Carly Rae Jepsen, Ben Romans and CJ Baran are all musical theater nerds. During a writing session for Dedicated, they got into a conversation about the possibility of re-interpreting some classic songs from musicals for contemporary audiences and came up with the idea of adapting Olive's song "He Needs Me" from the 1980 Popeye live-action movie musical into a sexy cut about the cartoon spinach eater. It's crazy, but when he can't sleep, I understand Like pressure points, my love can ease him in my hand 'Cause (He needs me) Jepsen told I.D.: "We fell upon the creepy beauty and simplicity of the hook from 'He Needs Me' and tried to funk it up."
The chorus is built around an interpolation of the Harry Nilsson-penned "He Needs Me." However, Jepsen's people warned her that Disney would never license the track. The Canadian singer was determined to include it on Dedicated, so she came up with a clever plan. Jepsen drove to Disneyland with a fake contract for Mickey Mouse and got him to sign it. Jepsen then sent it to all the Disney publishing people telling them, "The big boss said it was okay!" A week before Dedicated was meant to be turned in, Jepsen got approval.
Want another song inspired by "He Needs Me"? Natalie Prass' 2015 track "It Is You" was inspired by a scene during Paul Thomas Anderson's 2002 film Punch-Drunk Love when Harry Nilsson's tune can be heard playing.
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