"I Need You" is a song written by Dennis Matkosky and Ty Lacy and recorded by American country pop artist LeAnn Rimes. It was released on March 20, 2000, as a single from Jesus: Music from and Inspired by the Epic Mini-Series. The following year, it was released internationally on March 19, 2001 as a single from the compilation of the same name. The song spent 25 weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number 11, and it was also successful outside the US, reaching the top 20 in Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. A music video was released in 2000.

Background and release

"I Need You" was released in the United States as a single in the from the Jesus soundtrack. On March 20, 2000, it was released to adult contemporary and hot adult contemporary radio; it was released to retail on July 25, 2000. In September 2000, a country mix of the song was included on the compilation Wings of a Dove. The song was included on her 2001 compilation I Need You and its 2002 reissue. Internationally, the song was released as a single from the compilation on March 19, 2001. "I Need You" was included on her greatest hits albums Greatest Hits (2003), Best of (2004), and All-Time Greatest Hits (2015). Remixes of the song were featured on her remix albums The Best of LeAnn Rimes: Remixed (2004) and Dance Like You Don't Give a.... Greatest Hits Remixes (2014). Rimes donated her artist fees and royalties from this song to fund and build a therapeutic rehabilitation wing — the "LeAnn Rimes Adventure Gym" — at the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee (Remz).

Composition

"I Need You" is a Christian pop song with a runtime of 3 minutes and 48 seconds. It was written by Dennis Matkosky and Ty Lacy, and is in the key of G major with Rimes' vocals spanning two octaves, from E3 to D5.

Critical reception

Entertainment Weekly music critic David Browne gave "I Need You" a "C+" grade and wrote, "This schlock-deluxe ballad finds Rimes in full-diva mode, swooning and growling like a Celine Dion impersonator on Your Big Break." According to Carson James, Curb VP of Promotion, "I Need You" was used as the "primary vehicle for pre-promotion" of the "Jesus" mini-series (Country Corner, 2000) that aired on CBS in May 2000 and was the lead track featured on the album. A review by Billboard stated, "Not since her pop breakthrough "How Do I Live" almost three years ago has [LeAnn] Rimes brought forth a song so naturally beautiful and well-suited to her rich, enveloping vocal style."

Chart performance

In the United States, the song spent 25 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number 11. The song also reached number 8 on the Billboard Country Songs chart, as well as number 2 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. It received a Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America for shipping over 500,000 copies domestically. Internationally, "I Need You" peaked within the top 20 in Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Music video

The music video for the song features Rimes singing solo in a minimally furnished, abandoned house. The first 2/3's of the video features Rimes in a tan and white shirt with tan leather pants while in the darkness lit by a spotlight that travels across the room in the background while different colored leaves are billowing about. There are close-up shots of her face as she's singing and various poses of her swaying, moving and dancing to the song. After the second verse the spotlight stops in her midsection and the scenes are flooded with light. Then her outfit changes to white but she and the music video continue as before. The video was directed by Joe Rey. On July 22, 2014, as a promotion for her Dance Like You Don't Give a.... Greatest Hits Remixes (2014) album, Rimes released the Digital Dog remix of the music video.

Track listings

US CD single US remix digital download UK single UK maxi-CD European maxi-CD

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

Covers

In 2001, Anna Fegi released the song for her album, Every Step of the Way. The song was covered again in 2003 by Christian singer, Kristy Starling, on her eponymous debut album. In 2005, Filipino singer Mark Bautista covered this song for his second studio album Dream On.