Baby Boomers Top 10 "I Want You" Songs

My pick of the Top Ten I Want You Songs from the 1960s through the 1990s, with a couple of bonus tracks thrown in. From The Graham Bond Organization to Bon Jovi – with the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Wilson Pickett and a few others in between. There’s a mix of pop, rock, soul, funk, rap, folk, ballad, R&B, and dance songs with I Want You as the song title. 

Which I Want You song is the best in your opinion, will likely depend on whether you’re a senior, baby boomer, zoomer, generation x or other, and what genre of music you prefer. What’s your pick?

Baby boomers may remember British jazz/rhythm and blues band The Graham Bond Organization from the 1960’s. Their R&B version of I Want You in 1965, written by lead singer-songwriter Graham Bond was on The Sound of ’65 album. Sadly, the musical genius of Graham Bond was stymied by substance abuse and mental health issues; he died at the age of 36 in 1974 after being hit by a train (suicide was suspected).  Below, The Graham Bond Organization’s recording of I Want You (1965).

Bob Dylan is now a septuagenarian senior citizen, but back in 1966 when he wrote and recorded I Want You for his 7th album – Blonde on Blonde album (1966) – he was only 25. Bob Dylan’s I Want You song made it to #20 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Below, Bob Dylan‘s I Want You:

Perennial favourites for all ages, The Beatles had a hit in 1969 with I Want You (She’s So Heavy). Written by John Lennon, it’s reportedly about his love for Yoko Ono. Recording I Want You (She’s So Heavy) was the last time the Beatles were together in a studio. The Beatles broke up a few months later when Lennon left the band. Official audio of The Beatles singing I Want You (She’s so Heavy).

R&B, soul, rock n’ roll singer Wilson Pickett’s soul song I Want You came out in 1979 on his I Want You album.

Swedish pop rock duo Roxette (Marie Fredriksson & Per Gessle) recorded I Want You in 1987; credited songwriters are Eva Dahlgren, Per Gessle, Marie Fredriksson, Mauro Scocco, Johan Ekelund, and Anders Glenmark.

Jeanie Tracy sang I Want You in 1982, with a disco feel. I Want You was on her first album Me and You in 1982.

Below, folk/rock singer-songwriter Michael Hedges, singing his 1985 ballad I Want You live. I Want You was included on his album Watching My Life Go By (1985). Michael Hedges died in a car accident at the age of 43 in 1997.

Soul, R&B vocal group The Whispers sang I Want You with a soul vibe in 1987. Lead singer Wallace “Scotty” Scott, his twin brother Walter Scott, Marcus Hutson, Nicholas Caldwell and Leaveil Degree comprised The Whispers. Remaining group members the Scott brothers and Leaveil Degree, are all senior citizens now.

Baby boomer rocker Melissa Etheridge sang I Want You on her first, self-titled album Melissa Etheridge in 1988; Etheridge is now in her 50+ years.

And here’s a bonus track – the Australian pop duo Savage Garden, with their I Want You, from 1996. Written by Darren Hayes & Daniel Jones of Savage Garden.

Stadium rockers Bon Jovi crooned their version of I Want You in 1992 on their Keep the Faith album.

Some song titles have such universal themes that more than one creative genius and musical genre, is needed to fully express them. There are over 140 recorded songs that have I Want You as the song title!