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I Want You (Savage Garden song)
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = I Want You
| cover = Savage-Garden-I-Want-You.jpg
| caption = 1997 North American and UK cover
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Savage Garden
| album = Savage Garden
| B-side =
* "Fire Inside the Man"
* "Tears of Pearls"
* "Mine (And You Could Be)"
| released =
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Synth-pop
| length = 3:53
| label =
* Roadshow (Australia)
* Columbia (international)
| writer =
* Darren Hayes
* Daniel Jones
| producer = Charles Fisher
| next_title = To the Moon and Back
| next_year = 1996
| misc =
}}
"'I Want You'" is a song by Australian pop duo Savage Garden. It was originally released in Australia on 27 May 1996 as the lead single from their eponymous debut album, 'Savage Garden' (1997). The single reached number one in Canada for two weeks and peaked at number four in Australia and on the US 'Billboard' Hot 100. Much of the song's chart success in the US was the result of Rosie O'Donnell playing the song on several episodes of 'The Rosie O'Donnell Show'. The single also peaked at number nine in Iceland and at 11 on the UK Singles Chart. In November 1998, the single was re-released in the United Kingdom following the success of "Truly Madly Deeply" and "To the Moon and Back". This release peaked at number 12.
At the APRA Music Awards of 1998 it won Most Performed Australian Work Overseas. In January 2018, as part of Triple M's "Ozzest 100", the 'most Australian' songs of all time, the album version of the song was ranked number 87.
Content
The song's lyrics refer to the attraction exerted by a person possessing strong sex appeal. They fascinate the singer and arouse his curiosity, even though he is not sure whether he needs them at all. Singer Darren Hayes described it as a song about "being in love with a male energy", when asked if the song had a coded gay message. The fast-paced, almost rapped vocal style verses is similar to the verses featured in Life Is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me) by Reunion.
In an interview with Apple Music about their debut album, Darren Hayes also said:
Critical reception
Larry Flick from 'Billboard' noted that the song "has a jittery synth-pop beat reminiscent of such '80s-era Brit-pop heroes as Duran Duran." He added, "Partners Darren Hayes and Daniel Jones are quite the harmonious pair, and they are photogenic enough to ensure instant teen-idol status. Top 40 programmers should waste no time in slammin' this one on the air." British magazine 'Music Week' rated it five out of five, describing it as "a great pop song akin to Roxette at their hook-happy best", and "a challenger for the UK number one spot."
Music videos
Two music videos were released for the song. Both videos present Darren Hayes with long black hair.
The first video is a low-budget version released in 1996 for Australian markets. It showed the band performing in a room full of disco lights and Darren Hayes singing on the back of a moving vehicle.
The second video was filmed on a high-budget and premiered in 1997 for international markets in conjunction with the single's worldwide and American releases. Directed by Nigel Dick, it features the band in a stylised futuristic warehouse and recording studio. It was filmed on 11 February 1997 at the Harbor Generating Station in Long Beach, California. The international version was featured on the band's compilation 'Truly Madly Completely: The Best of Savage Garden' (2005), while the Australian version was not available until the release of the compilation 'The Singles' (2015).
