About the song
“I’d Love You to Want Me” by Lobo, a soft rock ballad that beautifully captures the delicate vulnerability and yearning for reciprocated affection in a relationship. Released in 1972, this song became Lobo’s signature hit, resonating deeply with audiences through its sincere lyrics, its gentle melody, and Lobo’s tender, almost pleading vocal delivery. It’s more than just a simple expression of love; it’s a heartfelt and relatable portrayal of the desire to be truly wanted and cherished by the one you love.
The lyrics of “I’d Love You to Want Me” are a direct and honest expression of longing for a deeper connection and the wish for reciprocated desire. The repeated phrase “I’d Love You to Want Me” serves as the central plea, highlighting the narrator’s vulnerability and his deep yearning for the other person’s genuine affection. The verses detail the narrator’s own strong feelings and his hope that these feelings might be mirrored by the object of his affection. There’s a sense of gentle persistence in his words, a hopeful waiting for the other person to truly desire him in return. Lobo’s vocal delivery is characterized by its soft, almost breathy quality and a profound sense of sincerity. He sings with a gentle tenderness that makes the listener feel the depth of his yearning and the vulnerability of his desire to be wanted. There’s a heartfelt quality in his voice that resonates with anyone who has longed for someone to truly want them.
The musical arrangement of “I’d Love You to Want Me” is a classic example of a beautifully crafted early 1970s soft rock ballad. Featuring a gentle and flowing melody carried by acoustic guitars and soft piano, with a subtle and supportive rhythm section and the warm, mellow sound of strings that enhance the song’s emotional atmosphere, the instrumentation creates a tender and intimate soundscape. The production is clean and uncluttered, allowing Lobo’s sincere vocals and the heartfelt simplicity of the lyrics to take center stage. The overall effect is one of quiet longing and deep emotional resonance, evoking a sense of hope mixed with a palpable vulnerability.
“I’d Love You to Want Me” resonated deeply with audiences because it tapped into the universal human desire to be truly wanted and cherished in a relationship. The simple yet profound plea for reciprocated affection is a sentiment that many can easily identify with. Lobo’s tender delivery and the song’s gentle melody and heartfelt lyrics have made it a timeless and cherished ballad in the soft rock landscape, a sincere anthem for anyone who has ever longed for someone to truly “want me.”
In essence, “I’d Love You to Want Me” is more than just a soft rock song; it’s a tender and sincere expression of deep longing for reciprocated affection, delivered with Lobo’s signature gentle and heartfelt vocal artistry. Its enduring popularity lies in its relatable theme and Lobo’s ability to evoke a profound emotional connection with his quiet and earnest delivery of this timeless plea: “I’d Love You to Want Me.”
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Lyrics
When I saw you standing there
I bout fell out my chair
And when you moved your mouth to speak
I felt the blood go to my feet.Now it took time for me to know
what you tried so not to show
Now something in my soul just cries
I see the want in your blue eyes.Baby, I’d love you to want me
The way that I want you
The way that it should be
Baby, you’d love me to want you
The way that I want to
If you’d only let it be.You told yourself years ago
You’d never let your feeling show
The obligation that you made
For the title that they gave.
