"Don't You Want Me" is a single by British synthpop group The Human League, released on 27 November 1981 as the fourth single from their third studio album Dare (1981).
It is the band's best known and most commercially successful recording and was the 1981 Christmas number one in the UK, where it has since sold over 1,560,000 copies, making it the 23rd most successful single in UK Singles Chart history. It later topped the Billboard Hot 100 in the US on 3 July 1982 where it stayed for three weeks. In 2015 the song was voted by the British public as the nation's 7th favourite 1980s number one in a poll for ITV.
Background
The lyrics were originally inspired after lead singer Philip Oakey read a photo-story in a teen-girl's magazine. Originally conceived and recorded in the studio as a male solo, Oakey was inspired by the film A Star Is Born and decided to turn the song into a conflicting duet with one of the band's two teenage female vocalists. Susan Ann Sulley was then asked to take on the role. Up until then, she and the other female vocalist Joanne Catherall had only been assigned backing vocals; Sulley says she was chosen only through "luck of the draw". Musicians Jo Callis and Philip Adrian Wright created a synthesizer score to accompany the lyrics which was much harsher than the version that was actually released. Initial versions of the song were recorded but Virgin Records-appointed producer Martin Rushent was unhappy with them. He and Callis remixed the track, giving it a softer, and in Oakey's opinion, "poppy" sound. Oakey hated the new version and thought it the weakest track on Dare, resulting in one of his infamous rows with Rushent. Oakey disliked it so much that it was relegated to the last track on the B side of the (then) vinyl album.
Watley's previous single, "Still a Thrill," fared well in dance and R&B markets, but less-so in the mainstream. This prompted her label, MCA, to go in a more pop-friendly direction. "Don't You Want Me" was one of the biggest crossover singles for the year 1987, reaching top ten on the Billboard pop and R&B charts and becoming a number-one dance club hit.
Sample usage
"Don't You Want Me" was sampled extensively in the 49ers' 1990 hit "Don't You Love Me?". Remixed eurodance versions have appeared on the Dancemania series albums, including Dancemania SPEED 2 issued in 1999.
Chart performance
"Don't You Want Me" landed in the Top 40 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart the week of October 24, 1987, advancing from #56 to #40. The song reached #6 on December 19, 1987 and remained there for three consecutive weeks.
REMASTERED IN HD!
Official Music Video for Don’t You Want Me performed by Jody Watley.
#Jody Watley #Don’t You Want Me #Remastered
published: 16 Jun 2009
Don't You Want Me
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
Don't You Want Me · Jody Watley
Jody Watley
℗ 1987 Geffen Records
Released on: 1987-01-01
Producer: Bernard Edwards
Studio Personnel, Engineer: Josh Abbey
Producer, Additional Producer, Studio Personnel, Remixer: Michael Hutchinson
Producer, Additional Producer, Studio Personnel, Remixer: Francois Kevorkian
Composer Lyricist: David Bryant
Composer Lyricist: D.P. Bryant
Composer Lyricist: Francine Vicki Golde
Composer Lyricist: Jody Watley
Composer Lyricist: Franne Gold
Auto-generated by YouTube.
published: 31 Jul 2018
Jody Watley performs 'Don't You Want Me' on Good Day LA
Jody Watley performed "Don't You Want Me" on Good Day LA as part of our Mercury Insurance Concert Series! Watch her performance of new single "The Passion" here: https://bit.ly/2LtrMpk
published: 27 Jul 2018
Jody Watley - Don't You Want Me (Extended Version)
When I first laid my eyes upon youuu
I knew right then and there you were the one
Eyes so deep, you send me melting
And then you smiled as if to say, "Oh, yeahhh"
But then you seemed to change your mind
You looked away like you were, oh, so shyyy
Is the game you're playing hard to get
Won't you tell meeee, ohh, hooo
Want me, don't you want meee
To touch you and to hold you tight
Don't you want me like I want you
To kiss and love all through the night
I'd like to know more than just your name
Did you come here alone or with someone
If only you would open uuup
And let me know just where you're comin' from
Are you lookin' for a new love
Or does commitment seem to bring you dowwwn
Is that a look of yes or is it no
Please don't tease meee, ohhh whoa whoa whoa
Want me, don't you want me
To ...
