I Want a New Drug

Infobox Single
Name = I Want a New Drug


Artist = Huey Lewis & The News
from Album = Sports
B-side = "Finally Found a Home"
Released = 1984
Format = 7", 12"
Genre = Pop / Rock
Length = 4:46 (album version)3:29 (single edit)
5:32 (12" dance mix)
Label = Chrysalis
Writer = Chris Hayes, Huey Lewis
Producer = Huey Lewis & The News
Last single = "Heart and Soul" (1983)
This single = "I Want a New Drug" (1984)
Next single = "The Heart of Rock & Roll" (1984)

"I Want a New Drug" is a song by American rock band Huey Lewis & The News from their third album " Sports". It was released as the second single from the album, following the top-ten hit "Heart and Soul" in January 1984. The single reached number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Dance Club Play chart.

When the similarities between this song and the theme song of the 1984 film "Ghostbusters" were heard, Huey Lewis sued Ray Parker Jr. for plagiarism, claiming that Parker had stolen the melody from "I Want a New Drug". Lewis had been approached to compose the main theme song for the film, but had to decline because of his work on the soundtrack for "Back to the Future". The producers of the film allegedly then hired Ray Parker and asked him to write a theme that sounded like "I Want a New Drug".Fact|date=April 2008

In 2001, in an interview on "VH1's Behind the Music", Lewis mentioned the suit. This allegedly breached a confidentiality agreement in the aftermath of the first suit, and led to a countersuit by Parker.

Pop culture

*The song was parodied by "Weird Al" Yankovic as "I Want a New Duck" on his 1985 album, "Dare to be Stupid".
*Huey Lewis and "I Want a New Drug" were directly referenced by indie rocker Emily Haines in "The Bank", a song from her 2007 EP "What Is Free to a Good Home?".
*This song was also featured on "The Simpsons" episode "Midnight Rx".

Chart performance

Cover versions

The song has been covered by:

* Asleep at the Wheel on their 1987 album "10"
* Mardo on his self-titled 2004 album
* Glen Phillips on his 2006 album, "Mr. Lemons"
* Bing Li Jing on his 2006 album, "Fire and Ice Cream"
* The Greenskeepers on their 2006 album, "Polo Club"

ee also

*List of Number 1 Dance Hits (United States)

External links

* [http://www.vh1classic.com/view/artist/11206/99029/Huey_Lewis/I_Want_a_New_Drug/index.jhtml "I Want a New Drug" video] on VH1 Classic website