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All I Wanna Do (Sheryl Crow song)

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Not to be confused with All I Wanna Do (The Beach Boys song).

"All I Wanna Do"
US commercial cassette single
Single by Sheryl Crow
from the album Tuesday Night Music Club
B-side
  • "Solidify"
  • "I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday"
ReleasedJuly 12, 1994 (1994-07-12)
RecordedToad Hall (Pasadena, California)
GenreCountry pop
Length
  • 4:32 (album version)
  • 4:11 (remix)
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Bill Bottrell
Sheryl Crow singles chronology
"Leaving Las Vegas"
(1994) 		"All I Wanna Do"
(1994) 		"Strong Enough"
(1994)
Audio sample
Music video
"Sheryl Crow - All I Wanna Do" on YouTube

"All I Wanna Do" is a song performed by American singer and songwriter Sheryl Crow. It was written by Crow, David Baerwald, Bill Bottrell, and Kevin Gilbert, with lyrics adapted from Wyn Cooper's 1987 poem "Fun". Released in July 1994 by A&M, it was Crow's breakthrough hit from her 1993 debut album, Tuesday Night Music Club. The song is Crow's biggest US hit, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for six consecutive weeks from October 8 to November 12, 1994, and it also topped the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. It was the winner of the 1995 Grammy for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and was nominated for Song of the Year.

In addition to its US success, "All I Wanna Do" peaked at number one in Australia for one week and in Canada for four weeks, also topping the RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks chart in the latter country. In New Zealand and the United Kingdom, it peaked at number four, and in Europe, it reached the top 10 in Austria, Flanders, France, Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The accompanying music video was directed by David Hogan and Roman Coppola. Crow performed the song on her live album Sheryl Crow and Friends: Live from Central Park.

Background and structure

[edit]

The lyrics of the song are based on the poem "Fun" by Wyn Cooper.[1][2][3][4] Cooper was inspired to write the poem by a conversation at a bar with a friend and occasional writer, Bill Ripley,[5][6] in which he said "All I want is to have a little fun before I die", which became the first line of the poem. In a 1994 interview, Cooper said: "The poem isn't really about him. Or me. They're different people. They're people you can sort of see as ... well ... objective correlatives. Symbols of people like us, or what we could have been, or what we would have become if we continued to drink and do nothing with our lives."[7][8]

Toad Hall Studio, where the song was recorded, was next door to the Pasadena Playhouse.[9][10] Crow's producer (Bottrell) discovered Cooper's poetry book The Country of Here Below in a nearby used bookstore in Pasadena, California. Crow had written a song called "I Still Love You" but was unhappy with its lyrics; she used its melody and adapted the poem for her lyrics to "All I Wanna Do".

The song earned Cooper considerable royalties and helped to promote his book, originally published in a run of only 500 copies in 1987, into multiple reprints.[7] After the song became popular, Ripley brought an unsuccessful lawsuit against Cooper for some of the song's royalties, which ended their friendship.[7][11]

The opening spoken line, "This ain't no disco", is a reference to the song "Life During Wartime" by Talking Heads.[12]

In 1997, after attending a performance by Crow at the Rosemont Theatre in Illinois, veteran Chicago Tribune music critic Greg Kot called the song "a rewrite of Stealers Wheel's 'Stuck in the Middle with You'".[13]

Critical reception

[edit]

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Critical darling is poised for a long-deserved top 40 breakthrough with this breezy hand-clapper. Crow has a friendly demeanor that adds extra bounce to a sweet instrumental setting of jangly guitars and toe-tapping beats. Live-sounding jam is a fitting soundtrack to a day at the beach or speeding down the highway with the top down."[14] Troy J. Augusto from Cash Box felt it should have been the first single from Tuesday Night Music Club. "Devil-may-care lyrics ("I like a good beer-buzz, early in the morning"), a cool country twang and Sheryl's friendly vocal style should all spell hit for this feelin'-good number. Rock, country, adult and, particularly, hits radio should all find lots to love about this low-key frolic. Don't miss the live show."[15] In a second single review, he noted, "Seriously infectious hook, simple yet clever instrumentation and Crow's likable personality all spell a winner here. A perfect summertime track, "All I Wanna Do" could well be the song that kicks off Sheryl's run at the big leagues."[16] In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton commented, that "All I Wanna Do" "certainly has potential to go further, not least with Lisa Loeb as a role model but my one overwhelming confession is that I honestly cannot see what all the fuss is about. It's a good record, but no more."[17] Alan Jones from Music Week said "this cheery pop/rock smash is a wordy, but expertly delivered and invigorating confection with a catchy chorus." He added, "Brits may not smile as much as US rock buyers, but they'll grin enough to get this into the chart."[18]

Music video

[edit]

The accompanying music video for "All I Wanna Do" was directed by David Hogan and Roman Coppola, with Martin Coppen directing photography.[19] It features Crow and her band performing the song on the street, with notable characters flying through the air. The video was filmed in front of the Roxy Theatre at the corner of Franklin Street and North 1st Street in Clarksville, Tennessee.

