"Only Wanna Be With You"
Single by Hootie & the Blowfish
from the album Cracked Rear View and the EP Kootchypop
ReleasedJuly 1995 (1995-07)[1]
Genre
Length3:46
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Don Gehman
Hootie & the Blowfish singles chronology
"Let Her Cry"
(1994) 		"Only Wanna Be With You"
(1995) 		"Time"
(1995)
Music video
"Only Wanna Be With You" on YouTube

"Only Wanna Be with You" is a song by American alternative rock band Hootie & the Blowfish. After being included on the group's EP Kootchypop (1993), it was released in July 1995 as the third single from their breakthrough album, Cracked Rear View (1994). It peaked at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100, number one on the Billboard Top 40/Mainstream chart, number three on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and number two on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart.

Internationally, "Only Wanna Be with You" topped the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart for three weeks, becoming Canada's second-most-successful song of 1995. It also found success in Iceland, rising to number four on the Icelandic Singles Chart, and reached the top 40 in Australia and New Zealand. In 2021, American rapper Post Malone released a cover of the song for the 25th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise.

Content

One verse of the song describes "[putting] on a little Dylan". The verse then references songs on Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks, quoting extensively from "Idiot Wind". The song then mentions "Tangled Up in Blue".[6] According to Rucker, Dylan's management were aware of the lyrics and had no problem with them; however, when the song became a hit, they objected.[7] He told Rolling Stone that "it never got to the point where we were sued... When we first did that song we sent it to the publishing company and everything was fine. We played it for years and had a really big hit with it. Then they wanted some money, and they got it."[8] VH1 reported that Dylan received an out-of-court settlement in 1995 for $350,000.[6]

Also mentioned in the bridge of the song is a reference, "I'm such a baby cause the Dolphins make me cry", alluding to Darius Rucker's favorite sports team, the Miami Dolphins.

Critical reception

Steve Baltin from Cash Box picked "Only Wanna Be with You" as Pick of the Week, writing that "this catchy upbeat gem shows why Hootie & The Blowfish can do no wrong when it comes to the charts." He added, "Hootie’s sound is never more mainstream than it is here, as the rocking and danceable beat is accompanied by a perky chorus of “I only wanna be with you.” Like their previous hit singles, this track will rocket up the charts, gaining huge support from AAA and CHR."[9]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Only Wanna Be with You", similar to the song, had a sports theme, incorporating many elements from ESPN's SportsCenter. The video featured appearances by (then-current) SportsCenter anchors Keith Olbermann, Dan Patrick, Mike Tirico, Charley Steiner and Chris Berman, reporting on the band playing in games with several professional athletes, including Dan Marino, Fred Couples, Gary McCord, Alonzo Mourning, Muggsy Bogues, Alex English, Walt Williams, and Charles Smith.[6][10] Rucker said the video was his idea, adding, "It was just a way to meet all our idols."[11]

A portion of the music video was filmed on the Poolesville Golf Course and Potomac Valley Lodge in Poolesville, Maryland,[12] as well as on the floor of Reckord Armory at the University of Maryland.[13] Additionally, the scenes in which Rucker and Dan Marino are playing catch, were filmed on the football field of Hinsdale Central High School in Hinsdale, Illinois.

Track listings

US cassette single[14]
No.TitleLength
1."Only Wanna Be with You" (radio edit) 
2."Where Were You" 
European and Australian CD single[15]
No.TitleLength
1."Only Wanna Be with You"3:46
2."Use Me" (live)5:11
3."Only Wanna Be with You" (live)4:00

Charts

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Only Wanna Be with You"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States May 1995
Atlantic [44]
July 1995 Cassette [1]
United Kingdom August 21, 1995
  • CD
  • cassette
 [45]

