Do I Wanna Know? – Arctic Monkeys

Song Name: Do I Wanna Know?

Band Name: Arctic Monkeys
Album: AM (2013)
1st Genre: Indie Rock
2nd Genre: Psychedelic Rock / Garage Rock
Beats per Minute (BPM): 85 BPM (slow, heavy groove)
Sur Scale: G Minor (uses blues-inspired riffs and modal flavor)
Estimated Budget: Approx. $150,000–$250,000 (recording + music video production)
Release Date: 19 June 2013 (as a single) – later part of AM album (September 2013)
Reach:

• Became Arctic Monkeys’ most streamed track worldwide.
• Charted in UK Singles Chart (#11) and Billboard Hot 100 (#70) (rare for the band).
• Certified Platinum in the U.S., UK, and several other countries.

Spotify: Over 2.4 billion streams (as of 2025, their #1 streamed track).
YouTube: Official music video has over 1.7 billion views (animated soundwave video).
Melon 24Hits Chart (Korea): Didn’t chart originally (Western rock bands rarely do), but became a cult favorite among K-pop/indie fans.
Apple Music: Top-streamed Arctic Monkeys track globally.
Amazon Music: Listed in “Best of Alternative Rock” playlists; one of the band’s most requested songs.

Actors in Music Video: No actors—features a minimalist animated soundwave video directed by David Wilson and RUFFMERCY

Song Lyrics

verse

Have you got colour in your cheeks?

Do you ever get the fear that you can′t shift the type

That sticks around like summat in your teeth?

Are there some aces up your sleeve?

Have you no idea that you’re in deep?

I dreamt about you nearly every night this week

How many secrets can you keep?

′Cause there’s this tune I found

That makes me think of you somehow

And I play it on repeat

Until I fall asleep

Spilling drinks on my settee

pre-chorus

(Do I wanna know?)

If this feeling flows both ways?

(Sad to see you go)

Was sorta hoping that you’d stay

(Baby, we both know)

That the nights were mainly made

For saying things that you can′t say tomorrow day

chorus

Crawling back to you

Ever thought of calling when you′ve had a few?

‘Cause I always do

Maybe I′m too

Busy being yours to fall for somebody new

Now I’ve thought it through

Crawling back to you

verse

So have you got the guts?

Been wondering if your heart′s still open

And if so, I wanna know what time it shuts

Simmer down and pucker up

I’m sorry to interrupt, it′s just I’m constantly on the cusp

Of trying to kiss you

I don’t know if you feel the same as I do

But we could be together if you wanted to

pre-chorus

(Do I wanna know?)

If this feeling flows both ways?

(Sad to see you go)

Was sorta hoping that you′d stay

(Baby, we both know)

That the nights were mainly made

For saying things that you can′t say tomorrow day

chorus

Crawling back to you (crawling back to you)

Ever thought of calling when you’ve had a few? (You′ve had a few?)

‘Cause I always do (′cause I always do)

Maybe I’m too busy (maybe I′m too busy)

Busy being yours to fall for somebody new

Now I’ve thought it through

Crawling back to you

outro

(Do I wanna know?)

If this feeling flows both ways?

(Sad to see you go)

Was sorta hoping that you’d stay

(Baby, we both know)

That the nights were mainly made

For saying things that you can′t say tomorrow day

(Do I wanna know?)

Too busy being yours to fall

(Sad to see you go)

Ever thought of calling darling?

(Do I wanna know?)

Do you want me crawling back to you?

Lyrics Interpretation

• The opening lines compare unspoken feelings to a creeping thought that won’t leave.
• The chorus (“Do I wanna know if this feeling flows both ways?”) is about questioning if attraction is mutual.
• The verses describe late-night impulses, wanting to call or text, but fearing rejection.
• The underlying tone is lust, insecurity, and obsession, wrapped in hypnotic riffs and Alex Turner’s sultry delivery.

Review

Do I Wanna Know? is often considered Arctic Monkeys’ signature song of the 2010s. Built around a slow, heavy guitar riff that feels both bluesy and hypnotic, the track marked a sonic shift for the band—from their early indie-punk roots to a darker, more seductive style. Alex Turner’s lyrics are conversational yet poetic, perfectly capturing the anxiety of unspoken desire.

The production is minimalist but impactful—steady drums, a looping riff, and sultry vocals that pull the listener into a late-night atmosphere. Critics praised it for bridging mainstream and alternative audiences, while fans embraced it as an anthem for longing, obsession, and vulnerability. It remains one of the most performed songs in Arctic Monkeys’ live shows, cementing its status as a modern rock classic. Keep Reading Hitz Wow to know in detail about emerging hits.