Do I Wanna Know

Song Meaning of Do I Wanna Know by Arctic Monkeys, and what it is about

Alex Turner told Q magazine about the song: "We had this idea for a record where you take the compositional perspective of an R&B producer and apply that to a four piece rock 'n' roll band," he said. "Manipulating our instruments to make building blocks for the song in a way I'd imagine Timberland or someone constructs music. That's one way of looking at it. The other way is we just made it up! I had this tune in my head like (sings the opening riff of 'Do I Wanna Know?,' including drums) you know what I mean? We got a good end of that bargain, I think "

Turner uses less instrumentation, especially in the early half of the song, to bring the listener's attention to key phrases. For example, when he asks, "Do you have the guts," Turner uses only the drums and minimal other instruments to ensure that the meaning is clear to the audience. The song is slower-paced than the Arctic Monkeys' "R U Mine?" single but shares a guitar riff with it.

"Do I Wanna Know?" was the first song by the Arctic Monkeys to ever enter the Billboard Hot 100 list in the United States, peaking at number 70 in March 2014. It debuted at number 11 on the UK Singles list, charted in several other nations, and peaked at number 70 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. At the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in 2015, the song was up for Best Rock Performance.

Lyrics of Do I Wanna Know by Arctic Monkeys

Have you got colour in your cheeks?

Do you ever get that fear that you can't shift

The type that sticks around like summat in your teeth?

Are there some aces up your sleeve?

Have you no idea that you're in deep?

I dreamt about you nearly every night this week

How many secrets can you keep?

'Cause there's this tune I found that makes me think of you somehow and I play it on repeat

Until I fall asleep

Spilling drinks on my settee

(Do I wanna know?)

If this feeling flows both ways?

(Sad to see you go)

Was sort of hoping that you'd stay

(Baby, we both know)

That the nights were mainly made for saying things that you can't say tomorrow day

Crawling back to you

Ever thought of calling when you've had a few?

'Cause I always do

Maybe I'm too busy being yours to fall for somebody new

Now I've thought it through

Crawling back to you

So have you got the guts?

Been wondering if your heart's still open and if so I wanna know what time it shuts

Simmer down and pucker up

I'm sorry to interrupt. It's just I'm constantly on the cusp of trying to kiss you

I don't know if you feel the same as I do

But we could be together if you wanted to

(Do I wanna know?)

If this feeling flows both ways?

(Sad to see you go)

Was sort of hoping that you'd stay

(Baby, we both know)

That the nights were mainly made for saying things that you can't say tomorrow day

Crawling back to you (crawling back to you)

Ever thought of calling when you've had a few? (you've had a few)

'Cause I always do ('cause I always do)

Maybe I'm too (maybe I'm too busy) busy being yours to fall for somebody new

Now I've thought it through

Crawling back to you

(Do I wanna know?)

If this feeling flows both ways?

(Sad to see you go)

Was sort of hoping that you'd stay

(Baby, we both know)

That the nights were mainly made for saying things that you can't say tomorrow day

(Do I wanna know?)

Too busy being yours to fall

(Sad to see you go)

Ever thought of calling darling?

(Do I wanna know?)

Do you want me crawling back to you?