- Album and Release: “I Want You” was released as a single in June 1966 and also appeared on his critically acclaimed double album, Blonde on Blonde, later that month. It was the first track on side two of the album.
- Recording Session: It was one of the last songs recorded for Blonde on Blonde, specifically in the early hours of March 10, 1966, at Columbia Studio A in Nashville.
- Musical Style: The song is known for its melodic and pop-sounding qualities, with a fast, upbeat tempo. It features a notable descending bass line emphasized by Al Kooper’s Lowrey organ from the second verse onwards.
- Al Kooper’s Influence: Al Kooper, who played organ on the track (and famously played on “Like a Rolling Stone”), was reportedly very keen on Dylan recording “I Want You.” Dylan initially resisted but eventually relented. Kooper even taught the song to the band without Dylan’s explicit permission to encourage its recording.
- Lyrics and Imagery: The lyrics are characterized by their surreal poetry and a large, often perplexing cast of characters, including a “guilty undertaker,” a “lonesome organ grinder,” a “drunken politician weeping,” and the “Queen of Spades.” The meaning of these characters and their interactions is open to interpretation, a hallmark of Dylan’s songwriting.
- “Dancing Child” and Brian Jones: One of the most frequently discussed characters is the “dancing child with his Chinese suit” whose flute Dylan “took.” Many commentators link this to Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones, especially given the line “because time was on his side,” a reference to The Rolling Stones’ hit “Time Is On My Side.”
- Core Message: While the song’s imagery is complex, its central, oft-repeated chorus, “I want you, I want you, yes I want you so bad,” conveys a direct and intense longing, often interpreted as an expression of lust or an overwhelming desire for a specific person.
- Chart Performance: “I Want You” was a commercial success, peaking at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and number 16 on the UK singles chart.
- Live Performances: Dylan has performed “I Want You” live many times throughout his career, often with varying arrangements and tempos. Notable live versions appear on Bob Dylan at Budokan (1978), where it was played as a slower “torch song,” and Dylan & the Dead (1989).
- Sophie B. Hawkins Cover: Sophie B. Hawkins released a cover version of “I Want You” in 1992, which, while not a massive hit, earned an endorsement from Bob Dylan himself. She was invited to perform it at the Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration in 1992, though her performance was notably not included on the official album release of the concert.
- Bootleg Series: The complete recording sessions for “I Want You” are included in The Bootleg Series Vol. 12: The Cutting Edge 1965–1966, offering insights into the song’s development.
Sources:
- Wikipedia: I Want You (Bob Dylan song)
- Songfacts: I Want You by Bob Dylan
- American Songwriter: The Story Behind “I Want You” by Bob Dylan and the Rock Hall of Famer Who Urged Him to Record It
- Bob Dylan Commentaries: I Want You – the Bob Dylan Commentaries
- The Official Bob Dylan Site: I Want You Lyrics
