Small Faces - You Need Loving ( S1 )

Small Faces version

Three years after its initial release, East London band Small Faces released the track as "You Need Loving" for their eponymous debut album in 1966. The tune, which was a largely improvisational jam by the group, had been a part of their live repertoire along with other rhythm and blues songs since they formed. At the time, their setlist consisted of about five songs, "Come On Children", "Ooh Poo Pah Doo", "E Too D", "Baby Don't You Do It" and "You Need Love". The song was popular with the mod subculture of the 1960s. It is also noteworthy for 19-year old Steve Marriott's raw vocals, one of his most well known characteristics.

It was fantastic, I loved it, Muddy Waters recorded it but I couldn't sing like Muddy Waters so it wasn't that much of a nick. I was a high range and Muddy was a low range so I had to figure out how to sing it. So I did and that was our opening number for all the years we were together. Every time we were on stage that was our opening number, unless we had a short set.

— Steve Marriott, Steve Marriott: All Too Beautiful... pg. 78

The opening verse of the Muddy Waters' original was not included anywhere in "You Need Loving", with the Small Faces adding their own bits instead, such as "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe" and "I can't monkey and I can't dog. Can't do the monkey, yeah"

You've got yearnin' and I got burnin'
Baby you look so sweet and cunning
Baby way down inside, woman you need love
Woman you need love, you've got to have some love

— First verse, Muddy Waters, "You Need Love", 1963

Infact, the majority of the track was re-written in order to better fit Marriott's style of singing. The first verse was completely remade by replacing it with an altered version of the last verse found in "You Need Love":

Woah you foolin'
Come and get coolin'
I'm gonna send you right back to school, alright
Make your way down the new side girl
You know how woman, you need lovin', lovin', alright

— First verse, Small Faces, "You Need Loving", 1966

Despite containing several verses found in the original, on original 1966 pressings of the group's debut album, it is only credited to Marriott and Ronnie Lane. Allegedly, this was a business tactic used by Small Faces manager Don Arden in order to get more royalties. In fact, Arden kept the royalties himself, with the band earning only £20 a week, despite multiple top ten entries on the UK Singles Chart. Dixon did not sue Arden or the band, because he did not know of its existence. On most later reissues of the album, Dixon is credited as a songwriter. The group recorded the song live for Saturday Club and can be found on the compilation album The BBC Sessions.

Personnel

• Steve Marriott – lead vocals, lead guitar
• Ronnie Lane – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Ian McLagan – Hammond organ, backing vocals
• Kenney Jones – drums

"You Need Loving"
Song by Small Faces
from the album Small Faces
Released	May 11, 1966
Recorded	February 1966
Studio	IBC, London
Genre	Rhythm and blues  hard rock
Length	3:56
Label	Decca
Songwriter(s)	Steve Marriott Ronnie Lane (credited)
Producer(s)	John Pantry Don Arden