I Need You (album)

I Need You is the third compilation album from American recording artist LeAnn Rimes. The album was first released on January 30, 2001, through Curb Records to help satisfy Rimes' recording contract obligations during litigation with the label and her management. The original release of the album consists of four previously released soundtrack appearances alongside six new tracks. Rimes publicly disowned the album just days after its release. The album was re-released on March 26, 2002, with four additional remixes and the new recording "Light the Fire Within".

I Need You received mixed reviews by music critics, who praised its pop appeal but criticized the selection of songs. In the United States, the album peaked at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and reached number ten on the Billboard 200. Internationally, it peaked at number four on the Finnish Albums Chart, number ten on the Canadian Albums Chart, and number eleven on both the Austrian Albums Chart and the Irish Album Chart. The album was certified Platinum in the United States and Canada and was certified Gold in four further countries.

Background and development
The tracks on I Need You were taken from various studio sessions between 1999 and 2000, as well as previously released soundtrack appearances, to help satisfy Rimes' recording contract obligations during litigation with the label and her management. During the litigation with her label, Rimes asked "that Curb give Rimes the rights to all past recordings and videos, give up all publishing interests in her compositions and destroy all currently available recordings." The album was publicly disowned by Rimes four days after its 2001 release, with Rimes stating that: "this album was made without my creative input, it consists largely of unfinished material and songs that didn't make other albums ... I want to make abundantly clear to you that this album is not a reflection of myself as an artist but is solely the conception of Curb Records, and for that I am truly and deeply sorry."

Songs
Four songs on the album were previously released. The duet with Elton John, "Written in the Stars", was released as a single on February 23, 1999 from the concept album, Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida. The album contains the alternate version featured on the single. "I Need You" was slated on the Jesus: Music From and Inspired by the Epic Mini Series soundtrack released on March 8, 2000. It was released as a single on July 18, 2000, for the soundtrack. "But I Do Love You" and "Can't Fight the Moonlight" were included on the soundtrack for Coyote Ugly on August 1, 2000. "Can't Fight the Moonlight" was released as a single for the soundtrack on August 22, 2000, and the B-side track, "But I Do Love You", was released as a single from the soundtrack internationally on February 11, 2002. and in the US two weeks later on February 26.

Release and promotion
The album was first released on January 30, 2001, by Curb Records. and featured an alternate country version of "But I Do Love You". "You Are" was released on the soundtrack for Angel Eyes after the album's release. "Soon" was also launched after the release of the album on the soundtrack for Driven. The album was reissued on March 26, 2002. It contained all ten original tracks from the 2001 release with an extended version of "You Are"; a bonus song, "Light the Fire Within", which Rimes performed at the 2002 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Salt Lake City; and four bonus remixes. The 2002 release also contains the version of "But I Do Love You" featured on the Coyote Ugly soundtrack. On May 13, 2008, the 2002 release was packaged together with Rimes' debut album, Blue (1996).

Two promotional singles were released from the album. "You Are" was released in 2001. The song was featured on the soundtrack for Angel Eyes on May 18, 2001, and was included on the Asian release of The Best of LeAnn Rimes, as well as the remixed edition. "You Are" is a pop song with a duration of four minutes and fifty-eight seconds, and it was written by Laurie Webb. Mark Huxley at Barnes & Noble.com called the song a "full-on dance-pop". "Soon" was released in 2001 as a promotional CD single that consisted of the album version of the song and the Graham Stack Radio Edit of the song. "Soon" is a ballad of three minutes and fifty-three seconds. The song, which was written by Diane Warren, is in the key of D-flat major with Rimes' vocals spanning two octaves, from G3 to E5. The song was featured on the soundtrack for Driven, which was released on April 27, 2001. Mark Huxley at Barnes & Noble.com praised the song, claiming that "Rimes is back on more familiar turf on the big ballad[s]." A review in Billboard stated that the song "leans more towards the AC side then anything resembling true country." It peaked at fourteen on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart.

Critical reception
Mark Huxley at Barnes & Noble gave a positive review of the album, saying that Rimes is "comfortably adopting some distinctly modern sonic elements without sacrificing her tradition-steeped country roots." Alanna Nash of Entertainment Weekly gave a mixed review about the album, saying "The good news about Rimes' latest: It reprises two songs, 'But I Do Love You' and 'Can't Fight the Moonlight,' from the Coyote Ugly soundtrack. Now the bad: You'll snooze through the rest, except 'Written in the Stars', her slugfest duet with Elton John. If only you could sleep through that."

