Say Something Loving

On I See You the xx shift lyrically from the internal monologues of their first two albums to more direct communication. "Everything before was about questioning, or longing, or hoping something is reciprocated," co-vocalist Romy Madley Croft told Rolling Stone. "There's more chances to be taken now." The change of emphasis is well illustrated on this rousing song about the uncertainty of new found love: "I need to hear something loving. I need it. So, I just say it," said Madley Croft.

At the start of the song there is a sample of a lyric from the 1976 Alessi Brothers's track "Do You Feel It?." "I was very flattered," Billy Alessi told Genius. "I was so intrigued with the drumbeat they have and the way they used that sample and the chord changes they add and the way the beat comes in. His voice, I loved—and the girl is great, too. I grew up loving Elton John, and to me, he's got maybe even a more powerful voice than Elton John. It's just so sincere."

Stella Mozgawa of the L.A. rock band Warpaint provided some guest drums on this track.