I Want You (Hold On to Love)

"I Want You" is a song by American recording artist CeeLo Green, from his third studio album The Lady Killer. The song was released via digital download and CD single on June 5, 2011.^[1] French TV channel Canal+ featured a live concert on Nov. 12, 2010, a few days after the release of the album, in which a version close to the later single was performed.^[2] The single version of the track is a slightly different remix of the track, and has been issued under the title "I Want You (Hold On to Love)", to distinguish it from the album version. The single version incorporates a sample of Saint Tropez's 1978 track "Hold on to Love".^[3] The music video for the song was premiered on May 27 through Cee Lo Green's official YouTube channel. The song is featured on the Compilation album Now 79 despite only peaking at No. 90 on the UK Singles Chart, although it peaked at No. 27 on the UK R&B Chart.

"I Want You (Hold On to Love)"
Single by CeeLo Green
from the album The Lady Killer
Released	June 5, 2011
Recorded	2010
Genre	Soul R&B
Length	3:36
Label	Elektra
Songwriter(s)	Callaway, Fraser T Smith, Jack Splash, VLJ
Producer(s)	Fraser T Smith, Jack Splash
CeeLo Green singles chronology
"Bright Lights Bigger City" (2011) "I Want You (Hold On to Love)" (2011) "Cry Baby" (2011)

Background

While touring with the all-female backing band Scarlet Fever, Green came up with the idea for the song.^[4] Fuse likened the song to Janet Jackson's "I Want You" as it similarly "reached back to an earlier era," also having "old-fashioned strings for "sweetening" all over it" in a related fashion.^[5]

Live performances

He premiered the song live on November 11, 2010, as part of the Symmetry Live Concert Series at the W Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, New York.^[4] The song is part of his setlist for his 2011 arena tour. Green also performed the song on late night BBC music show Later...with Jools Holland while he was in the UK.^[6] He also performed the song on The Graham Norton Show on May 20, 2011.^[7]

Track listing

Digital Download^[8]

1. "I Want You (Hold On to Love)" – 3:30
2. "I Want You (Hold On to Love)" (Original Jack Splash Mix) – 5:04
3. "I Want You (Hold On to Love)" (Redlight Remix) – 3:26
4. "I Want You" – 3:36

UK Promotional CD Single Set^[9][10]

• CD1

1. "I Want You" – 3:36
2. "I Want You" (Instrumental) – 3:36

• CD2

1. "I Want You (Hold On to Love)" – 3:30
2. "I Want You (Hold On to Love)" (Original Jack Splash Mix) – 5:04
3. "I Want You (Hold On to Love)" (Redlight Remix) – 3:26
4. "I Want You (Hold On to Love)" (Instrumental Edit) – 3:30

Credits and personnel

• Lead vocals – Cee Lo Green
• Bass – Pino Palladino
• Producers – Jack Splash
• Lyrics – Callaway, VLJ, Jack Splash
• Label: Elektra Records

Charts

Charts (2011)	Peak position
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)^[11]	27
UK Singles (OCC)^[12]	90

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label
United Kingdom^[1]	June 5, 2011	Digital download, CD single	Elektra

References

1. Play UK UK (5 June 2011). "Play.com – Buy Cee Lo Green – I Want You". Play.com. Archived from the original on 3 June 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
2. "Cee Lo – I Want You (alternate bridge) live in France +lyrics". YouTube. Retrieved 2013-03-20.
3. "Cee-Lo Green's I Want You sample of Saint Tropez's Hold on to Love". WhoSampled. 2011-03-26. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
4. "Cee-Lo Rocks Some Nasty Sh*t at New York City Party". SPIN.com. 2010-11-12. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
5. "CeeLo Green Is Not the First to Title a Song "I Want You" – Editorial – Fuse". Fuse. Wolk, Douglas. June 13, 2011. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
6. "Dave Swift on Bass with Jools Holland backing Cee-Lo Green "I Want You"". YouTube. 2011-01-03. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
7. "Cee Lo Green – I Want You – The Graham Norton Show Live". YouTube. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
8. Amazon UK (5 June 2011). . Amazon. Archived from the original on 19 June 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
9. "Cee Lo Green I Want You 2 Track Promo CD | eBay". Cgi.ebay.co.uk. 2011-04-04. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
10. "CEE LO GREEN "I WANT YOU" HOLD ON TO LOVE 4 TRACK PROMO | eBay". Cgi.ebay.co.uk. 2011-06-18. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
11. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
12. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.