Well the talk on the street
Says you might go solo
A good friend of mine
Saw you leavin' by the back door

I need to know (I need to know)
I need to know (I need to know)
If you think you're gonna leave
Then you better say so
I need to know (I need to know)
I need to know (I need to know)
Because I don't know how long
I can hold on
If your makin' me wait
If you're leadin' me on
I need to know (I need to know)
I need to know (I need to know)

Who woulda thought
That you'd fall for his line
All of a sudden it's
Me on the outside

I need to know (I need to know)
I need to know (I need to know)
If you think you're gonna leave
Then you better say so
I need to know (I need to know)
I need to know (I need to know)
Because I don't know how long
I can hold on
If your makin' me wait
If you're leadin' me on
I need to know (I need to know)
I need to know (I need to know), waah

Baby, I need to know (I need to know)
I need to know (I need to know)
If you think you're gonna leave
Then you better say so
I need to know (I need to know)
I need to know (I need to know)
Because I don't know how long
I can hold on
If your makin' me wait
If you're leadin' me on
I need to know(I need to know)
I need to know (I need to know)
Baby I need to know


Lyrics submitted by oofus

I Need to Know Lyrics as written by Tom Petty

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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I Need To Know song meanings
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6 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    great song, sound like his women is keepin' a secret and well he wants to know!

    PinkFloyd96on February 19, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Short and sweet, yet another Tom Petty classic.

    12Monkeyson May 29, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    No secret, just he needs to know if she's about t dump his butt ("about to go solo") or what.

    PaleolithNickon July 29, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    its about a guy who is in a band and he is running off with all of the lyrics

    caliskaterz01on November 06, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song was actually inspired by Wilson Pickett's "Land of a thousand dances". "It's almost the same riff but with a different beat" - Tom Petty.

    Song is about alienation and was written during a time where Tom's thoughts were "very blunt, [with] just little bursts of adrenalin".

    Autzenduckon October 08, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    the opening line of this song is amazing. the way he sings "solo" is just awesome!

    jasssson June 06, 2010   Link

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