I Need You
The Rationals were a garage band from Ann Arbor that first emerged in 1964,… Read Full Bio ↴The Rationals were a garage band from Ann Arbor that first emerged in 1964, with Scott Morgan on lead vocals and guitar, Steve Correll on lead guitar, Terry Trabandt on bass, and Bill Figg on drums. They had several local hits but ultimately failed to break into widespread fame. The closest they ever got to fame was with their 1966 single, Respect, which charted at 92 on the Billboard charts. Later on they experimented with psychedelia and soul but they still failed to make it big outside of Michigan. They began recording their first self-titled LP in 1969, but it was too little too late for the band. They were left with no manager or infrastructure and the band wasn't getting along, and so in 1970 the band broke up. Scott Morgan later went on to be in Sonic's Rendezvous Band. In 1995, John Sinclair released a live recording of a 1968 Rationals benefit concert entitled Temptation 'bout to Get Me. Sinclair also named his book Guitar Army after the Rationals song of the same name.

I Need You
The Rationals Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I need you
I need you more than birds need the sky
I need you, you know, little girl
That you can lift the tears from my eyes

But if you ever tell me goodbye
I'll break down and you'll hear me cry
I need you
More than anybody else has needed anyone before

I need you
There's no one else to stand in your place
I need you, you know, little girl
That you can keep the smile on my face

But if you ever tell me goodbye
I'll break down and you'll hear me cry
I need you
More than anybody else has needed anyone before

I need you
There's no one else to stand in your place
I need you, you know, little girl
That you can keep the smile on my face

But if you ever tell me goodbye
I'll break down and you'll hear me cry
I need you
More than anybody else has needed anyone before
More than anybody else has needed anyone before
I need you




I need you
I need you

Overall Meaning

The Rationals' song "I Need You" is a love song that expresses the deep emotional dependence that one partner feels towards the other. The opening line of the song "I need you more than birds need the sky" sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics in describing an intense level of emotional attachment, where the singer is completely reliant upon the love and attention of their partner. The repetition of the phrase "I need you" throughout the song further emphasizes this theme.


The chorus of the song talks about the fear of losing the love of the partner. The phrase "But if you ever tell me goodbye, I'll break down, and you'll hear me cry" suggests that the emotional dependence is so strong that even the thought of losing the partner can lead to a breakdown. The singer expresses that there is no other person who can take the place of their lover and keep the smile on their face.


The song, while expressing deep emotions, also has a very upbeat tempo which creates a contrast with the gravity of the lyrics. The song was released in 1966, during the peak of the Rock and Roll movement when bands were experimenting with the blending of different genres which makes this song a perfect example of that.


Line by Line Meaning

I need you
I cannot live without you


I need you more than birds need the sky
My need for you is very strong and indispensible


I need you, you know, little girl
I love and desire you very much


That you can lift the tears from my eyes
You have the power to make me happy and remove my sadness


But if you ever tell me goodbye
If you leave me, it will have a devastating effect on me


I'll break down and you'll hear me cry
I will be emotionally and mentally shattered and you will witness my pain and sadness


More than anybody else has needed anyone before
No one has ever loved someone as much as I love you


There's no one else to stand in your place
You are irreplaceable and unique


That you can keep the smile on my face
You bring me joy and happiness and are the reason behind my smile




Contributed by Arianna P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@rwearing1754

With Scott's lead and Steve's soulfull tenor this band broke all the barriers. Those were the days for all of us,but the Rationals were the heart and soul we all tried to emulate. They deserved better.....

@socrates1818

What happened? Why weren’t they huge?

@lawrencewalch6301

It was around mid October 1998 when my friend Dick Wagner { yes of the Frost, Lou Reed and Alice Cooper}and I were driving on I 69 back home to Saginaw after combing the bars in Port Huron Mi. We found and later signed an act to a contract and life was good. As we pulled into Flint, WABX fm was playing the Rationals I need you. Wags looked over at me and said, And I quote "That song could never, ever be better than what it is." He loved the Rationals .

@rickhibdon11

cried myself to sleep listening to this back in the day. Young love with a broken heart.................

@whipsplash6943

The "good ole Days" in Michigan, with great groups coming out of Ann Arbor, Detroit, Flint, etc., Motown,CKLW and FM stations popping up everywhere almost commercial free, those were the days! I was fifteen when this first came out and it stayed with me all these years. Thanks for posting it MICHIGANROCKSANDROLL!

@rnolte3620

My High-School Girlfriend and I made this "our song" in '69.

@michaelm7116

good tune to do 69 to

@MrPeteyBalls

Just wonderful.  Michigan had great bands in the 60s and 70s.

@claritydreamsleeves541

Hugh Detroit hit in '67. Not many songs running 3:43 got AM airplay in those days, but this one did.

@johnjarou2357

Didn't this come out in 1969?

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