 The writing of the song was credited to Ritchie Cordell, who wrote or co-wrote many songs for Tommy James, including the follow-up single to "I Think We're Alone Now", "Mirage" and its B-side "Run, Run, Baby, Run", and 1968's "Mony Mony".Cordell and his regular songwriting partner Bo Gentry gave the song to Tommy James, who thought it sounded like a hit.According to Tommy James, "I Think We're Alone Now" was written by Cordell and Gentry, but as Gentry was still under contract to Kama Sutra Records, the head of Roulette Records, Morris Levy, agreed a deal naming Cordell as sole writer but splitting the royalties with Gentry.