"I Want You" is a song by Australian pop duo Savage Garden, originally released in Australia on 27 May 1996 by label Roadshow as the lead single from their 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. 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. 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. In February 2023, Australian electronic band Peking Duk released a remake of the song with re-recorded vocals from Darren Hayes.
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.
In an interview with Apple Music about their debut album, Darren Hayes also said:
Critical reception Larry Flick from Billboard magazine 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." 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". In 2025, the song ranked 97 on the Triple J Hottest 100 of Australian Songs.
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. 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."
Track listings
Australia CD and cassette single "I Want You" – 3:53 "Fire Inside the Man" – 4:11
Remixes CD single "I Want You" (original radio version) – 3:54 "I Want You" (Flu club mix) – 6:22 "I Want You" (Pee Wee club mix) – 6:30 "I Want You" (Flu radio edit) – 3:44 "I Want You" (Flu Midnight mix) – 6:24
United Kingdom CD single (1997) "I Want You" (album version) "I Want You" (Xenomania Funky mix) "I Want You" (Xenomania 12-inch club mix) "I Want You" (Sharp Miami mix)
12-inch single (1997) A1. "I Want You" (Xenomania Funky mix) A2. "I Want You" (Xenomania 12-inch club mix) B1. "I Want You" (Sharp Miami mix) B2. "I Want You" (album version)
Cassette single (1997) "I Want You" (album version) "Promises"
CD1 (1998) "I Want You '98" (Bascombe mix) "I Want You '98" (Sash! radio edit) "To the Moon and Back" (karaoke version)
CD2 (1998) "I Want You '98" (Sash! extended mix) "I Want You" (Sharp Miami mix) "I Want You" (Xenomania Funky mix)
Cassette single (1998) "I Want You '98" (Bascombe mix) "I Want You '98" (Sash! radio edit)
Europe CD1 "I Want You" (radio version) – 3:37 "I Want You" (hot radio mix) – 3:33
CD2 "I Want You" (radio version) – 3:37 "I Want You" (Pee Wee Club mix) – 6:28 "Tears of Pearls" – 3:47 "Mine (And You Could Be)" – 4:29
United States CD and cassette single "I Want You" – 3:52 "Tears of Pearls" – 3:47
Maxi-CD single "I Want You" (album version) – 3:52 "I Want You" (Jason Nevins' radio remix) – 3:37 "I Want You" (Bastone club mix) – 8:30 "I Want You" (I Need I Want mix) – 7:55 "I Want You" (hot radio mix) – 3:33
12-inch single A1. "I Want You" (Jason Nevins' radio remix) – 3:37 A2. "I Want You" (album version) – 3:52 B1. "I Want You" (Bastone club mix) – 8:30 B2. "I Want You" (I Need I Want mix) – 7:55
Japan CD single "I Want You" (album version) – 3:53 "I Want You" (Jason Nevins' radio remix) – 3:38 "I Want You" (Bastone club mix) – 8:31 "I Want You" (I Need I Want mix) – 7:56 "I Want You" (hot radio mix) – 3:34
Credits and personnel Credits are adapted from the Savage Garden album booklet.
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
Weekly charts "I Want You" Chart (1996–1997)PeakpositionCanada (Nielsen SoundScan) 1Estonia (Eesti Top 20) 2Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 16Hungary (Mahasz) 5Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) 9 Israel (Israeli Singles Chart) Search "I Want You" for Israeli chart history. 2Latvia (Latvijas Top 20) 6Poland Airplay (Music & Media) 7Spain (Top 40 Radio) 22UK Airplay (Music Week) 19US CHR/Pop (Radio & Records) 1US CHR/Rhythmic (Radio & Records) 43US Hot AC (Radio & Records) 5US Pop/Alternative (Radio & Records) 12
"I Want You '98" Chart (1998)PeakpositionUK Airplay (Music Week) 12
Year-end charts Chart (1996)PositionAustralia (ARIA) 12 Chart (1997)PositionBrazil (Crowley) 54Canada Top Singles (RPM) 8Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM) 61Canada Dance/Urban (RPM) 28France (SNEP) 88Sweden (Topplistan) 80UK Singles (OCC) 189US Billboard Hot 100 22US Adult Top 40 (Billboard) 9US Top 40/Mainstream (Billboard) 10US CHR/Pop (Radio & Records) Note: The date is incorrectly written as 14 November 1997. 6US Hot AC (Radio & Records) 9
Decade-end charts Chart (1990–1999)PositionCanada (Nielsen SoundScan) 47
Certifications and sales
Release history RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Australia27 May 1996RoadshowUnited States11 February 1997ColumbiaContemporary hit radioJapan23 April 1997CDSonyUnited Kingdom2 June 1997ColumbiaUnited Kingdom (re-release)30 November 1998
References