I Just Wanna Be Loved

"I Just Wanna Be Loved" is the first single from English new wave band Culture Club's fifth album, Don't Mind If I Do (1999). The song was serviced to US radio in August 1998 to promote the band's reformation US tour and the live album and compilation VH1 Storytellers/Greatest Moments, but it failed to generate interest. The song was then released commercially in October 1998 and entered at No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart during a week when the top five positions were held by new entries for the first time.^[1] The song also became a top-20 hit in Iceland and on the Eurochart Hot 100 while reaching the top 100 in Australia and Germany.

"I Just Wanna Be Loved"
Single by Culture Club
from the album Don't Mind If I Do
B-side	"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (Quivver mix)
Released	19 October 1998 (1998-10-19)
Genre	Reggae-pop lovers rock
Length	4:32 (album version)
Label	Virgin
Songwriter(s)	George O'Dowd Roy Hay Jon Moss Mikey Craig
Producer(s)	Richie Stevens
Culture Club singles chronology
"Gusto Blusto" (1986) "I Just Wanna Be Loved" (1998) "Your Kisses Are Charity" (1999)
Music video
"I Just Wanna Be Loved" on YouTube

Critical reception

The song received positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic editor Jose F. Promis noted its "light reggae influence" in his review of Don't Mind If I Do.^[2] Larry Flick from Billboard wrote that "this fine new recording shows 'em in far better form than on their last two '80s-era albums." He remarked that "set to a shuffling pop-reggae groove somewhat similar to their classic hit "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me", "I Just Wanna Be Loved" tingles with warm yet worldly lyrics and a crazy-catchy chorus that you'll be humming for hours after one listen." He added that Boy George "is in peak vocal form, while band-mates Roy Hay, Jon Moss, and Mike Craig play with astonishingly sharp precision."^[3] Sarah Davis from Dotmusic described it as "a lovers rock workout that evokes all the best memories of the Eighties", stating that George "is in fine voice".^[4] Claudia Connell from News of the World commented, "Their original line-up, including Boy George, storms back with a brilliant pop song that should see the band return to the charts again after 12 years."^[5]

Track listings

• Standard CD and cassette single^[6][7][8]

1. "I Just Wanna Be Loved" – 3:52
2. "I Just Wanna Be Loved" (Magic Man remix) – 4:50 (4:37 in Japan)
3. "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (Quivver mix) – 11:26 (11:23 in Japan)

• European CD single^[9]

1. "I Just Wanna Be Loved" – 3:52
2. "I Just Wanna Be Loved" (Magic Man remix) – 4:50

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1998) Peak position Australia (ARIA)^[10] 84 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[11] 18 Germany (Official German Charts)^[12] 80 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)^[13] 20 Scotland (OCC)^[14] 7 UK Singles (OCC)^[15] 4

Year-end charts Chart (1998) Position UK Singles (OCC)^[16] 98

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	11 August 1998	Rhythmic contemporary contemporary hit radio	Virgin	^[17]
United Kingdom	19 October 1998	CD cassette		^[18]
Japan	21 October 1998	CD		^[19]

References

1. Jones, Alan (31 October 1998). "Chart Commentary". Music Week. p. 16.
2. Promis, Jose F. "Culture Club - Don't Mind If I Do". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
3. Flick, Larry (8 August 1998). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 21. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
4. Davis, Sarah (28 September 1998). . Dotmusic. Archived from the original on 1 September 2000. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
5. Connell, Claudia (18 October 1998). "[0] Single review; Music". News of the World.
6. I Just Wanna Be Loved (UK & Australian CD single liner notes). Culture Club. Virgin Records. 1998. VSCDT 1710, 7243 8 95344 2 9.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
7. I Just Wanna Be Loved (UK cassette single sleeve). Culture Club. Virgin Records. 1998. VSC1710, 7243 8 95344 43.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
8. I Just Wanna Be Loved (Japanese CD single liner notes). Culture Club. Virgin Records. 1998. VJCP-12113.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
9. I Just Wanna Be Loved (European CD single liner notes). Culture Club. Virgin Records. 1998. VSCDE1710.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
10. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
11. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 45. 7 November 1998. p. 14. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
12. "Culture Club – I Just Wanna Be Loved" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
13. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (27.11.1998 – 04.11.1998)" (PDF). Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 27 November 1998. p. 12. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
14. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
15. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
16. "Best Sellers of 1998 – Singles Top 100". Music Week. 16 January 1999. p. 7.
17. "New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1260. 7 August 1998. pp. 72, 77.
18. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 17 October 1998. p. 29. Retrieved 6 July 2021. Misprinted as 19 September.
19. "愛をください | カルチャー・クラブ" [Give Me Love | Culture Club] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 1 September 2023.