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic also gave a mixed review, stating that "Rimes' impressive voice sounds restrained in this setting, too self-consciously mature. In a nutshell, that's the problem with I Need You -- it's a teenager attempting to make a thirtysomething album. That she occasionally succeeds is a testament to her vocal talents and the skills of her producers, but it shouldn't be surprising that it also feels awkward for large stretches, never quite becoming as alluring as Breathe, because this is a sound that she needs to grow into to be totally convincing." Rolling Stone gave the album two-and-a-half out of five stars and called the album "synthetic-feeling." Trisha Huenke of About.com gave the album four out of five stars and praised it for its pop sound, stating that, "Finally we have an artist who is straightforward about the fact that she wants to sing pop music."

Commercial performance
I Need You debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200; with 84,915 copies sold in its first week, falling to number twenty-three in its second week with 54,877 copies sold, number twenty-six with 63,792 copies in its third week, and number forty-two with 40,720 copies in its fourth week. It spent four weeks in the top fifty and a total of thirty weeks in Billboard 200. It also debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums.

Internationally, the album performed well, peaking at number four on the Finnish Albums Chart, number ten on the Canadian Albums Chart, and number eleven on both the Austrian Albums Chart and the Irish Album Charts. The album also peaked at number five on the Swedish Albums Chart and number six on the Swiss Albums Chart. It peaked at number seven on both the UK Albums Chart and the European Top 100 Albums.

I Need You also peaked at number five on the year-end charts in Finnish Albums Chart, and thirteen on the Billboard Top Country Albums. The album was certified Gold by IFPI Denmark, the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and the British Phonographic Industry and was certified Platinum by the RIAA and Music Canada.

Track listing
Notes
 * Although the 2002 re-issue in the US features an extended version of "You Are" on it, the track listing on the back cover of the CD still gives the 2001 issue duration. However, this does not appear on the Japanese re-issue.
 * signifies remix producer

Personnel
Credits for I Need You were adapted from liner notes. Additional credits adapted from liner notes of the Coyote Ugly soundtrack, the Jesus: Music From and Inspired by the Epic-Mini Series soundtrack, and the Aida concept album.


 * Almighty Associates – producer, remixer
 * Eddie Bayers – drums
 * Curt Bisquera – drums
 * Mike Brignardello – bass guitar
 * Charlie Brocco – assistant engineer on "Written in the Stars"
 * David Campbell – orchestral arrangement
 * Sue Ann Carwell – background vocals
 * The Choristers of Cathedral of the Madeleine Choir School – background vocals on "Light the Fire Within"
 * Peter Collins – producer
 * Mike Curb – producer
 * Austin Deptula – assistant engineer, additional engineer, engineer, keyboards
 * David Foster – arrangement, producer
 * Micheal "Grimey" Grimes – drums
 * Omar Hakeem – drums, percussion
 * Mike Hanna – additional arrangement
 * Niki Harris – background vocals
 * Carl Herrgesell – harmonium, Wurlitzer
 * John Holbrook – mixer, engineer, recording
 * Trevor Horn – producer
 * Chuck Howard – producer
 * Greg Hunt – chief engineer, additional engineer
 * Andrew Pryce Jackman – orchestral arrangement
 * Elton John * – musical director, vocals on "Written in the Stars"
 * Annagray Labasse – background vocals
 * Gary Leach – assistant engineer, additional engineer, engineer, keyboards
 * Keith Lockhart – music director for Utah Symphony
 * Steve MacCillan – mixer, engineer
 * Edgar Meyer – acoustic bass
 * Kenny Mims – acoustic guitar electric guitar
 * Jamie Muhoberac – bass guitar, keyboards
 * Tim Pierce – electric guitar
 * LeAnn Rimes – lead vocals, co-producer, background vocals
 * Wilbur C. Rimes – producer
 * John "J.R." Robinson – drums
 * William Ross – orchestrations, conductor
 * Lee Sklar – bass guitar
 * Graham Stack – producer, remixer
 * Edward Szymczak – assistant engineer on "Written in the Stars"
 * Utah Symphony – orchestra
 * Fred Vaughn – choir arrangement
 * Marty Walsh – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin
 * Tim Weidner – additional engineer
 * Craig Young – bass guitar

* Note: According to the liner notes, Elton John appears courtesy of The Rocket Record Company.