Two versions of the music video exist. The original video featured the character "Billy", mentioned in the song, played by actor Gregory Sporleder. A second version of the video was released with the character's appearances edited out. The edited version appears on Crow's "Greatest Hits" music video DVD. In 2009, an additional music video was released, featured on the 2009 re-release of Tuesday Night Music Club.

Impact and legacy

[edit]

In 2017, Billboard ranked "All I Wanna Do" number three on their list of the "10 Greatest Sheryl Crow Songs".[20] In 2023, The Guardian ranked the song number five on their list of the "20 Greatest Sheryl Crow Songs",[21] while Billboard ranked it number 405 in their "500 Best Pop Songs of All Time".[22] The latter added, "Well, it ain't no disco and it ain't no country club neither — it's the L.A.-set slice-of-life breakout hit for singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow, a "Piano Man" for the alt-rock '90s."

Track listings

[edit]

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[65] 3× Platinum 210,000‡
Japan (RIAJ)[35] Platinum 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[66] Gold 5,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[67] Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[68] Gold 500,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States July 12, 1994
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • cassette
 A&M [68]
Japan August 25, 1994 Mini-CD [69]
United Kingdom October 24, 1994
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 [70]

Cover versions

[edit]

Amy Studt version

[edit]
"All I Wanna Do"
Single by Amy Studt
from the album False Smiles (re-release)
B-side"Forget It All", "You're the Breeze"
ReleasedJanuary 12, 2004 (2004-01-12)[71]
Length3:55
LabelPolydor, 19
Songwriter(s)Wyn Cooper, Sheryl Crow, David Baerwald, Bill Bottrell, Kevin Gilbert
Producer(s)David Eriksen
Amy Studt singles chronology
"Under the Thumb"
(2003) 		"All I Wanna Do"
(2004) 		"Furniture"
(2007)

English singer-songwriter Amy Studt released a cover version of "All I Wanna Do" as her fourth single. Studt was asked personally by Sheryl Crow to record a cover of the song, and Crow provided backing vocals on the track.[72][73]

Released on January 12, 2004, the single reached a peak of number 21 on the UK Singles Chart and number 25 on the Irish Singles Chart. It was taken from the re-release of her debut album, False Smiles. Following the peaking of "All I Wanna Do", Studt was dropped from her record label Polydor for poor sales.[74]

Track listing

[edit]
  1. "All I Wanna Do"
  2. "Forget It All"
  3. "You're the Breeze"
  4. "All I Wanna Do" (video)

Charts

[edit]
Chart (2004) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[75] 25
Scotland (OCC)[76] 17
UK Singles (OCC)[77] 21

Other versions

[edit]

