting over 15 minutes. However he has also played the song at various local concerts before making it as a mainstream artist, the very first performance is believed to be at a gig where Sheeran was supported by a band named We Can't Dance. On 21 April 2012, Ed played the song live for the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago while touring with Snow Patrol for the Fallen Empires tour.

Music video

A music video to accompany the release of "You Need Me, I Don't Need You" was first released onto YouTube on 19 July 2011. The music video was directed by Emil Nava. It features signing actor Matthew Morgan.[12]

Track listing

Digital download / CD single
No.TitleLength
1."You Need Me, I Don't Need You"  3:40
2."You Need Me, I Don't Need You" (Live Ustream Version)6:51
3."You Need Me, I Don't Need You" (feat. Wretch 32 & Devlin)3:03
4."You Need Me, I Don't Need You" (Loadstar Remix)5:01
5."You Need Me, I Don't Need You" (Gemini Remix)4:30
Alternate CD single
No.TitleLength
1."You Need Me, I Don't Need You"  3:40
2."You Need Me, I Don't Need You" (feat. Wretch 32 & Devlin)3:03
3."You Need Me, I Don't Need You" (Live Ustream Version)6:51
4."You Need Me, I Don't Need You" (Loadstar Remix)5:01
5."You Need Me, I Don't Need You" (Culprate Remix)4:02
7" vinyl
No.TitleLength
1."You Need Me, I Don't Need You"  3:40
2."You Need Me, I Don't Need You" (Acoustic Version)4:18

Credits and personnel

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (2011) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[13] 74
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[14] 11
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[15] 8
Ireland (IRMA)[16] 19
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[17] 5
UK Indie (Official Charts Company)[18] 19[lower-alpha 1]
UK R&B (Official Charts Company)[19] 1
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[20] 4

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] Gold 400,000double-dagger

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region Date Format Label
United Kingdom 26 August 2011[22]
Warner Music Group
United States 23 July 2013[25] Contemporary hit radio Atlantic Records

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The single "You Need Me, I Don't Need You" peaked at number nineteen on the independent releases chart for the week ending 4 June 2011 following downloading from the You Need Me extended play. Upon release through Warner Music Group in August 2011, the single became ineligible for the respective chart.

References

  1. ↑ "Certified Awards Search" (To access, enter the search parameter "Ed Sheeran" and select "Search by Keyword"). British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  2. ↑ BBC Glastonbury Festival - 2011 - Ed Sheeran
  3. ↑ BBC - Zane Lowe's Hottest Records blog: Hottest Record - Ed Sheeran - You Need Me bbc.co.uk/
  4. ↑ "SB.TV - Ed Sheeran - "You Need Me, I Dont Need You" - A64". YouTube. 2010-02-28. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  5. ↑ "Ed Sheeran - Evolution of You Need Me I Don't Need You - 28/7/11". YouTube. 2011-07-28. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  6. ↑ Zane Lowe. "Zane Lowe's Hottest Records blog: Hottest Record - Ed Sheeran - You Need Me (Loadstar Remix)". BBC. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  7. ↑ Rizzle Kicks. "You Need Me, I Don't Need You-Rizzle Kicks remix". YouTube. Retrieved 2013-04-08.
  8. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – You Need Me, I Don't Need You Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com (EMI Music Publishing). Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  9. ↑ McCall, Tris (28 July 2013). "http://www.nj.com/entertainment/music/index.ssf/2013/07/song_of_the_week_you_need_me_i_dont_need_you_ed_sheeran.html". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 24 July 2014. External link in |title= (help)
  10. ↑ Music – Singles Review – Ed Sheeran: 'You Need Me, I Don't Need You'. Digital Spy
  11. ↑ "BBC Glastonbury Festival - 2011 - Ed Sheeran". Bbc.co.uk. 2011-06-26. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  12. ↑ Ed Sheeran - You Need Me, I Don't Need You (Official Video) on YouTube.
  13. ↑ "The ARIA Report - Issue #1147" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  14. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Ed Sheeran – You Need Me, I Don't Need You" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  15. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Ed Sheeran – You Need Me, I Don't Need You" (in French). Ultratip.
  16. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 35, 2011". Irish Singles Chart.
  17. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2011-09-10". Scottish Singles Top 40.
  18. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2011-06-04" UK Indie Chart.
  19. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2011-09-10" UK R&B Chart.
  20. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2011-09-10" UK Singles Chart.
  21. ↑ "British single certifications – Ed Sheeran – You Need Me, I Don't Need You". British Phonographic Industry. Enter You Need Me, I Don't Need You in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Gold in the field By Award. Click Search
  22. ↑ You Need Me, I Don't Need You (Remixes) - EP by Ed Sheeran iTunes
  23. ↑ "Ed Sheeran: You Need Me I Dont Need You (2011): CDS". hmv.com. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  24. ↑ "Ed Sheeran: You Need Me I Dont Need You (2011): 7'". hmv.com. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  25. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 22 May 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
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