Only Wanna Be with You


"Only Wanna Be with You" is a song by American rock band Hootie & the Blowfish. It was released in July 1995 as the third single from their breakthrough album, Cracked Rear View. It peaked at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100, number one on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 chart, number three on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and number two on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
Internationally, "Only Wanna Be with You" topped the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart for three weeks, becoming the second-most successful song of 1995. It also found major popularity in Iceland, rising to number four on the Icelandic Singles Chart, and reached the top 40 in Australia and New Zealand. It is the band's signature song. Darius Rucker still performs the song solo.
The song was written and recorded in 1992, and included on the group's CD EP Kootchypop the following year.

Content

One verse of the song describes " 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". 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. 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." VH1 reported that Dylan received a large, out-of-court settlement in 1995.
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 football team and their championship drought.

Music video

The music video, similar to the song, had a sports theme, incorporating many elements from ESPN's SportsCenter. The video featured appearances by 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, Alonzo Mourning, Muggsy Bogues, Alex English, Walt Williams, and Charles Smith. Rucker said the video was his idea, adding, "It was just a way to meet all our idols."
A portion of the music video was filmed on the Poolesville Golf Course and Potomac Valley Lodge in Poolesville, Maryland, as well as on the floor of Reckord Armory at the University of Maryland.

Track listings

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Chart Position
US Billboard Hot 10099

In popular culture

The song was featured in the films Marley & Me, Ted, and Annie.