US singer Joanne Farrell released a dance version of the song in 1995. The song reached number 40 on the Billboard Dance Club Play chart; it also reached number 40 on the Official UK Singles Chart.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Cooper, Wyn (1987). "Fun". Ahsahta Press. Archived from the original on August 31, 2001. Retrieved January 21, 2015. extracted from 'The Country of Here Below' (Contemporary Poetry of the West Series)
  2. ^ Cooper, Wyn (1987). The Country of Here Below (1 ed.). Boise, Idaho: Ahsahta Press. ISBN 978-0-916272-34-0. OCLC 18272513. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  3. ^ Cooper, Wyn (1987). "The Country of Here Below" (1 ed.). Boise, Idaho: Ahsahta Press. Retrieved May 8, 2022 – via HathiTrust Digital Library.
  4. ^ "Wyn Cooper: A Serendipitous Career". Academy of American Poets. October 26, 2004. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  5. ^ Rothman, David J. (2009). "Going Like Hello". Contemporary Poetry Review. Retrieved May 8, 2022. (a poem)
  6. ^ Rothman, David J. (March 24, 2010). "The Most Unlikely Muse: Bill Ripley". Contemporary Poetry Review. Retrieved May 8, 2022. ....Sheryl Crow's setting of Wyn's poem "Fun," which uses Bill's words as a springboard, the reimagined story of a Tuesday afternoon Bill and Wyn spent together in a Salt Lake City bar....
  7. ^ a b c Sagal, Ajay (December 4, 1994). "The Poet and the Rock Star : All He Wants to Do Is Write Some Poems ... And Now, Thanks to Sheryl Crowe, Many of Us Can Recite at Least One ... Until the Sun Comes Up Over Santa Monica Boulevard". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  8. ^ Rothman, David J. (March 24, 2010). "The Most Unlikely Muse: Bill Ripley". Contemporary Poetry Review. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  9. ^ Schwartz, Dan. "The Story of "All I Wanna Do" (as I remember it)". Copper Magazine. No. 46. PS Audio. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  10. ^ "Rusted Root". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  11. ^ Cooper, Wyn (February 17, 2012). "Words and Music: Three Stories". American Academy of Poets. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  12. ^ Caitlin, Roger (March 3, 1995). "Crow An Outsider? Not In This (l.a.) Club". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on December 28, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  13. ^ Kot, Greg (August 26, 1997). "Lawdy, Ms. Crow: Top-selling Singer Has Songs But Lacks Emotional Honesty". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
  14. ^ Flick, Larry (July 9, 1994). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 69. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  15. ^ Augusto, Troy J. (June 18, 1994). "Pop Singles: Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 7. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  16. ^ Augusto, Troy J. (July 16, 1994). "Pop Singles — Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  17. ^ Masterton, James (October 30, 1994). "Week Ending November 5th 1994". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  18. ^ Jones, Alan (October 29, 1994). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 14. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  19. ^ "Production Notes". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 27. July 2, 1994. p. 35.
  20. ^ Dauphin, Chuck (August 10, 2017). "Sheryl Crow's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  21. ^ Cragg, Michael (August 3, 2023). "Sheryl Crow's 20 greatest songs – ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  22. ^ "The 500 Best Pop Songs: Staff List". Billboard. October 19, 2023. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  23. ^ "Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  24. ^ "Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  25. ^ "Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  26. ^ "Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  27. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2620." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  28. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2642." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  29. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 3. January 21, 1995. p. 13. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
  30. ^ "Adult Contemporary Europe Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. December 10, 1994. p. 22. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  31. ^ "Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  32. ^ "Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  33. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (08.9.–14.9. '94)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). September 8, 1994. p. 16. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  34. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – All I Wanna Do". Irish Singles Chart.
  35. ^ a b Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  36. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 51, 1994" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  37. ^ "Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  38. ^ "Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  39. ^ "Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do". VG-lista. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  40. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  41. ^ "Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  42. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  43. ^ "Sheryl Crow Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  44. ^ "Sheryl Crow Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  45. ^ "Sheryl Crow Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  46. ^ "Sheryl Crow Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  47. ^ "Sheryl Crow Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  48. ^ "Sheryl Crow Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  49. ^ "Sheryl Crow Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  50. ^ "1994 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  51. ^ "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1994". RPM. Retrieved July 7, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  52. ^ "RPM Top 100 AC tracks of 1994". RPM. Retrieved July 7, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  53. ^ "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1994" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  54. ^ "Árslistinn 1994". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 2, 1995. p. 16. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  55. ^ "Jaarlijsten 1994" (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  56. ^ "Top 100 Singles 1994". Music Week. January 14, 1995. p. 9.
  57. ^ "Billboard Top 100–1994". Archived from the original on March 1, 2009. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  58. ^ "1994 The Year in Music". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 52. December 24, 1994. p. YE-68. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  59. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  60. ^ "Rapports annuels 1995" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  61. ^ "Music & Media 1995 in Review – Year End Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 51/52. December 23, 1995. p. 14. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
  62. ^ "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 1995" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
  63. ^ "Jaarlijsten 1995" (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  64. ^ "Billboard Top 100–1994". Archived from the original on August 15, 2009. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  65. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  66. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  67. ^ "British single certifications – Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  68. ^ a b "American single certifications – Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  69. ^ "オール・アイ・ワナ・ドゥ | シェリル・クロウ" [All I Wanna Do | Sheryl Crow] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  70. ^ "Single Releases". Music Week. October 22, 1994. p. 27.
  71. ^ "Key Releases: Singles". Music Week. January 10, 2004. p. 13.
  72. ^ "Studt's Crow fears".
  73. ^ a b All I Wanna Do (UK CD single liner notes). Amy Studt. Polydor Records, 19 Recordings. 2004. 9815012.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  74. ^ "Amy Studt Out At Polydor, But Pop Hopes Still Flicker". March 4, 2004.
  75. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – All I Wanna Do". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  76. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  77. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
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