Want You Back

Single by HAIM

## *Something to Tell You* Chronology

"**Want You Back**" is a song by American pop-rock band HAIM. It was released on May 3rd 2017 through Polydor Records as the lead single and serves as the opening track to the band's second studio album, *Something to Tell You*.

In the song, the band discusses the feeling of regrettable love. Danielle Haim sings about the feeling of suddenly wanting to go back to a previous relationship, after realising the mistakes she made the first time.

## Background

*See also: Want You Back/Pitchfork Interview*

In an interview with *Pitchfork*, HAIM revealed that the song was originally planned to be much slower, with Este saying that is was "more like an acoustic guitar chill kind of thing". It remained this way for a long period of time until the band brought it to one of their default producers upon feeling that "Something is not working with this song", ultimately suggesting that they adjust the tempo of the song to be 30 beats per minute faster than it was first written. Alana explained that increasing the tempo made the group's harmonies more difficult yet helped identify it as a Haim song.

## Composition

"Want You Back" was co-produced by Ariel Rechtshaid, who band member Danielle Haim had been dating at the time. "Want You Back" is a pop rock song with influences of 1970s music. Danielle provides lead vocals on the track, "asking for forgiveness from an ex she steamrollered into leaving." According to *Pitchfork*'s Laura Snapes, the singer admits to having been selfish in the past, revealing a willingness to welcome love back into her life that "reverberates" throughout the song's verses.

Described as battle between head and heart, Danielle's vocals are eventually joined by those of her sisters, who support her decision once she "stops explaining herself" and ultimately "pleads her case from the rooftops". Spencer Kornhaber of *The Atlantic* described the song's chorus as one "full of yearning and pitter-patter" that demonstrates the girls' signature tendency to perform interlocking syllables and "rapid-fire phrases", along with a phrase that repeats itself and modulates to the point of which "it seems as familiar as a folk standard".

Musically, "Want You Back" is set in the key of C Major with a tempo of 113 BPM, a Camelot of 8B, and a total length of 3 minutes and 52 seconds.

## Critical reception

Upon it's release, "Want You Back" received positive reviews from music critics and music publications.

Writing for *Pitchfork*, Laura Snapes wrote:

> “Right Now” was clearly a red herring, or at least only half of the story, as the album’s first proper single, “Want You Back,” pivots in a big way. This time, Danielle Haim’s the one asking for forgiveness from an ex she steamrollered into leaving. It’s fairly brazen to name a song after one of the biggest singles of all time, but unlike the Jackson 5’s charm offensive, there’s a tentativeness to her words. She confesses to being selfish, and outlines the newfound space for someone else in her life. That openness reverberates through “Want You Back”’s verses, which have a Don Henley glimmer and a Christine McVie yearning. But then the chorus swells and shudders like Lindsey Buckingham at his most overheated, sprinkled with jittery digital chatter. Once it hits, Danielle stops explaining herself and pleads her case from the rooftops, backed by her sisters for ballast. On “Want You Back,” Haim’s dueling impulses are a battle played out between the head and the heart.
>
>

## Lyrics

**[Verse 1: Danielle, *Alana & Este*]**

Some things are long forgotten

Some things were never said

We were on one endless road

But I had a wandering heart

I said we were opposite lovers

*Said it from the beginning*

You kept tryin' to prove me wrong

*Said you'd always see it through*

And I know that I ran you down

So you ran away with your heart

**[Chorus: All]**

But just know that I want you back

Just know that I want you back

Just know that I want you

I'll take the fall and the fault in us

I'll give you all the love I never gave before I left you

Just know that I want you back

Just know that I want you back

Just know that I want you

I'll take the fall and the fault in us

I'll give you all the love I never gave before I left you

**[Verse 2: Danielle, *Alana & Este*]**

I know it's hard to hear it

And it may never be enough

But don't take it out on me now

'Cause I blame it all on myself

And I had a fear of forgiveness

*Said it from the beginning*

I was too proud to say I was wrong

*Said you'd always see it through*

But all that time is gone, no more fearing control

I'm ready for the both of us now

**[Chorus: All, *Danielle*]**

So just know that I want you back

Just know that I want you back

Just know that I want you

I'll take the fall and the fault in us

I'll give you all the love I never gave before I left you

Just know that I want you back

(*Just know that I want you*)

Just know that I want you back

(*Just know that I want you back, baby*)

Just know that I want you

I'll take the fall and the fault in us

I'll give you all the love I never gave before I left you

(*Just know that I want you back, baby*)

**[Bridge: Alana]**

Just know that I want you back

Just know that I want you back

Just know that I want you

I'll take the fall and the fault in us

I'll give you all the love I never gave before I left you

Just know that I want you back

Just know that I want you back

Just know that I want you

I'll take the fall and the fault in us

I'll give you all the love I never gave before I left you

**[Chorus: All, *Danielle*]**

Just know that I want you back

Just know that I want you back

Just know that I want you

I'll take the fall and the fault in us

I'll give you all the love I never gave before I left you, baby

Just know that I want you back

(*Just know that I want you*)

Just know that I want you back

(*Just know that I want you back, baby*)

Just know that I want you

I'll take the fall and the fault in us

I'll give you all the love I never gave before I left you

(*Just know that I want you back, baby*)

'*[Outro: **Danielle*****, All]**

(*Just know that I want you*)

(*Just know that I want you back, baby*)

Take the fall and the fault in us

I'll give you all the love I never gave before I left you

## Music video

On June 22th 2017, one month and 19 days after the song was released, the music video for "Want You Back" was uploaded to YouTube. The video showcases the HAIM sisters walking and dancing their way through the busy streets of Los Angeles.

### Credits

Director - *Jake Schreier*
Excutive Producer - *Alex Fisch*, *Jackie Kelman Bisbee*
Line Producer - *Michelle Currinder*, *Tracy Broaddus*

## Other videos

If you would like to view the video gallery for "Want You Back", click *here*.

## References

1. ↑ https://genius.com/Haim-want-you-back-lyrics
2. ↑ https://pitchfork.com/features/song-by-song/haim-break-down-every-single-song-on-their-new-album/
3. ↑ https://genius.com/Haim-want-you-back-lyrics
4. ↑ https://pitchfork.com/features/song-by-song/haim-break-down-every-single-song-on-their-new-album/
5. ↑ https://pitchfork.com/features/song-by-song/haim-break-down-every-single-song-on-their-new-album/
6. ↑ https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2017/05/want-you-back-haim-review/525276/
7. ↑ https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/19054-haim-want-you-back/
8. ↑ https://tunebat.com/Info/Want-You-Back-HAIM/2wXhdaTnmkkFSOidKfnOxA
9. ↑ https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/19054-haim-want-you-back/
10. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPQfcG-eimk
11. ↑ https://www.stereogum.com/1948402/haim-want-you-back-video/news/
12. ↑ https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/haim-want-you-back-video-7841747/#!
13. ↑ https://pitchfork.com/news/watch-haims-new-want-you-back-video/
14. ↑ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7069268/fullcredits?ref\_=tt\_cl\_sm
15. ↑ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7069268/fullcredits?ref\_=tt\_cl\_sm
16. ↑ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7069268/fullcredits?ref\_=tt\_cl\_sm