"I Want You"
1997 North American and UK cover
Single by Savage Garden
from the album Savage Garden
B-side
Released27 May 1996 (1996-05-27)[1]
GenreSynth-pop
Length3:53
LabelRoadshow
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Charles Fisher
Savage Garden singles chronology
"I Want You"
(1996)		 "To the Moon and Back"
(1996)
Music videos
"I Want You" on YouTube
"I Want You" (International version) on YouTube

"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 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.[2] In the United Kingdom, the single was issued twice, achieving its highest peak of number 11 during its initial release in 1997.

At the APRA Music Awards of 1998 "I Want You" won Most Performed Australian Work Overseas.[3] 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.[4] In February 2023, Peking Duk released a version featuring re-recorded vocals by Darren Hayes.[5][6]

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.[7] 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:

"I have such a soft spot for this song and it just keeps coming back. It's based on a dream that I had where I fell in love with a boy. And when I woke up, I missed him. I didn't know how I would ever feel that feeling again. I had this almost beautiful melancholy, romantic grief. I remembered everything about this boy who I'd never met. The smell, the kiss, the feeling, the butterflies in my tummy, all that stuff. And so I spent about a week mourning that feeling. I used to think, 'Maybe if I go to sleep, I'll see him again.'"[8]

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."[9] 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".[10]

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.[11] 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).

In a 2022 interview with News Corp, Darren Hayes said he only recently discovered the reason he was filmed in a metal head brace for the video was “because the lead singer looks gay when he moves.” Hayes added, “They were just going to tell me it was an ‘artistic decision’. I'm still fucking angry about that."[12]

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the Savage Garden album booklet.[29]

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

Certifications and sales

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[59] Platinum 70,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[68] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[69] Gold 600,000[70]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
Australia 27 May 1996
  • CD
  • cassette
 Roadshow [1]
United States 11 February 1997 Columbia [71][72]
Contemporary hit radio [73]
Japan 23 April 1997 CD Sony [74]
United Kingdom 2 June 1997
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 Columbia [75]
United Kingdom (re-release) 30 November 1998
  • CD
  • cassette
 [76]

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 Part 4: Diamond Is Unbreakable.[77]

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.

The Ryan Enzed remix, The Chica Cherry Cola Song is popularly the theme for viral shuffledance video online.

