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I Want You (Elvis Costello song)

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29: 498:"Costello in 1992, talking about how much he annoyed The Attractions when making Blood & Chocolate, and Bruce Thomas talking about how much he disliked the song "I Want You." (These interviews were prior to The Attractions 90s reunion, when the band was split up & estranged.)" 271:
later expressed his dislike for the song, commenting, "Elvis was trying really hard to do the psychopath in 'I Want You' and all that. It's things like that that really annoy me. He loves all that stuff! That 'fingernail scratching down the wall' and 'I want youuuu' ... this sort of
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job. I'll give you the address of a good analyst! That's not soul-bearing or honest, it's just neurotic. I find it incredibly neurotic and tension-inducing, which he'd say is entirely the point, but I thought, well that's not the point of self-expression at the end of the day."
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The dark lyrics describe a tormented romantic relationship. The narrator recounts the details of his partner's infidelities, while repeatedly declaring "I want you" after each line. The music is taken at a slow,
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named the song one of Costello's top 10 best, saying, "The lyrics and music together are intimately intense, like someone breathing down your own neck, making you shudder, but the melody is irresistible too."
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Due to its "bitter" lyrics, Costello commented, "That just that song is used as opening dance in weddings ... I humbly bow my head, and can only wish those people a safe journey."
261:, so no apologies for the lack of fidelity. None are needed, it's just a pornographic snapshot; lots of broken glass, a squashed box of chocolates and a little blood on the wall." 1218: 1336: 735: 1773: 1649: 290: 65: 1176: 1815: 1254: 1183: 1123: 1449: 958: 367:
said of the performance, " metabolizes every molecule of the song’s poisoned atmosphere." Costello also collaborated with hip hop band
293:", another song from the album. The single was a moderate success on the UK charts, peaking at number 79 over a chart stay of 2 weeks. 1695: 251:-like tempo; towards the conclusion Costello offers a brief guitar solo that repeats two dissonant notes. In his album notes for the 1810: 1204: 1190: 810: 253: 1519: 1752: 616: 576: 1393: 1766: 1358: 1293: 1279: 1261: 709: 257:
compilation album, Costello wrote that "he sound of this track was always going to be the aural equivalent of a blurred
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called the track "an epic testament to jealousy over a former lover’s new partner". Jeremy Allen of
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Featuring lyrics about an obsessive romance, "I Want You" was released as the second single from
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described it as " the nastiest songs he has ever recorded, both lyrically and musically".
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said that the song "is pretty much the soundtrack to every relationship I've ever had".
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covered the song, accompanied by Elvis Costello, as a VH1 tribute to Costello.
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The Very Best of Elvis Costello and The Attractions 1977–86
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called the song one of the two strongest on the album.
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s Martin Chilton named the song Costello's 35th best.
