Only Wanna Be With You

by

Hootie & the Blowfish

Album: Cracked Rear View

Released: 1995

Charted:

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This song is a tribute to Bob Dylan. It contains lyrics from various Dylan songs, including a mention of Dylan's "Tangled Up In Blue." Some of the words come directly from Dylan's track "Idiot Wind": "They say I shot a man named Gray and took his wife to Italy. She inherited a million bucks and when she died it came to me. I can't help it if I'm lucky."

Apparently, Dylan felt the "tribute" infringed too closely on original work, and he sued the group for unauthorized use of his lyrics. According to VH1, he received a large, out-of-court settlement in 1995.

The video had a sports theme and featured former quarterback Dan Marino (the band were huge Miami Dolphins fans), golfer Fred Couples, and various ESPN anchors.

The line, "Put on a little Dylan sitting on the fence" is a reference to a band they used to play with called Dillon's Fence. (thanks, Shaggy - Bristol, CT)

Cracked Rear View became the biggest selling album in the history of Atlantic Records, as Hootie & the Blowfish were welcomed with open arms on Pop and Adult Contemporary Radio stations looking for a safe alternative to the '90s Grunge sound. Tim Sommer, who signed the band in 1993, said: "I never underestimate the value of karma in the success of Hootie & the Blowfish. They never expected to be a famous band or even to be signed. They would still be playing regardless of whether they'd signed to Atlantic or were doing it for $200 and a case of beer."

Regarding the lyrics, "I'm such a baby 'cause The Dolphins make me cry," fans of the Miami Dolphins had lots to cry about in the ensuing years as the team often struggled to make the playoffs. Asked in 2011 if the Dolphins still make him cry, Rucker replied: "Thank God no. I got over that a couple years ago. I don't know if I could take another 1-15 season."

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Comments (16):

Hey brian, if you ever come threw pennsylvania, specifically the gettysburg area, turn on 96.1, 97.3, or 98.5. Those stations have the songs that were played before i was born. I'm 15, and like you, cannot stand my generation's music. Honestly, some days I feel like a fifty year old man in a fifteen year old's body.

- Adam, York, PA

Hey guys, I gotta tell you something funny. My dad had the cracked rear view album on cassette a few years back and when he got a new car that didn't play cassettes he threw it out. This christmas I got him an Eagles greatest hits album, a brooks and dunn greatest hits album, the some girls rolling stones album, a greatest hits tom petty and the heart breakers album, a toto super hits album, the R.E.M. Document album (best R.E.M. Album ever) and , you guessed it, the Hootie and the Blowfish Cracked Rear View album on CD. It was his favorite Hootie and the Blowfish album and it went full circle, he hadn't seen the some girls album since college, and he'd never had a tom petty album. It wound up costing me the most worthy fifty dollars of my life. Also, the place i went had a buy 3 used albums get one free deal so i saved four bucks.

- Adam, York, PA

Look Hootie was never my favorite but I liked some of their stuff.This had to be the most overplayed music of the 90's.All that having been said I still would welcome that type of music on the radio today.What have we got now lady Gaga and Justin Beiber.At least they had guitar oriented music with melody.I can not stand the soulless electronic s--t on the radio today with an electronic beat.All anyone knows about songwritting today is the beat.Wich they get from a computer.no musicians required.it is amazing to me that someone can become a "musician' without any knowlege of how to play an instument.

- brian, boston, MA

I was wondering who/what he is referencing when he sings about "she inherited a million bucks and when she died it came to me."

- Joe, Portland, ME

I'm not an expert on Bob Dylan's lyrics, so could anyone tell me if "Idiot Wind" and "Tangled Up in Blue" are the only songs of his referenced in this song?

- Mark B. Stoned, Desperate Hot Springs, CA

This song makes me think of a rejection letter from Wallace Shawn,the longtime editor of the New Yorker:

"Your manuscript is both good and original. However, the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good."

- MusicMama, new york, NY

The band should be sued for recording this song period. "the dolphins make me cry?"
Come on.

- andrew, Atlanta, GA

The original idea for this video had the band swinging at golf balls and riding camels. It was nixed b/c they were worried about the ethical treatment of the camels. It's a good thing, too. If they had used this idea, they may have had PETA on their backs.

- Sara, Greenville, AL

That last comment came from Sara, Greenville, Alabama. And Dylan suing someone for paying tribute to him? That's a nice way to say thank you.

- Sara, Greenville, AL

The gutair Darius plays was not his own. He forgot his, so a fan had to loan him his.

- Sara, Greenville, AL

First of, I've never seen any proof that Dylan sued them over this song, I won't beleive it until someone shows me a reliable source that shows that he did indeed sue them, as far as I'm concerned it's just an internet 'legend'. Second Junichi Saga's book is a non-fiction, oral history piece about a Japanese gangster. The lines Dylan took are from oral history so they belong to no one. Do some research next time you try to call someone a coward.

- Chad, Reading, PA

I find it ironic that Dylan would sue the group for using his lyrics in a song paying tribute to him when he in fact was discovered stealing lyrics from some Japanese man. He was not even trying to pay tribute to that man. Dylan is such a coward.

- Jerry, Minneapolis, MN

This song also samples lyrics from another song on Bob Dylan's 1974 "Blood on the Tracks" album called "Idiot Wind".

- Mo, Philadelphia, PA

The video also features apperances from NBA basketball players Walt Williams and Alonzo Mourning, and ESPN sports broadcaster Chris Berman.

- Brian, Edmonton, Canada

The guys are also avid golfers and are as likely to be found at a charity golf event as not.

Jack @ Star FM in Raleigh

- Jack, Raleigh, NC

Hootie got their start in South Carolina! They used to play the club scene in the Myrtle Beach/North Myrtle Beach area for NEXT TO NOTHING, only ten years ago.

- Suzie, North Myrtle Beach, SC

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