From a first single in 1979, the group successfully combined a pop rock and power pop (and sometimes, a blues rock) influenced backing with harmony side-vocals and Lewis' strident voice, and the band had numerous hit songs during the 1980s and early 1990s. These include "The Power of Love" and "Back in Time" (both of which were featured in the film "Back to the Future"), "I Want a New Drug", "Doin' It All (For My Baby)", "Do You Believe in Love?" "Hip to Be Square", "Stuck With You", and "Jacob's Ladder". Huey Lewis shared three Grammy awards, an American Music Award, and a People's Choice Award along with several artists for his role singing the 1985 charity song "We Are the World" as well.
=Albums=
Huey Lewis & the News (1980)
Picture This (1982) [#13 U.S. Gold]
Sports (1983) [#1 U.S. 7x Platinum]
Back to the Future Soundtrack (1985) [Gold]
Fore! (1986) [#1 U.S. 3x Platinum]
Small World (1988) [#11 U.S. Platinum]
Hard at Play (1991) [#27 U.S. Gold]
The Heart of Rock & Roll - The Best of Huey Lewis and The News (1992)
Four Chords & Several Years Ago (1994) [#55 U.S.]
Time Flies: The Best of Huey Lewis and the News (1996) [#185 U.S.]
Plan B (2001) [#165 U.S.]
Live at 25 (2005)
Greatest Hits & Videos (2006) [#70 U.S.]
www.hueylewisandthenews.com
I Want to
Huey Lewis & The News Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want a new drug, one that won't make me sick
One that won't make me crash my car
Or make me feel feet, feet, feet thick
I want a new drug, one that won't hurt my head
One that won't make my mouth too dry
Or make my eyes too red
Wonderin' what to do
One that makes me feel like I feel when I'm with you
When I'm alone with you
I want a new drug, one that won't spill
One that don't cost too much
Or come in a pill
I want a new drug, one that won't go away
One that won't keep me up all night
One that won't make me sleep all day
One that won't make me nervous
Wonderin' what to do
One that makes me feel like I feel when I'm with you
I'm alone with you
I'm alone with you, baby
I want a new drug, one that does what it should
One that won't make me feel too bad
One that won't make me feel too good
I want a new drug, one with no doubt
One that won't make me talk to much
Or make my face break out
One that won't make me nervous
Wonderin' what to do
One that makes me feel like I feel when I'm with you
I'm alone with you
I'm alone with you, yeah, yeah
Huey Lewis's "I Want a New Drug" is about wanting to find a new drug that won't have any negative side effects. The song was a hit for the band in the mid-1980s and was used extensively in films and TV shows. In the lyrics, Lewis expresses his desire for a drug that won't make him sick, won't make him crash his car, won't make him feel too thick, and won't hurt his head. He also wants a drug that won't make him nervous, won't keep him up all night, and won't make him sleep all day.
A new drug in the song can be interpreted as something that changes the way he feels, as with many drug use. However, he wants a new drug that won't make him feel terrible or have negative consequences. In some ways, the song can be seen as a reflection of the anxieties around drug use and experimentation in the 1980s. It's also reasonable to see it as a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the utopian hopes of modern pharmacology, and the desire of people in general to alleviate their troubles without causing more. The phrase "I'm alone with you" suggests that it might not be an addictive drug, but a person with whom he can be comfortable or at ease.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh
Exclamation to introduce the desire for a new drug.
I want a new drug, one that won't make me sick
The desire for a drug that doesn't have negative physical effects.
One that won't make me crash my car
The desire for a drug that won't impair driving abilities.
Or make me feel feet, feet, feet thick
The desire for a drug that won't make the body feel heavy or sluggish.
One that won't hurt my head
The desire for a drug that doesn't cause headaches or migraines.
One that won't make my mouth too dry
The desire for a drug that doesn't cause excessive dryness in the mouth.
Or make my eyes too red
The desire for a drug that won't cause redness or other noticeable changes to the eyes.
One that won't make me nervous
The desire for a drug that doesn't cause anxiety or nervousness.
Wonderin' what to do
The desire to know what to do without being excessively stimulated by the drug.
One that makes me feel like I feel when I'm with you
The desire for a drug that makes the user feel the same way as when they are around their romantic partner.
When I'm alone with you
The desire to feel the same way as when the user is alone with their romantic partner while taking the drug.
I want a new drug, one that won't spill
The desire for a drug that isn't messy or difficult to handle.
One that don't cost too much
The desire for a drug that isn't too expensive to obtain.
Or come in a pill
The desire for a drug that doesn't have to be taken in pill form.
One that won't go away
The desire for a drug that has lasting effects, rather than wearing off quickly.
One that won't keep me up all night
The desire for a drug that doesn't keep the user awake or disturb their sleep cycle.
One that won't make me sleep all day
The desire for a drug that doesn't cause excessive drowsiness or lethargy.
One that does what it should
The desire for a drug that has consistent, reliable effects.
One that won't make me feel too bad
The desire for a drug that doesn't have severe negative effects.
One that won't make me feel too good
The desire for a drug that doesn't induce excessive euphoria or mania.
One with no doubt
The desire for a drug with no uncertainty or risk.
One that won't make me talk to much
The desire for a drug that won't cause excessive chattiness or a loss of filter in conversation.
Or make my face break out
The desire for a drug that doesn't cause acne or other skin irritation.
I'm alone with you
The desire to feel the same way as when the user is alone with their romantic partner while taking the drug.
I'm alone with you, yeah, yeah
Reiteration of the desire to feel the same way as when the user is alone with their romantic partner while taking the drug.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER JOHN HAYES, HUEY LEWIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AbhNormal
I think with this album, they really came into their own, commercially and artistically.
@curtisfoy6735
The whole album has a clear, crisp sound
@brokefolkfabrication
do you like Phil Collins?
@ReservoirPunk
It's a laugh-riot
@MegaSammy70
That's because Huey Lewis And The News started producing their own records after their first album flopped.
@iluvtiits
Is this from American psycho?
@ckatheman
Is it just me or has Huey Lewis always been 45 years old?
@tedskins
I think he was mid 30s here
@shawnd980
lol so true
@brotheldan2009
yes but hes always been the man