674: 672: 670: 617:"The Sounds Of Elvis, From San Francisco And Beyond" 285:"I Want You" was released as the second single from 1774:Bespoke Songs, Lost Dogs, Detours & Rendezvous 667: 489: 439: 437: 435: 16:1986 single by Elvis Costello and the Attractions 1787: 417: 432: 382:released a cover of the song recorded with the 1255:The Best of Elvis Costello: The First 10 Years 1184:The Best of Elvis Costello and the Attractions 403:released a version of the song on their album 371:to perform a version of "I Want You" in 2013; 1177:Ten Bloody Marys & Ten How's Your Fathers 804: 309:named the song as one of the key tracks from 289:in 1986, backed with an acoustic version of " 811: 797: 27: 1696:Lost on the River: The New Basement Tapes 727: 642: 636: 515: 463: 280: 1753:Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink 678: 1788: 523:"Elvis Costello & the Attractions" 469: 1816:Song recordings produced by Nick Lowe 1262:The Songs of Bacharach & Costello 792: 733: 1294:(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes 571: 495: 423: 225:. It was released on his 1986 album 679:Edwards, Gavin (14 February 2014). 611: 443: 221:and recorded with his backing band 13: 818: 323:described the song as "riveting". 172:Elvis Costello and the Attractions 41:Elvis Costello and the Attractions 14: 1827: 1767:Now Ain't the Time for Your Tears 1359:I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down 707: 350: 710:"Elvis Costello: 10 of the best" 446:"Elvis Costello's 40 best songs" 1811:Songs written by Elvis Costello 1308:(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea 1241:The Very Best of Elvis Costello 1071:Secret, Profane & Sugarcane 764: 753: 734:Rosen, Craig (3 October 2013). 1745:Other works / related articles 1506:The Other End of the Telescope 605: 565: 540: 1: 1450:Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood 410: 241: 648:"Christgau's Consumer Guide" 7: 1559:Welcome to the Working Week 428:. 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AllMusic 507:7 February 411:References 242:Background 215:I Want You 199:Blue Chair 190:I Want You 1236:(bootleg) 613:Kot, Greg 476:De Morgen 395:In 2017, 378:In 2010, 373:Questlove 369:the Roots 355:In 2006, 159:Nick Lowe 1594:Riot Act 1471:Veronica 1380:Clubland 1212:2½ Years 1092:Look Now 1064:Momofuku 1043:Il Sogno 315:Greg Kot 301:AllMusic 259:polaroid 102:New wave 88:Recorded 73:Released 1272:Singles 1191:The Man 659:16 June 597:16 June 586:Blender 502:Twitter 317:of the 203:(1987) 194:(1986) 185:(1986) 78: ( 1721:G.B.H. 1713:Scores 1287:Alison 108:Length 59:B-side 37:Single 1036:North 980:Spike 931:Trust 249:dirge 125:Label 97:Genre 747:2019 721:2019 692:2019 661:2016 630:2015 599:2016 534:2019 509:2022 483:2019 457:2019 399:and 1520:She 363:of 299:of 130:Imp 39:by 1792:: 1527:45 738:. 712:. 700:^ 683:. 669:^ 650:. 619:. 583:. 525:. 500:. 474:. 448:. 434:^ 407:. 392:. 231:. 201:" 192:" 117:45 1659:" 1655:" 1652:" 1648:" 1645:" 1641:" 1638:" 1634:" 1631:" 1627:" 1624:" 1620:" 1617:" 1613:" 1610:" 1606:" 1603:" 1599:" 1596:" 1592:" 1589:" 1585:" 1582:" 1578:" 1575:" 1571:" 1568:" 1564:" 1561:" 1557:" 1543:" 1539:" 1536:" 1532:" 1529:" 1525:" 1522:" 1518:" 1515:" 1511:" 1508:" 1504:" 1501:" 1497:" 1494:" 1490:" 1487:" 1483:" 1480:" 1476:" 1473:" 1469:" 1466:" 1462:" 1459:" 1455:" 1452:" 1448:" 1445:" 1441:" 1438:" 1434:" 1431:" 1427:" 1424:" 1420:" 1417:" 1413:" 1410:" 1406:" 1403:" 1399:" 1396:" 1392:" 1389:" 1385:" 1382:" 1378:" 1375:" 1371:" 1368:" 1364:" 1361:" 1357:" 1354:" 1350:" 1347:" 1343:" 1340:" 1334:" 1331:" 1327:" 1324:" 1320:" 1317:" 1313:" 1310:" 1306:" 1303:" 1299:" 1296:" 1292:" 1289:" 1285:" 1282:" 1278:" 867:: 812:e 805:t 798:v 781:. 749:. 723:. 694:. 663:. 632:. 601:. 581:" 561:. 536:. 511:. 485:. 459:. 345:' 213:" 197:" 188:" 115:: 113:6 82:) 68:" 64:"

Index


Single
Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Blood & Chocolate
B-side
I Hope You're Happy Now
Genre
New wave
Label
Imp
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Nick Lowe
Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Blue Chair
Elvis Costello
the Attractions
Blood & Chocolate
dirge
Girls Girls Girls
polaroid
Bruce Thomas
Tony Perkins
I Hope You're Happy Now
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
AllMusic
Blender Magazine
Greg Kot
Chicago Tribune
Robert Christgau

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