“I Can’t Wait” (4:35) is Track 1 on Rock a Little, Stevie Nicks‘ third solo album. It precedes “Rock a Little (Go Ahead Lily) in the album track order.
Released as the album’s second single, “I Can’t Wait” peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles chart on April 12, 1986. A music video, directed Marty Callner, accompanied its release. Several different mixes of “I Can’t Wait” were created, some of which are commercially available.
About ‘I Can’t Wait’
“I think this was about the most exciting song that I had ever heard. My friend, Rick (Nowels), whom I had known since I was eighteen and he was thirteen, brought over this track with this incredible percussion thing and gave it to me asking me if I would listen to it and consider writing a song for it. I listened to the song once and pretended not to be that knocked out, but the second Rick left, I ran to my little recording studio and wrote ‘I Can’t Wait.’ It took all night, and I think it is all about how electric I felt about this music. And that night, that Saturday night, Rick and I went into a big studio and recorded it. I sang it only once and have never sung it since in the studio. Some vocals are magic and simply not able to beat. So I let go of it, as new to me as it was, but you know, now when I hear it on the radio, this incredible feeling comes over me, like something really incredible is about to happen. To understand this song, you sort of have to let yourself go a little crazy. Love is blind, it never works out, but you just have to have it.” (Stevie Nicks, 1991)
I Can’t Wait Lyrics
(I can’t wait)
(I can’t wait)
How will I love you
I can’t wait
I can’t wait
Sometimes she talks to him
Sometimes when she’s only dreaming
Then when she wakes up
Somehow she still believes him
Yes, I know you
Though we’ve been out of touch
Yes, I know you
To be continued
It’s too much, well
I can’t wait
I can’t wait
Well, if I’m wasting my time, then make up your mind, well
I can’t wait
I can’t wait
And I’ve got to know how if I’ll see you again, well
(I can’t wait)
(I can’t wait)
Well, yes, I know you
(I can’t wait)
Though we’ve been out of touch
(I can’t wait)
(I can’t wait)
(I can’t wait)
What can I do when I’m crazy for you
She wonders how many more hours
Her heart will feel broken
In a secret, she says she needs to see him
But no words are spoken
Well, she dances around in a circle
Well, she’s got that feeling now
Blame it on something at first sight
Put the blame on me if you want to
To be continued
I can’t wait
I can’t wait
If I’m wasting my time while you make up your mind now, babe
Well, I can’t wait I can’t wait
Now I got to know when I can see you again, well
(I can’t wait
(I can’t wait)
(I can’t wait)
What can I do when I’m crazy for you, baby
(I can’t wait)
(I can’t wait)
(I can’t wait)
If I’m wasting my time
Make up your mind, well
How do I love you
How do I love you
How will we feel 20 years from now
How will we feel 20 years from now
How will we feel 20 years from now
How will we feel 20 years from now
How will we feel 20 years from now
How will we feel 20 years from now
Ooh, yeah!
I can’t wait
I can’t wait
If I’m wasting my time while you make up your mind, baby
I can’t wait
I can’t wait
And I’ve got to know when I can see you again, well
I can’t wait
I can’t wait now
(I can’t wait)
No, no, time will, make up your mind, baby
(I can’t wait)
(I can’t wait
(I can’t wait)
How will I love you
Well, how will I love you
How do I love
How can I love
(Stevie Nicks/Rick Nowels/Eric Pressly) © 1985 Welsh Witch Music (BMI)/Future Furniture Music.
Musicians
| Roy Bitten | Synthesizer |
| Sharon Celani | Background vocals |
| Bob Glaub | Bass |
| Bobbye Hall | Percussion |
| Russ Kunkel | Drums |
| Lori Nicks | Background vocals |
| Stevie Nicks | Lead vocals |
| Waddy Wachtel | Guitar |
Production Credits
| John Kovarek and David Hernandez | Recording Engineers, Art Department Sound |
| Chris Lord-Alge, Jimmy Iovine, Rick Nowels | Mixers, Unique Recording Studios, New York City |
| Rick Nowels and Jimmy Iovine | Producers |
| Rick Nowels and George Black | Arrangers |
| United Western, Sunset Sound, Village Recorders, Image Recorders | Overdubs |
Release History
- Rock a Little (1985)
- “I Can’t Wait”/”The Nightmare” (Remix) – 7″ vinyl (1985)
- “I Can’t Wait” (Vocal/Soft Intro) – 7″ vinyl promo (1985)
- “I Can’t Wait”/”The Nightmare” (Remix) – 12″ vinyl – 4 Remixes (1985)
- “I Can’t Wait”(Extended Version) – International 12” vinyl (1985)
- Timespace: The Best of Stevie Nicks (1991)
- “I Can’t Wait” – International single (1991)
- A Hard Game to Play (Extended Rock Mix) – Japan EP (1992)
- The Enchanted Works of Stevie Nicks (Extended Rock Mix) (1998)
- Crystal Visions…The Very Best of Stevie Nicks (2007)
- Stand Back: 1981-2014 (2019)
References
Nicks, S. (1991). [Liner notes]. In Timespace [CD]. Los Angeles: Modern Records.
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