"I Just Wanna Be Loved" is the first single from English new wave band

Culture Club Culture Club are an English pop band formed in London in 1981. The band comprises Boy George (lead vocals), Roy Hay (guitar and keyboards), Mikey Craig (bass guitar) and formerly included Jon Moss (drums and percussion). Emerging in the New ...

's fifth album, ''

Don't Mind If I Do ''Don't Mind If I Do'' is the fifth album by the British new wave band Culture Club, released in 1999 by Virgin Records. The album was released only in Europe and Japan, though some promo copies also circulated in Australia. Overview ''Don't ...

'' (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 4 on 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 ...

during a week when the top five positions were held by new entries for the first time. The song also became a top-20 hit in Iceland and on the

Eurochart Hot 100 The European Hot 100 Singles was compiled by '' Billboard'' and ''Music & Media'' magazine from March 1984 until December 2010. The chart was based on national singles sales charts in 17 European countries: Austria, Belgium (two charts separately ...

while reaching the top 100 in Australia and Germany.

Critical reception

The song received positive reviews from music critics.

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

editor Jose F. Promis noted its "light

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...

influence" in his review of ''

''.

Larry Flick Larry Flick is an American journalist, former dance music columnist, single reviewer, and Senior Talent Editor for ''Billboard'' magazine, where he worked for 14 years. Now he produces and hosts Sirius XM radio shows. Flick started in the music ...

from ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' 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 "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" is a song written and performed by English new wave band Culture Club. Released as a single in September 1982 from the group's platinum-selling debut album, '' Kissing to Be Clever'' (1982), it was the band's fir ...

", "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 George Alan O'Dowd (born 14 June 1961), known professionally as Boy George, is an English singer, songwriter, DJ, author and mixed media artist. Best known for his soulful voice and his androgynous appearance, Boy George has been the lead singe ...

"is in peak vocal form, while band-mates Roy Hay,

Jon Moss Jonathan Aubrey Moss (born 11 September 1957) is an English drummer, best known as a member of the 1980s new wave group Culture Club. He has also played with other bands, including London, the Nips, the Damned and Adam and the Ants. Early li ...

, and Mike Craig play with astonishingly sharp precision." Sarah Davis from ''

Dotmusic ''Dotmusic'' was a music webzine that existed as a standalone website from 1 June 1995 to December 2003. Initially intended as the web complement to the UK music industry trade magazine ''Music Week'', the site was relaunched in December 1998 as a ...

'' described it as "a

lovers rock Lovers' rock is a style of reggae music noted for its romantic sound and content. While love songs had been an important part of reggae since the late 1960s, the style was given a greater focus and a name in London in the mid-1970s.Larkin, Col ...

workout that evokes all the best memories of the Eighties", stating that George "is in fine voice". Claudia Connell from ''

News of the World The ''News of the World'' was a weekly national Tabloid journalism#Red tops, red top Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published every Sunday in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the world's highest-selling En ...

'' 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."

Track listings

* Standard CD and cassette single # "I Just Wanna Be Loved" – 3:52 # "I Just Wanna Be Loved" (Magic Man remix) – 4:50 (4:37 in Japan) # "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (Quivver mix) – 11:26 (11:23 in Japan) * European CD single # "I Just Wanna Be Loved" – 3:52 # "I Just Wanna Be Loved" (Magic Man remix) – 4:50

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Release history

References

{{Authority control 1998 songs 1998 singles Culture Club songs Songs written by Boy George Songs written by Jon Moss Songs written by Mikey Craig Songs written by Roy Hay (musician) Virgin Records singles British reggae songs Lovers rock songs