Track listings
Australia
* 'CD and cassette single'# "I Want You" 3:53
# "Fire Inside the Man" 4:11
* 'Remixes CD single'
# "I Want You" (original radio version) 3:54
# "I Want You" (Flu club mix) 6:22
# "I Want You" (Pee Wee club mix) 6:30
# "I Want You" (Flu radio edit) 3:44
# "I Want You" (Flu Midnight Mix) 6:24
United Kingdom
* 'CD single (1997)'# "I Want You" (album version)
# "I Want You" (Xenomania Funky Mix)
# "I Want You" (Xenomania 12-inch club mix)
# "I Want You" (Sharp Miami Mix)
* '12-inch single (1997)'
:A1. "I Want You" (Xenomania Funky Mix)
:A2. "I Want You" (Xenomania 12-inch club mix)
:B1. "I Want You" (Sharp Miami Mix)
:B2. "I Want You" (album version)
* 'Cassette single (1997)'
# "I Want You" (album version)
# "Promises"
* 'CD1 (1998)'
# "I Want You '98" (Bascombe Mix)
# "I Want You '98" (Sash! radio edit)
# "To the Moon and Back" (karaoke version)
* 'CD2 (1998)'
# "I Want You '98" (Sash! extended mix)
# "I Want You" (Sharp Miami Mix)
# "I Want You" (Xenomania Funky Mix)
* 'Cassette single (1998)'
# "I Want You '98" (Bascombe Mix)
# "I Want You '98" (Sash! radio edit)
Europe
* 'CD1'# "I Want You" (radio version) 3:37
# "I Want You" (hot radio mix) 3:33
* 'CD2'
# "I Want You" (radio version) 3:37
# "I Want You" (Pee Wee Club Mix) 6:28
# "Tears of Pearls" 3:47
# "Mine (And You Could Be)" 4:29
United States
* 'CD and cassette single'# "I Want You" 3:52
# "Tears of Pearls" 3:47
* 'Maxi-CD single'
# "I Want You" (album version) 3:52
# "I Want You" (Jason Nevins' radio remix) 3:37
# "I Want You" (Bastone club mix) 8:30
# "I Want You" (I Need I Want Mix) 7:55
# "I Want You" (hot radio mix) 3:33
* '12-inch single'
:A1. "I Want You" (Jason Nevins' radio remix) 3:37
:A2. "I Want You" (album version) 3:52
:B1. "I Want You" (Bastone club mix) 8:30
:B2. "I Want You" (I Need I Want Mix) 7:55
Japan
* 'CD single'# "I Want You" (album version) 3:53
# "I Want You" (Jason Nevins' radio remix) 3:38
# "I Want You" (Bastone club mix) 8:31
# "I Want You" (I Need I Want Mix) 7:56
# "I Want You" (hot radio mix) 3:34
Credits and personnel
Credits are adapted from the 'Savage Garden' album booklet.
'Studios'
* Mixed at Gotham Studios (Melbourne, Australia)
* Mastered at Sony Music Studios (New York City)
'Personnel'
* Darren Hayes writing, lead vocals, background vocals, vocal arrangement
* Daniel Jones writing, additional vocals, additional guitars, keyboards, sequencing
* Rex Goh guitar
* Alex Hewitson bass
* Terepai Richmond drums, percussion
* Charles Fisher production, vocal arrangement
* Jim Bonnefond vocal arrangement
* Chris Lord-Alge mixing
* Vlado Meller mastering
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
'"I Want You"''"I Want You '98"'
Year-end charts
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1997)
!Position
|-
!scope="row"|Canada Top Singles ('RPM')
|8
|-
!scope="row"|Canada Adult Contemporary ('RPM')
|61
|-
!scope="row"|Canada Dance/Urban ('RPM')
|28
|-
!scope="row"|France (SNEP)
|88
|-
!scope="row"|Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)
|80
|-
!scope="row"|US 'Billboard' Hot 100
|22
|}
Decade-end charts
Certifications and sales
Release history
In popular culture
The song was used in Australian TV series 'Heartbreak High', during a dance sequence in an episode in which Katerina Ioannou (Ada Nicodemou) falls for her married dance partner.
The song is also used as the ending theme of the anime adaptation of 'JoJo's Bizarre Adventure', during its 'Diamond Is Unbreakable' arc.
This song would later be featured on The CW drama series, 'Supernatural', during the opening scene of their thirteenth episode of their final season, "Destiny's Child" when an alternate universe version of protagonists Sam and Dean Winchester unexpectedly arrive.
The song is played at the school dance in 'Dawson's Creek' in the second episode of Season One.
References
Category:1996 songs
Category:1996 debut singles
Category:Savage Garden songs
Category:APRA Award winners
Category:Australian synth-pop songs
Category:Columbia Records singles
Category:JoJo's Bizarre Adventure songs
Category:Music videos directed by Nigel Dick
Category:Patter songs
Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles
Category:Songs written by Daniel Jones (musician)
Category:Songs written by Darren Hayes
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