published: 01 Feb 2017
Jody Watley - Don't You Want Me (12 Inch Mix - 1987) HD 720p
This video is not mine! I just share this video. All rights reserved to Jody Watley and owners of the music rights!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLX5fMQeNUvjg0LJjIEH5Iw
published: 06 Jun 2016
Jody Watley - Don't You Want Me (Remastered Audio)
1987.
published: 30 Jan 2023
Jody Watley - Don't You Want Me (Original Video Clip '1987) HD 720p
This video is not mine! I just share this video. All rights reserved to Jody Watley and owners of the music rights!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLX5fMQeNUvjg0LJjIEH5Iw
published: 06 Jun 2016
Don't You Want Me
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
Don't You Want Me · Jody Watley
You Wanna Dance With Me?
℗ 1989 Geffen Records
Released on: 1989-01-01
Producer: Bernard Edwards
Studio Personnel, Remixer: Michael Hutchinson
Studio Personnel, Remixer: Francois Kevorkian
Composer Lyricist: David Bryant
Composer Lyricist: D.P. Bryant
Composer Lyricist: Francine Vicki Golde
Composer Lyricist: Jody Watley
Composer Lyricist: Franne Gold
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
Don't You Want Me · Jody Watley
Jody Watley
℗ 1987 Geffen Records
Released on: 1987-01-01
Producer: Bernard Ed...
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
Don't You Want Me · Jody Watley
Jody Watley
℗ 1987 Geffen Records
Released on: 1987-01-01
Producer: Bernard Edwards
Studio Personnel, Engineer: Josh Abbey
Producer, Additional Producer, Studio Personnel, Remixer: Michael Hutchinson
Producer, Additional Producer, Studio Personnel, Remixer: Francois Kevorkian
Composer Lyricist: David Bryant
Composer Lyricist: D.P. Bryant
Composer Lyricist: Francine Vicki Golde
Composer Lyricist: Jody Watley
Composer Lyricist: Franne Gold
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
Don't You Want Me · Jody Watley
Jody Watley
℗ 1987 Geffen Records
Released on: 1987-01-01
Producer: Bernard Edwards
Studio Personnel, Engineer: Josh Abbey
Producer, Additional Producer, Studio Personnel, Remixer: Michael Hutchinson
Producer, Additional Producer, Studio Personnel, Remixer: Francois Kevorkian
Composer Lyricist: David Bryant
Composer Lyricist: D.P. Bryant
Composer Lyricist: Francine Vicki Golde
Composer Lyricist: Jody Watley
Composer Lyricist: Franne Gold
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Jody Watley performed "Don't You Want Me" on Good Day LA as part of our Mercury Insurance Concert Series! Watch her performance of new single "The Passion" here...
Jody Watley performed "Don't You Want Me" on Good Day LA as part of our Mercury Insurance Concert Series! Watch her performance of new single "The Passion" here: https://bit.ly/2LtrMpk
Jody Watley performed "Don't You Want Me" on Good Day LA as part of our Mercury Insurance Concert Series! Watch her performance of new single "The Passion" here: https://bit.ly/2LtrMpk
When I first laid my eyes upon youuu
I knew right then and there you were the one
Eyes so deep, you send me melting
And then you smiled as if to say, "Oh, yeahh...
This video is not mine! I just share this video. All rights reserved to Jody Watley and owners of the music rights!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLX5fMQeNU...
This video is not mine! I just share this video. All rights reserved to Jody Watley and owners of the music rights!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLX5fMQeNUvjg0LJjIEH5Iw
This video is not mine! I just share this video. All rights reserved to Jody Watley and owners of the music rights!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLX5fMQeNUvjg0LJjIEH5Iw
This video is not mine! I just share this video. All rights reserved to Jody Watley and owners of the music rights!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLX5fMQeNU...
This video is not mine! I just share this video. All rights reserved to Jody Watley and owners of the music rights!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLX5fMQeNUvjg0LJjIEH5Iw
This video is not mine! I just share this video. All rights reserved to Jody Watley and owners of the music rights!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLX5fMQeNUvjg0LJjIEH5Iw
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
Don't You Want Me · Jody Watley
You Wanna Dance With Me?
