Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - 'I Hate Myself for Loving You'

The original version appeared on the band’s sixth studio album, Up Your Alley. It started out with the title “I Hate Myself Because I Can’t Get Laid,”

But that changed when Jett’s producer, Kenny Laguna, caught up with acclaimed songwriter Desmond Child, author of the Kiss hit “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” and Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love a Bad Name,” among many others.

"There was a friend of ours at Epic Records who was friends with Desmond,” Laguna said.

“Before the Bon Jovi record came out, he played me the [Child-penned] song ‘Livin on a Prayer.’ I said, ‘Whoa, I want to meet this guy,' so I started chasing Desmond around.

He didn't want any part of it because he was busy looking for really important acts like Michael Bolton. I just chased him around until he couldn't take it anymore.”

That meeting, sometime around 1986, led to Jett and Child revisiting “I Hate Myself Because I Can’t Get Laid.” Child's biggest suggestion was to change the lyrical approach.

The song then received the title it became known for.

Jett had also acquired the services of former Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor, who appeared on the recording.

“It’s a very minimalist type of solo, almost, but I’ve spoken with a few people who really like what I did,” he told Jazzed.

“I had been friendly with her guitarist, Ricky Byrd, who was a big fan of mine. … I’d jammed with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts at a gig in New York prior to doing that session.”

Released as the first single from Up Your Alley, "I Hate Myself for Loving You" reached No. 8 and spent 26 weeks on the chart – six weeks longer than Jett’s 1982 classic and highest-charting single “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll.”

It helped 'Up Your Alley' reach No. 19 and eventually go platinum.

But that success didn’t come easy – Laguna recalled recalled having to fight for radio airplay.

“We’ve had all those hits only because the public and the press supported Joan,” he told Verbicide.

“Radio played Joan because they had to play it. We would worm our way on the radio and the records were very active.

Radio loved 'Journey' and those kinds of bands. REO Speedwagon. That ilk. They did well for all the call-out research and Joan never really researched well.”

Laguna noted that, despite several hits, they were “Cooling off” by the end of the ‘80s.

“Then we couldn’t get ‘I Hate Myself for Loving You’ on the radio, but it was No. 1 requested, so we were able to overcome a lot of that.

"It took a long time to break that record. It’s been like that. Partly because she’s a rock 'n' roller, partly because she’s a punk rocker and partly because she’s a woman.”

“I had no idea the song would be such a big hit record," Taylor added. "But there you go. I like working with different types of musicians.”

The song received a nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 31st Grammy Awards.

The song was adapted for NBC Sunday Night Football, named “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” with Carried Underwood on vocal and Joan Jett on guitar.

Comments:

Archduke of Belgrade

She is rock goddess.

CommanderOfTheSun

Joan Jett is the most underrated attractive woman in music...

New Ping Legend

So frickin cool, she's the definition of cool.

Kristen

She has NO BUSINESS being this amazing at her age... She's over there aging like fine wine... and I'm aging like warm milk.... ugh.  she's SO gorgeous.

Phillip Seymour

Joan is madly in love with me.  Unfortunately, she's not aware of it...or maybe she's just playing hard to get...

Summer McPherson

The hair, the clothing, the voice, the attitude…she's got it all!

Gail Cox

She is the GODDESS of Rock. Saw her live.Magnificient. Still recovering. LOL

Bigfoot Hunt

This woman in my opinion is the Queen of Rock and Roll

Andrew G

This cut and Dirty Deeds are probably in my humble opinion a couple of the best videos ever!?

Delilah Lush

From watching a documentary about her, I found out that she was the 1st person to introduce merch at her concerts because she couldn't get a label. She had no choice or so she sold her music and T shirts out of the back of her car. That's fucken unreal and she's a Queen

Gabriel Hagar

No female artist has ever matched Joan Jett’s presence on stage, energy and charisma! Love her!

Bilal Murtaza

would've loved to see her live with lemmy

Tony Palmieri

Joan Jett is probably one of the best female singers ever

Koran Aksha

The attitude, the clothes, the music. She's like a tomboy turned bad girl, and I love it.

S. BAH

This music stay better than all the shit we can listen now

James Cannon

Joan has always been my dark mysterious Angel since I was old enough to put a record on the player.

M

She has the most hypnotizing eyes I've ever seen. Can't even blink when I look a

Brian Bass

I met her at a concert of her and Aerosmith. I was working security near the stage, and she walked up to me and was talking about the crowd turnout for about 5 minutes before I realized who I was talking to. Lol. She’s great though, she’ll talk to people, not stuck up like some celebrities.

Thrasher Blackpaw

Her smirk melts my little black heart. ????

Barbara Bond

I play this to my hubby when we have a heated discussion. Sometimes he deserves it!

Rod the cod

This song makes me feel sooooo alive, Joan is amazing

Jeff Norman

My ears Hurt from my stereo being too LOUD!!! Can't help it...love this tune!!!