I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That

"I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" is a song by English musician Elton John from his 21st studio album Reg Strikes Back (1988), released as the lead single of the album. The track was written by John and his long-time songwriting partner, Bernie Taupin.

"I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That"
Single by Elton John
from the album Reg Strikes Back
B-side	"Rope Around a Fool"
Released	1988
Genre	Dance^[1]
Length	4:33 (album version) 3:58 (single version)
Label	Rocket MCA
Composer(s)	Elton John
Lyricist(s)	Bernie Taupin
Producer(s)	Chris Thomas
Elton John singles chronology
"Take Me to the Pilot" (1988) "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" (1988) "Town of Plenty" (1988)

Upon its release in 1988, the song peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 in August 1988, becoming John's highest-charting hit of the 1980s in the US. The song also became John's eighth number-one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.^[2] In Canada, the single peaked atop the RPM 100 Singles chart for three weeks, giving John his 13th chart-topper there. It became a top ten hit in Austria and Switzerland, and a top 40 hit in nine countries including the UK, where it reached at number 30 on the UK Singles Chart.

Live performances

When John played this song with the band on his concerts, the intro had different arrangements as he regularly played it in his tours during the album tour, Sleeping with the Past Tour and the rest of 1990s before he retired it in 2000 as the One Night Only concert in Madison Square Garden remains the most recent performance of it.^[3][4]

Critical reception

American magazine Cash Box called "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" "a straight-ahead dance/rocker that gets on a forward track and stays there" with "biting lyrics."^[5] Robin Smith from Record Mirror felt that John is "right on target" with the classic rock of the song.^[6] Richard Lowe from Smash Hits wrote, "His new tune's not much cop though. It's a lacklustre ditty that he probably knocked out one lazy afternoon and its only saving grace is the rather extraordinary popping noise that runs all the way through. Must be one of these new-fangled electric drums. Quite odd."^[7] Jerry Smith of Music Week considered the song a "totally irresistible and thumpingly energic track".^[8]

Other versions

A 12-inch extended remix of the song by Shep Pettibone was released on vinyl during the song's initial release period. This remix appears on the CD box set compilation, To Be Continued..., released in 1990. The Just-Elton-and-His-piano mix of the song is also available (on the reissued 1999 version of the Reg Strikes Back album).

Track listings

• 7-inch single

1. "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" – 4:32
2. "Rope Around a Fool" – 3:46

• 12-inch maxi

1. "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" (Shep Pettibone 12-inch Mix) – 7:20
2. "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" – 4:32
3. "Rope Around a Fool" – 3:46

• CD maxi

1. "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" – 4:33
2. "Rope Around a Fool" – 3:48
3. "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" (Shep Pettibone 12-inch Mix) – 7:16

Personnel

• Elton John – Roland RD-1000 digital piano, lead and harmony vocals
• Fred Mandel – synthesizers
• Davey Johnstone – acoustic guitar, backing vocals
• David Paton – bass
• Charlie Morgan – drums
• Dee Murray – backing vocals
• Nigel Olsson – backing vocals

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (1988) Peak position Australia (ARIA)^[9] 24 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[10] 6 Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[11] 1 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)^[12] 2 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[13] 30 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[14] 28 France (SNEP)^[15] 19 Ireland (IRMA)^[16] 25 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[17] 21 South Africa (Springbok Radio)^[18] 27 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[19] 10 UK Singles (OCC)^[20] 30 US Billboard Hot 100^[21] 2 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[22] 1 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)^[23] 7 US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)^[24] 15 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)^[25] 13 West Germany (Official German Charts)^[26] 22

Year-end charts Chart (1988) Position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[27] 26 Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[28] 22 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[29] 79 US Billboard Hot 100^[30] 43 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[31] 9 West Germany (Official German Charts)^[32] 72

References

1. "E.J. Hits the Road" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 100, no. 27. 2 July 1988. p. 30. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
2. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition, 1996
3. "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That by Elton John song statistics". Setlist.fm. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
4. "Elton John – I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That (Madison Square Garden, NYC 2000) HD *Remastered". Retrieved 3 April 2022 – via YouTube.
5. "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. 18 June 1988. p. 8. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
6. Smith, Robin (9 July 1988). "Albums". Record Mirror. p. 32. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
7. Lowe, Richard (18 May 1988). "Singles". Smash Hits. p. 63. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
8. Smith, Jerry (4 June 1988). "Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 21. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
9. "Elton John – I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
10. "Elton John – I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
11. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8585." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
12. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 8576." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
13. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 31. 30 July 1988. p. 11. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
14. Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Elton John". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 117. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
15. "Elton John – I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
16. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
17. "Elton John – I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
18. "SA Charts 1965 – March 1989". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
19. "Elton John – I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
20. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
21. "Elton John Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
22. "Elton John Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
23. "Elton John Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
24. "Elton John Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
25. "Elton John Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
26. "Offiziellecharts.de – Elton John – I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
27. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1988" (in German). Retrieved 13 March 2020.
28. "Top 100 Singles of '88" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 49, no. 10. 24 December 1988. p. 9. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
29. "1988 Year End Eurocharts" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 52/1. 1 January 1989. p. 30. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
30. "Billboard Top 100 – 1988". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
31. "Billboard.BIZ". Billboard. 31 December 1988. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
32. "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1988" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 13 March 2020.

External links

• Elton John – I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That on YouTube