℗ 1989 Geffen Records
Released on: 1989-01-01
Produce...
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
Don't You Want Me · Jody Watley
You Wanna Dance With Me?
℗ 1989 Geffen Records
Released on: 1989-01-01
Producer: Bernard Edwards
Studio Personnel, Remixer: Michael Hutchinson
Studio Personnel, Remixer: Francois Kevorkian
Composer Lyricist: David Bryant
Composer Lyricist: D.P. Bryant
Composer Lyricist: Francine Vicki Golde
Composer Lyricist: Jody Watley
Composer Lyricist: Franne Gold
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
Don't You Want Me · Jody Watley
You Wanna Dance With Me?
℗ 1989 Geffen Records
Released on: 1989-01-01
Producer: Bernard Edwards
Studio Personnel, Remixer: Michael Hutchinson
Studio Personnel, Remixer: Francois Kevorkian
Composer Lyricist: David Bryant
Composer Lyricist: D.P. Bryant
Composer Lyricist: Francine Vicki Golde
Composer Lyricist: Jody Watley
Composer Lyricist: Franne Gold
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
Don't You Want Me · Jody Watley
Jody Watley
℗ 1987 Geffen Records
Released on: 1987-01-01
Producer: Bernard Edwards
Studio Personnel, Engineer: Josh Abbey
Producer, Additional Producer, Studio Personnel, Remixer: Michael Hutchinson
Producer, Additional Producer, Studio Personnel, Remixer: Francois Kevorkian
Composer Lyricist: David Bryant
Composer Lyricist: D.P. Bryant
Composer Lyricist: Francine Vicki Golde
Composer Lyricist: Jody Watley
Composer Lyricist: Franne Gold
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Jody Watley performed "Don't You Want Me" on Good Day LA as part of our Mercury Insurance Concert Series! Watch her performance of new single "The Passion" here: https://bit.ly/2LtrMpk
This video is not mine! I just share this video. All rights reserved to Jody Watley and owners of the music rights!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLX5fMQeNUvjg0LJjIEH5Iw
This video is not mine! I just share this video. All rights reserved to Jody Watley and owners of the music rights!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLX5fMQeNUvjg0LJjIEH5Iw
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
Don't You Want Me · Jody Watley
You Wanna Dance With Me?
℗ 1989 Geffen Records
Released on: 1989-01-01
Producer: Bernard Edwards
Studio Personnel, Remixer: Michael Hutchinson
Studio Personnel, Remixer: Francois Kevorkian
Composer Lyricist: David Bryant
Composer Lyricist: D.P. Bryant
Composer Lyricist: Francine Vicki Golde
Composer Lyricist: Jody Watley
Composer Lyricist: Franne Gold
Auto-generated by YouTube.
"Don't You Want Me" is a single by British synthpop group The Human League, released on 27 November 1981 as the fourth single from their third studio album Dare (1981).
It is the band's best known and most commercially successful recording and was the 1981 Christmas number one in the UK, where it has since sold over 1,560,000 copies, making it the 23rd most successful single in UK Singles Chart history. It later topped the Billboard Hot 100 in the US on 3 July 1982 where it stayed for three weeks. In 2015 the song was voted by the British public as the nation's 7th favourite 1980s number one in a poll for ITV.
Background
The lyrics were originally inspired after lead singer Philip Oakey read a photo-story in a teen-girl's magazine. Originally conceived and recorded in the studio as a male solo, Oakey was inspired by the film A Star Is Born and decided to turn the song into a conflicting duet with one of the band's two teenage female vocalists. Susan Ann Sulley was then asked to take on the role. Up until then, she and the other female vocalist Joanne Catherall had only been assigned backing vocals; Sulley says she was chosen only through "luck of the draw". Musicians Jo Callis and Philip Adrian Wright created a synthesizer score to accompany the lyrics which was much harsher than the version that was actually released. Initial versions of the song were recorded but Virgin Records-appointed producer Martin Rushent was unhappy with them. He and Callis remixed the track, giving it a softer, and in Oakey's opinion, "poppy" sound. Oakey hated the new version and thought it the weakest track on Dare, resulting in one of his infamous rows with Rushent. Oakey disliked it so much that it was relegated to the last track on the B side of the (then) vinyl album.