I Want

Album: Up All Night (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This uptempo track from One Direction's debut album, Up All Night, was written by Tom Fletcher, the co-lead vocalist and guitarist of McFly. The English band were one of the top-selling groups in the mid 2000s in their home country, clocking up seven #1 singles between 2004 and 2007. Tom also co-wrote three UK chart-toppers for another pop band, Busted.
  • Tom Fletcher has been a fan of One Direction from their very early days. He recalled to Billboard magazine: "When I was in the studio with them, I was like, 'Guys, you don't understand, you're going to be massive,' They're all awesomely talented guys, stupidly good-looking of course, as well. Young. They've got everything. They've got the whole package. But none of them realized it. They're all very humble and down to earth. It just reminded me of exactly of how we were like when we started."
  • During a March 2026 Captal FM interview, Niall Horan was asked which One Direction song he hated performing. He admitted "I Want" was not a favorite.

    "I wouldn't say I hated performing it," he said. "It's more in hindsight that I hated it. I didn't mind it, I loved it. But I just think with all the music that we had on the back end, the last two or three albums were in my eyes very, very good and I loved all the songs."

Comments: 2

  • Kaytee from Rhinelander, WiMcFly wrote this? OMG! I saw them on Just My Luck and I was like who's that? And then I read this and I was like, well, you don't need to know... Any way I didn't know they wrote this!!!!! Cool!
  • Kaytee from Rhinelander, WiI want, I want, I want, but that's Jay-Z. I want, I want, I want, but that's Kanye. I want, I want, I want, to be loved by U!!!!!! lol!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

La La Brooks of The Crystals

La La Brooks of The CrystalsSong Writing

The lead singer on "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me," La La explains how and why Phil Spector replaced The Crystals with Darlene Love on "He's A Rebel."

Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust

Lajon Witherspoon of SevendustSongwriter Interviews

The Sevendust frontman talks about the group's songwriting process, and how trips to the Murder Bar helped forge their latest album.

John Doe of X

John Doe of XSongwriter Interviews

With his X-wife Exene, John fronts the band X and writes their songs.

Loudon Wainwright III

Loudon Wainwright IIISongwriter Interviews

"Dead Skunk" became a stinker for Loudon when he felt pressure to make another hit - his latest songs deal with mortality, his son Rufus, and picking up poop.

Tom Bailey of Thompson Twins

Tom Bailey of Thompson TwinsSongwriter Interviews

Tom stopped performing Thompson Twins songs in 1987, in part because of their personal nature: "Hold Me Now" came after an argument with his bandmate/girlfriend Alannah Currie.

When Rock Belonged To Michelob

When Rock Belonged To MichelobSong Writing

Michelob commercials generated hits for Eric Clapton, Genesis and Steve Winwood in the '80s, even as some of these rockers were fighting alcoholism.