Unlike Adams' debut album where he and Jim Vallance played most of the instruments themselves, You Want It You Got It was recorded live in the studio.

The album was recorded at Le Studio in Morin-Heights, Quebec over a two-week period during the spring of 1981 and was mixed at The Power Station in New York City.

Record World said of "Lonely Nights" that Adams' "raspy tenor stretches with convincing emotion on the chorus flights and his hellbent guitar solo will attract the attention of AOR rockers.

"[4] Within a few months the album had been picked up across the United States and Adams was soon on tour doing clubs and noon hour concerts for radio stations, as well as support to such acts as the Kinks and Foreigner.

Several songs from the album have been recorded by other artists, including "Lonely Nights" by Uriah Heep, "Jealousy" by PRiSM, "Tonight" by Randy Meisner, and "Fits Ya Good" by Tove Naess.