Wanna Hold You

Composers: Mick Jagger & Keith Richards
Recording date: December 1982 & April-August 1983
Recording locations: Pathé Marconi Studios, Paris, France
; Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas; & The Hit Factory, New York City
Producers: The Glimmer Twins & Chris Kimsey     Chief engineer: Chris Kimsey
Performed onstage: 1997-98, 2007

Probable line-up:

Drums: Charlie Watts
Bass: Ron Wood
Electric guitars: Keith Richards & Ron Wood (incl. solo)
Lead vocal: Keith Richards
Backing vocals: Keith Richards & Ron Wood
 

Ah ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh

Oh I want to hold 
I've got to hold you
Hold you, baby, close to me

I hope you find it funny
That I've got no money
But if you stick with me
You're going to get some love for free

(You've got to hold)  I've got to hold  
I've got to hold you
Hold you, baby, close to me - close to me

Yeah, I've got to hold you
I've got to hold you
Hold you, baby, close to me - yeah

You sure look good to me
So what's it going to be?
It's up to you to choose
I'll make an offer that you can't refuse

Oh baby, I've got to hold you
Yeah I've got to hold you
(Want to hold you)  Hold you, baby, close to me - yeah, yeah

Oh baby, I've got to hold you  (hold you)
I've got to hold you
(Want to hold you)  Hold you, baby, close to me - yeah, yeah

This time it's not for fun
Yeah you're the only one
What should I say to you?
I only know that this love comes for free

(You've got to hold)  I've got to hold 
I want to hold you
Hold you, baby, close to me

Yeah, I want to hold you 
I've got to hold you
Hold you, baby, close to me

Well if you let me smile
Well if you know I lie
But after all you gave
I'll be your lover, I'll be your slave

(You've got to hold)  I've got to hold you
Yeah, I want to hold you
Hold you, baby, close to me - oh yeah, oh yeah

I've got to hold you
I've got to hold you
(Want to hold you)  Hold you, baby, close to me - oh yeah, oh yeah

Oh baby, I've got to hold you  (oh yeah)
Yeah, I've got to hold you
(Want to hold you)  Hold you, baby, close to me - oh yeah, oh yeah

(You've got to hold)  I've got to hold you
I want to hold you
(Want to hold you)  Hold you, baby, close to me - oh yeah, oh yeah

Oh, I want to hold you  (want to hold you)
I've got to hold you  (want to hold you)
(Want to hold you)  Hold you, baby, close to me - oh yeah, oh yeah

Want to hold you
Hold you, baby, close to me, baby - oh yeah, oh yeah

Oh, I want to hold you  (want to hold you)
I've got to hold you  (want to hold you)
(Want to hold you)  Hold you, baby, close to me - oh yeah, oh yeah

 
 

TrackTalk

Wanna Hold You comes from one night I rented a basement from a guy who has a studio in the bottom of his house. I got into Paris and I got together with this guy, and Mick came over there, and we were there 2 or 3 nights, just a basement studio. And that song just came up one night. Me, I was playing guitar, screaming into the mike, and Mick was playing drums, and it just came out. It was a throwback in a nice kind of way for me. The structure is very early sort of Lennon & McCartney, let alone the title, which suggests I Want to Hold Your Hand. So I decided to leave it at that 'cause that was the general idea. It was just a good bash, you know. I wanted to leave it like that and not work it to death or change the title. Normally, I might've rewritten it, but I decided to leave it as a dumb pop song. It has a very universal desire, especially when you're very frightened or lonely, or cold. And it just came out in one night. I still have the original tape with Mick playing drums and it's actually quite good.

- Keith Richards, 1983



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