"Because We Want To" is a song performed by British pop singer Billie. The song was written by Wendy Page, Jim Marr, Dion Rambo and Jacques Richmond, and produced by Page and Marr for Billie's debut album ''

Honey to the B ''Honey to the B'' is the debut album by the pop singer Billie Piper, released in 1998. Known mononymously as Billie until her second album, she was the first and youngest British female artist to have a first single enter the UK singles chart ...

'' (1998). It was released as her debut single on 29 June 1998 and entered the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

at number one in July 1998, making Piper the youngest artist to debut at number one, at age 15. It also reached the top 10 in Ireland, New Zealand, and Sweden. The song was the official theme of the

1999 FIFA Women's World Cup The 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup was the third edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup, the world championship for women's national soccer teams. It was hosted as well as won by the United States and took place from June 19 to July 10, 1999, at ...

Chart performance

Selling over 80,000 copies during its opening week, "Because We Want To" made Billie the youngest artist to debut at number one on the

, aged 15. However, Helen Shapiro still holds the record as the youngest solo female singer to have topped the UK Singles Chart; " You Don't Know" rose to number one in 1961, when Shapiro was 14 years and 10 months old. Outside the United Kingdom, the song became a top-ten hit in Ireland, New Zealand, and Sweden, peaking at numbers nine, nine, and eight, respectively. Although the song became a hit in Canada, peaking at number 30 on the ''

RPM Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or with the notation min−1) is a unit of rotational speed or rotational frequency for rotating machines. Standards ISO 80000-3:2019 defines a unit of rotation as the dimensionl ...

'' Top Singles chart in September 1998, it did not chart in the United States.

Music video

The video (directed by Phil Griffin) starts in a run-down street in London, where the ground is violently shaking. The reason is soon seen: A

UFO An unidentified flying object (UFO), more recently renamed by US officials as a UAP (unidentified aerial phenomenon), is any perceived aerial phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified or explained. On investigation, most UFOs are id ...

is flying just metres from the ground. Billie is then seen teleporting from the ship and down onto the street. She starts singing and dancing and soon gathers huge crowds of supporters. In the video, cut scenes of Billie and her friends walking down side streets are seen. In one scene, she melts a bin which transforms into a dancing humanoid and in another scene she

graffiti Graffiti (plural; singular ''graffiti'' or ''graffito'', the latter rarely used except in archeology) is art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from s ...

s "Billie" on a billboard and an animated character then jumps from the billboard and dances along with the humanoid made from the melted bin. Later in the video, she and her friends sneak into a warehouse and have a party.

Track listings

UK 7-inch jukebox single and European CD single # "Because We Want To" (radio mix) – 3:45 # " G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T." – 4:19 UK CD1, Canadian and Australasian CD single # "Because We Want To" (radio mix) – 3:45 # "G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T." – 4:19 # "Because We Want To" (Sgt. Rock 'Old Skool' mix-edit) – 4:11 # "Because We Want To" (Tall Paul v's Billie mix) – 8:47 UK CD2 # "Because We Want To" (radio mix) – 3:45 # "Because We Want To" (street mix featuring Sweet P) – 5:12 # "Because We Want To" (radio mix instrumental) – 3:45 # "Because We Want To" (video) European cassette single :A1. "Because We Want To" (radio mix) – 3:45 :A2. "G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T." – 4:19 :B1. "Because We Want To" ( Tall Paul v's Billie mix) – 8:47 US 12-inch single :A1. "Because We Want To" (Tall Paul vs. Billie) :A2. "Because We Want To" (radio mix) :B1. "Because We Want To" (Sgt. Rock Old Skool mix) :B2. "Because We Want To" (street mix)

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 1998 debut singles 1998 songs 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Billie Piper songs Innocent Records singles Songs written by Jim Marr Songs written by Wendy Page UK Singles Chart number-one singles Virgin Records singles