Oh my baby baby, I love you more than I can tell
I don't think I can live without you
And I know that I never will
Oh my baby baby, I want you so it scares me to death
I can't say anymore than "I love you"
Everything else is a waste of breath
I want you
You've had your fun, you don't get well no more
I want you
Your fingernails go dragging down the wall
Be careful darling, you might fall
I want you
I woke up and one of us was crying
I want you
You said "Young man I do believe you're dying"
I want you
If you need a second opinion as you seem to do these days
I want you
You can look in my eyes and you can count the ways
I want you
Did you mean to tell me but seem to forget
I want you
Since when were you so generous and inarticulate
I want you
It's the stupid details that my heart is breaking for
It's the way your shoulders shake and what they're shaking for
I want you
It's knowing that he knows you now after only guessing
It's the thought of him undressing you or you undressing
I want you
He tossed some tatty compliment your way
I want you
And you were fool enough to love it when he said
"I want you"
I want you
The truth can't hurt you, it's just like the dark
It scares you witless
But in time you see things clear and stark
I want you
Go on and hurt me then we'll let it drop
I want you
I'm afraid I won't know where to stop
I want you
I'm not ashamed to say I cried for you
I want you
I want to know the things you did that we do too
I want you
I want to hear he pleases you more than I do
I want you
I might as well be useless for all it means to you
I want you
Did you call his name out as he held you down
I want you
Oh no my darling, not with that clown
I want you
I want you
You've had your fun, you don't get well no more
I want you
No one who wants you could want you more
I want you
I want you
I want you
Every night when I go off to bed and when I wake up
I want you
I'm going to say it again 'til I instill it
I know I'm going to feel this way until you kill it
I want you
I want you
I want you
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I Want You |
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Written by | Declan MacManus |
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Performed by | Elvis Costello & The Attractions |
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Produced by | Nick Lowe with Colin Fairley |
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Musicians | Elvis Costello - vocals, guitar Steve Nieve - keyboards Bruce Thomas - bass Pete Thomas - drums Nick Lowe - acoustic guitar |
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Recorded | March-May 1986, Olympic Studios, London |
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Released | September 15, 1986 |
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Albums | Blood & Chocolate, 1986 |
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Singles | I Want You, 1986 |
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Collections | Girls Girls Girls, 1986 ("single version") The Very Best Of Elvis Costello & The Attractions, 1994 The Very Best Of Elvis Costello, 1999 Singles, Volume 3, 2003 The Best Of Elvis Costello The First 10 Years, 2007 In Motion Pictures, 2012 Unfaithful Music & Soundtrack Album, 2015 |
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Various Artists collections | Pop Classics - The Long Versions 4, 1992 Greatest Hits Of The '80's, 1992 Kose Rock: The Most Beautiful Lovesongs, 1995 The Best Of Brit Pop, 1996 Tijdloze Honderd Vol 3, 1997 Not With That Clown: Great Songs Of Sexual Jealousy, 1997 Arcade Hot 100: The Complete Hits Collection, 1999 Rough Trade Shops: Singer Songwriter 1, 2006 Life Is Music, 2008 |
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Promos | UK Elvis Costello, 2002 Selections From This Year's Model - Blood & Chocolate - Brutal Youth, 2002 |
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Videos | The Return Of The Spectacular Spinning Songbook, 2011 MSR Studios Session, 2013 |
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Length | 6:39 (most releases) 5:50 (Girls Girls Girls edit) |
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Note | The edited version on Girls Girls Girls is identified as the "single version", but the actual single uses the full-length album version. |
“The sound of this track was always going to be the aural equivalent of a blurred polaroid, 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.” — Girls Girls Girls liner notes, 1989.
Alternate versions
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