Post Malone version

"Only Wanna Be with You (Pokémon 25 Version)"
Cover art featuring the Pokémon Pikachu's yellow lightning-bolt-shaped tail against a plain background.
Single by Post Malone
from the album Pokémon 25: The Album
ReleasedFebruary 25, 2021 (2021-02-25)
Length4:01
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Post Malone singles chronology
"Spicy"
(2020) 		"Only Wanna Be with You (Pokémon 25 Version)"
(2021) 		"Life's a Mess II"
(2021)
Pokémon 25 singles chronology
"Only Wanna Be with You (Pokémon 25 Version)"
(2021) 		"Electric"
(2021)
Music video
"Only Wanna Be with You (Pokémon 25 Version)" on YouTube

On February 25, 2021, American rapper and singer Post Malone released a cover version for the 25th anniversary of the Japanese media franchise Pokémon.[46][47] Malone's version contains samples of music from the video games and the Dolphins reference changed to reflect him being a Dallas Cowboys fan.[48][49][50] The cover garnered attention for the unusual circumstances of its release.[49][50][51][52] Hootie and the Blowfish vocalist Darius Rucker gave his approval of the cover on Twitter.[50][53] "Only Wanna Be with You" is included on the track listing of Pokémon 25: The Album, released in October 2021 through Capitol Records.[54]

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "Only Wanna Be with You (Pokémon 25 Version)"
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[55] 58
Croatia (HRT)[56] 73
Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100)[57] 17
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[58] 28
Ireland (IRMA)[59] 55
Latvia (EHR)[60] 40
Netherlands (Single Tip)[61] 1
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[62] 7
Norway (VG-lista)[63] 34
Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[64] 17
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[65] 33
UK Singles (OCC)[66] 76
US Billboard Hot 100[67] 74
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[68] 37

References

  1. ^ a b McKenna, Jerry (July 29, 1995). "Hot 100 Singles Spotlight". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 30. p. 119. Look for high debuts next week from 'Only Wanna Be With You' [...] Both tracks have just been released as cassette singles.
  2. ^ "Listen to Post Malone's "Only Wanna Be With You" (Pokémon 25 Version)". Texas Monthly. March 5, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2022. Hootie & the Blowfish's 1994 alt-rock hit 'Only Wanna Be With You'
  3. ^ Jacklin, Ben (August 6, 2019). "Hearing New Heights: Hootie and the Blowfish". Immersive Audio Album. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  4. ^ Trapp, Philip (March 2, 2021). "Post Malone Covers Hootie & the Blowfish's 'Only Wanna Be With You'". Taste of Country. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  5. ^ Wood, Mikael (November 5, 2019). "Review: Hootie & the Blowfish were pretty good after all". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c "Only Wanna Be With You by Hootie & the Blowfish - Songfacts". www.songfacts.com. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  7. ^ Dukes, Billy (July 6, 2013). "Remember when Bob Dylan sued Darius Rucker?". Taste of Country. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  8. ^ Greene, Andy (July 19, 2013). "Darius Rucker on 'Wagon Wheel' and the Future of Hootie". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  9. ^ Baltin, Steve (June 10, 1995). "Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 7. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  10. ^ Maine, D'Arcy (February 8, 2013). "The 5 worst athlete cameos in music videos". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
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  12. ^ Solomon, Steve; Tsironis, Alex (December 22, 2017). "11 Songs You May Have Heard With Ties To MoCo". The MoCo Show. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
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  15. ^ Only Wanna Be with You (European & Australian CD single liner notes). Hootie & the Blowfish. Atlantic Records. 1995. 7567-85561-2.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  50. ^ a b c Curtis, Charles (February 25, 2021). "Post Malone's Hootie and the Blowfish cover for Pokemon anniversary includes Dallas Cowboys tweak to the lyrics". USA Today. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
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  53. ^ Rucker, Darius [@dariusrucker] (February 25, 2021). "The smile in my face will not leave for a long time. This is awesome. My bro @PostMalone bringing it. Hell yes man!!!!!!!!!" (Tweet). Retrieved February 25, 2021 – via Twitter.
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