I Want You (Madonna song)

Infobox Single
Name = I Want You


Artist = Madonna and Massive Attack
from Album = Something to Remember and
Released = October 2, 1995
Format = Radio, video promo
Recorded = Early 1995
Genre = Trip hop, ballad
Length = 6:23 (Album)
6:11 (Radio)
6:04 (Orchestral)
Label = Warner Bros., Maverick, Motown
Writer = Leon Ware Arthur Ross
Producer = Nellee Hooper
Last single = Human Nature (1995)
This single = I Want You (1995)
Next single = You'll See (1995)

"I Want You" is a promotional single [cite web|url=http://eil.com/shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=323786|title=Madonna I Want You US Promo Box Set (323786)|accessdate=2008-08-14|work=Esprit International Limited] released by American singer Madonna and Massive Attack from Marvin Gaye tribute album . The song was also featured on Madonna's 1995 ballads compilation album, Something to Remember.

About the single

After the release of her successful single, Take a Bow, was approached by Earle Sebastian about a cover of this song for a tribute album. Madonna originally turned down the offer because of her vocal training for Evita). Madonna later decided to release a compilation album to hold fans over while she was working on Evita. When Warner Bros. asked for three new tracks, Madonna accepted the proposal of Massive Attack.

Cancelled single

Originally, "I Want You" was slated to become the first single from the "greatest ballads" album, Something to Remember. The song was released as a promotional single in early 1995 and a music video was shot and released to many media outlets. Many problems arose, internally, which resulted in You'll See, being quickly released as a single instead. The video received heavy airplay on both MTV and VH1. Along with minor radio airplay, many fans speculated as to why the song was never released as a single. Neither Massive Attack nor Madonna have commented on this matter.

The song appears on the album in two versions; the original album version and an orchestral version. Dance remixes by Junior Vasquez and Warren Rigg have also surfaced and are available on the internet as well as various mixes of the orchestral and original album versions.

Music video

"I Want You" was shot in August 1995 at Broadway Stages in Long Island City, New York and directed by Earle Sebastian. The photographs that were taken at the recording of the clip were used in Madonna's official 1997 Calendar. The video was inspired by and pays hommage to "A Telephone Call", a short story written by American writer, Dorothy Parker. The video was promoted to VH1 and MTV. MTV Europe did and still does air the video, especially in the late-night show "Chill Out Zone".

The video was not included on Madonna's "". Julian Hirsh did several mixes of the track, while rare promos featured nearly a dozen slightly altered versions of the original song exist. The video is also the only case in Madonna's history where a non-released single was given the full video treatment (beside "Verás", "GHV2 Megamix" and extra videos produced for the tours).

*Director: Earle Sebastian
*Producer: Joel Hinman
*Director of Photography: Thomas Kloss
*Editor: Bruce Ashley
*Production Company: Good Karma Inc.

References