References

  1. 1 2 "New Release Summary – Product Available from: 27/5/96 (from The ARIA Report Issue No. 327)". ARIA. Retrieved 2 April 2017 – via Imgur.
  2. ↑ Shuster, Fred (20 July 1997). "Australian Duo Savage Garden Earning International Success". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  3. ↑ "1998 Winners - APRA Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Archived from the original on 18 September 2009. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  4. ↑ "Here Are The Songs That Made Triple M's 'Ozzest 100'". Musicfeeds. 27 January 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  5. ↑ Alex Gallagher (10 February 2023). "Peking Duk and Darren Hayes reimagine Savage Garden's 'I Want You'". NME. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  6. ↑ "Peking Duk - I Want You (feat Darren Hayes)". Spotify. 10 February 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  7. ↑ "Savage Garden's Darren Hayes on Behind-The-Scenes Reactions to His Coming Out, Admiring Michael Jackson & Adam Lambert". Billboard. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  8. ↑ "Savage Garden by Savage Garden on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  9. ↑ Flick, Larry (22 February 1997). "Reviews & Previews: Singles – New & Noteworthy" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 8. p. 81. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  10. ↑ "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 24 May 1997. p. 18. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  11. ↑ "Productions 1997".
  12. ↑ Hirst, Jordan (11 October 2022). "Darren Hayes reveals sad detail about iconic Savage Garden video". Q News. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  13. ↑ I Want You (Australian CD single liner notes). Savage Garden. Roadshow Music. 1996. 17494-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ↑ I Want You (Australian cassette single sleeve). Savage Garden. Roadshow Music. 1996. 100267-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ↑ I Want You (Australian remixes CD single liner notes). Savage Garden. Roadshow Music. 1996. 17494-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ↑ I Want You (UK CD single liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1997. 664545 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ↑ I Want You (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1997. 664545 6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ↑ I Want You (UK cassette single sleeve). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1997. 664545 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ↑ I Want You '98 (UK CD1 liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1998. 666733 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ↑ I Want You '98 (UK CD2 liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1998. 666733 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ↑ I Want You '98 (UK cassette single sleeve). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1998. 666733 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ↑ I Want You (European CD1 liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1997. COL 664294 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  23. ↑ I Want You (European CD2 liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1997. COL 664294 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. ↑ I Want You (US CD single liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1997. 38K 78503.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  25. ↑ I Want You (US cassette single sleeve). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1997. 38T 78503.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  26. ↑ I Want You (US maxi-CD single liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1997. 44K 78505.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  27. ↑ I Want You (US 12-inch single sleeve). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1997. 44 78505.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  28. ↑ I Want You (Japanese CD single liner notes). Savage Garden. Sony Records. 1997. SRCS 8308.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  29. ↑ Savage Garden (Australian CD album booklet). Roadshow Music. 1996. 100813-2.
  30. ↑ "Savage Garden – I Want You". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  31. ↑ "Savage Garden – I Want You" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  32. ↑ "Savage Garden – I Want You" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  33. ↑ "Savage Garden – I Want You" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  34. ↑ "Savage Garden Chart History (Canadian Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  35. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3231." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  36. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 3218." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  37. ↑ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 3226." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  38. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 26. 28 June 1997. p. 18. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  39. ↑ "Savage Garden – I Want You" (in French). Les classement single.
  40. ↑ "Savage Garden – I Want You" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  41. ↑ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 29. 19 July 1997. p. 14. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  42. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (NR. 219 Vikuna 1.5. '97 – 7.5. '97)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 May 1997. p. 20. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  43. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Savage Garden". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  44. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Savage Garden" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  45. ↑ "Savage Garden – I Want You" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  46. ↑ "Savage Garden – I Want You". Top 40 Singles.
  47. ↑ "Major Market Airplay – Week 21/1997" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 21. 24 May 1997. p. 23. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  48. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  49. ↑ "Savage Garden – I Want You". Singles Top 100.
  50. ↑ "Savage Garden – I Want You". Swiss Singles Chart.
  51. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  52. ↑ "Savage Garden Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  53. ↑ "Savage Garden Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  54. ↑ "Savage Garden Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  55. ↑ "Savage Garden Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  56. ↑ "Savage Garden Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard.
  57. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  58. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  59. 1 2 "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1996". ARIA. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  60. ↑ "RPM '97 Year End Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Retrieved 9 January 2020 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  61. ↑ "RPM '97 Year End Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks". RPM. Retrieved 9 January 2020 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  62. ↑ "RPM '97 Year End Top 50 Dance Tracks". RPM. Retrieved 9 January 2020 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  63. ↑ "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 1997" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  64. ↑ "Årslista Singlar, 1997" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  65. ↑ "Najlepsze single na UK Top 40–1997" (in Polish). Archived from the original on 4 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  66. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 – 1997". Archived from the original on 11 June 2009. Retrieved 28 August 2010.
  67. ↑ Lwin, Nanda. "Top 100 Singles of the 1990s". Jam!. Archived from the original on 29 August 2000. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  68. ↑ "British single certifications – Savage Garden – I Want You". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  69. ↑ "American single certifications – Savage Garden – I Want You". Recording Industry Association of America.
  70. ↑ "Best-Selling Records of 1997". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 5. 31 January 1998. p. 76. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  71. ↑ "I Want You / Tears of Pearls". Amazon. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  72. ↑ "I Want You". Amazon. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  73. ↑ "New Releases" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1183. 7 February 1997. p. 39. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  74. ↑ "アイ・ウォント・ユー | サヴェージ・ガーデン" [I Want You | Savage Garden] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  75. ↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 31 May 1997. p. 33. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  76. ↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 28 November 1998. p. 28. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  77. ↑ "Darren Hayes on Twitter: "Thrilled that so many folks are happy we allowed 'I Want You' to be used in #jojo_anime - it's a cool show and I was happy to say yes."". 9 July 2016. Archived from the original on 9 July 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
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