I Want You Back (Bananarama song)
"I Want You Back" is a song written and recorded by English girl group Bananarama. It is included on their fourth studio album Wow! and was released as its fourth and final single. The track was co-written and produced by the Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) trio.
"I Want You Back" | ||||
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Single by Bananarama | ||||
from the album Wow! and Greatest Hits Collection | ||||
B-side | "Bad for Me" | |||
Released | 28 March 1988 | |||
Recorded | April 1987 (album version) 1988 (single version) | |||
Genre | Dance-pop | |||
Length | 3:53 (album version) 3:47 (single version) | |||
Label | London | |||
Songwriter(s) | Matt Aitken, Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Mike Stock, Pete Waterman, Keren Woodward | |||
Producer(s) | Stock Aitken Waterman | |||
Bananarama singles chronology | ||||
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The song originally had a different chorus and was titled "Reason for Living". Bananarama disliked this chorus and co-wrote the revised lyrics for "I Want You Back". Both versions were originally recorded with Siobhan Fahey for the 1987 Wow! album. For the April 1988 single release, the song was re-recorded with Jacquie O'Sullivan, who had replaced Fahey in March 1988.
"Reason for Living" was included on the deluxe version of Wow!, which was released in 2013. Elements of the original chorus can be heard in both the original Wow! version of "I Want You Back" and in the Extended European Mix of the 1988 single release.
"I Want You Back" became one of Bananarama's highest-charting hits, peaking at number five on the UK Singles Chart. It also climbed into the top three in Australia and the top ten in New Zealand. The single was not released in the United States.
Music video
The video featured the group performing the song in various scenarios. One has the three girls performing a choreographed dance routine before the camera. Another has them acting silly, dancing spontaneously, and humorously fighting for screen time. Another scenario features the girls performing their dance routine dressed in silver gowns and wigs as The Supremes. These scenes are interspersed with go-go boys dancing with wigs or in cages clad only in briefs and glow-in-the-dark body paint. An alternative version exists with a scenario of the girls in long wigs replacing the choreographed dance routine scenes. Both videos were directed by Andy Morahan.[1]
Track listings
7" single (NANA 16)
- "I Want You Back" (single version) – 3:47
- "Bad for Me" – 3:37
10" gatefold single (NANG 16)
- "I Want You Back" (single version) – 3:47
- "Bananarama Megamix" (edit) – 6:15
12" single (NANX 16)
- "I Want You Back" (extended European version) – 7:56
- "Amnesia" (extended 12" version) (Theme from The Roxy) – 6:28
- M. Stock/M. Aitken/P. Waterman, :Remixed by Extra Beat Boys
- "Bad for Me" – 3:37
CD single (NANCD 16)
- "I Want You Back" (single version) – 3:47
- "Bad for Me" – 3:37
- "Amnesia" (extended 12" version) (Theme from The Roxy) – 6:28
- "Love in the First Degree" (house remix) – 5:45
- Remixed by Pete Hammond
Other versions
- "I Want You Back" (LP version) – 3:53
- Taken from the album Wow!
Personnel
- Sara Dallin – vocals
- Keren Woodward – vocals and bass
- Siobhan Fahey – vocals
- Jacquie O'Sullivan – vocals (single)
Charts
Chart (1988) | Peak position |
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UK Singles Chart[2] | 5 |
Australian Singles Chart[3] | 3 |
Dutch Singles Chart | 49 |
New Zealand Singles Chart | 10 |
Spanish Singles Chart[4] | 6 |
Swiss Singles Chart | 23 |
References
- Garcia, Alex S. "mvdbase.com - Bananarama - "I want you back"". Music Video DataBase. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
- "UK Official Charts". Officialcharts.com. Official Charts Company. 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
- "australian-charts.com > Bananarama 'I Want You Back'". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 September 2015. N.B. the single had been charting for 6 weeks on the Kent Music Report top 100 chart (licensed by ARIA) before the chart-run on this link commences.
- Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.