She Needs Love

Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders had enjoyed a cross-atlantic hit with the song "The Game of Love", which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number two in the UK's Record Retailer in mid-1965.[1][2] The song was composed by Clint Ballard Jr., who with it proved that he could pursue a career in songwriting.[3] Knowing that the Mindbenders had made it big, he offered them another of his compositions, "It's Just a Little Bit Too Late" which was released in the summer of 1965 and became a minor hit on both Billboard Hot 100 and Record Retailer.[1][2] Unlike "The Game Of Love", "It's Just A Bit Too Late" failed to reach the top-ten, peaking at number twenty on the latter chart.[2] This led to suspicion of the group becoming a one-hit wonder or eventually breaking up.[4] In a last resort, they gave another Ballard Jr. composition a chance, this being "She Needs Love" being produced by Fontana Records house producer Jack Baverstock.[5] The single was eventually released on 10 September 1965 through Fontana.[6]

The single entered the Record Retailer chart on 6 October 1965 at a position of number 44, before reaching its peak the following week at number 32.[2] It exited the chart on 11 November of that year at a position of 45.[2] The single only spent six weeks in the charts.[2] Although the record was released in both the Netherlands and the United States, it failed to chart in both territories.[5] According to Dave Thompson of AllMusic, the group's "magic had already dissipated" with the low charting of the single.[5] Wayne Fontana had long had dreams of going solo and with the release of "She Needs Love", both he and his management felt that it was reasonable.[4] Without informing the band, he continued to perform with them until he suddenly walked off-stage during a show in October of that year, saying to their guitarist Eric Stewart "it's all yours.[4][5] The Mindbenders would eventually continue after the departure of Fontana, with Steward taking the role as a lead vocalist.[7][8]

"She Needs Love" was never included on any albums by the group, but the album Eric, Rick, Wayne and Bob – It's Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders was issued during the same time, and the B-side "Like I Did" is included on it.[4][5] The song was released in January 1966's Walking On Air EP, which was the last release by the band billed as Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders in their original incarnation.[9] Its first album release came through the Fontana Records compilation Beat Scene Now in 1967.[10]

Upon release in the United Kingdom, the single received positive reviews. Reviewing for New Musical Express, Derek Johnson states that the single "has a simply constructed melody that registers quickly", stating that he found himself whistling to it after a few repeats.[11] He states that Fontana "sings competently" and states that the Mindbenders are "bumming in the background".[11] He emphasises the song's beat, stating that the shake rhythm is complemented by "cymbal crashing and heavy handed drumming".[11] He ends by believing that it will do better in the charts than "It's Just a Little Bit Too Late."[11] Record Mirror's Norman Jopling and Peter Jones states that "She Needs Love" has a "powerhouse instrumental opening", which "settles into a swing-beat ballad."[12] He praises Fontana's falsetto in the "big-ranged melody".[12] He states that the backing is rudimentary and simple, but effective enough, claiming it gets melodically tricky towards the middle.[12] In Disc Weekly, Penny Valentine praises songwriter Clint Ballard Jr. for providing the Mindbenders with yet another hit single.[13] She compliments the heavy beat of the song, comparing the drumming to "The Game Of Love", which she believes fits perfectly together with the guitar riff.[13] She states that Fontana sings the song in a very delicate manner but doesn't know whether it will become a hit or not.[13]

Though it didn't chart in the United States, it still got positively reviewed in the press. In Billboard magazine it's described as a "much awaited and hot rhythm follow-up to their past hit" and states that the single will certainly reach the charts without problem.[14] Cash Box magazine calls it a "potent follow-up stanza" to "It's Just a Little Bit Too Late".[15] They write that the single has strong potential of charting with an "easy-going, rhythmic blues-tinged" influence and note the love-related lyrics of the song.[15] In Record World, the connection to "The Game of Love" is referenced both through the title and the songwriter and is referred to as a "sweet rockaballad".[16] However, not everybody was positive about the single. Colin Larkin writes that it is a "sub-par" follow-up to their two previous hit singles which deserved not to chart.[17]

• British duo Peter and Gordon recorded it for their 1967 album Hot, Cold & Custard.[19]