Do I Wanna Know is an indie rock song by the English rock band, Arctic Monkeys. Written by the band’s frontman, Alex Turner, and produced by James Ford and Ross Orton, the track is best known for its iconic guitar riff that has now become instantly recognizable. Domino Recording Company released the song as the second lead from the band’s fifth studio album, AM.
How to Download Arctic Monkeys – Do I Wanna Know?
You can download the song from a digital store such as Amazon Music or Apple Music – click on the Download button that is located below this review. If you like Linkin Park, check out also our review of Numb.
The Song Review
Do I Wanna Know? – the Lyrical Interpretation
In the song, the singer addresses his lover. The singer is completely besotted with his lover. It appears that this is not the healthiest dynamic because the singer is smitten to the point of obsession with someone who does not appear to be very serious about the prospect of a relationship with the singer. Some lovely lines capture the feeling of falling for someone so intensely that you start to associate certain things with them.
“‘Cause there’s this tune I found that makes me think of you somehow
When I play it on repeat
Until I fall asleep”
The song then progresses to the pre-chorus, and we learn what the title means:
“(Do I wanna know?)
If this feeling flows both ways”
It once again paints the picture of someone who has a lot of fears and anxieties about the prospect of a relationship with the one he loves. Sometimes, people prefer not knowing the truth to protect themselves. The singer faces a similar predicament where he is not sure if he really wants to know the true feelings of his lover because he is afraid that the truth would not be in his favor.
It is impressive how Alex Turner writes about his romantic insecurities, fears, anxieties, quiet beauty, and honesty.
Do I Wanna Know? Video Interpretation
The music video for Do I Wanna Know? Is directed by David Wilson, in association with the animation agency, Blinkink. It is a music video unlike any other music video for a rock song, and it has garnered over a billion views on YouTube.
The video, for the most part, is deceptively simple. There are white sound waves displayed against a black background. This is also representative of the singer’s frame of mind. At first, he is relatively calm (hence the simple black and white visuals), but his anxiety grows throughout the song as he gets increasingly paranoid about his feelings not being reciprocated.
The use of animation makes it a unique way to portray the chaos inside the mind, as there are colors other than black and white that start to show up. Towards the end of the video, there is a flurry of images – most of them do not make sense – and I think it shows how agitated the singer has become.
