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I Don't Want to Wait

{{Short description|1997 single by Paula Cole}}

{{For|similarly named songs|I Don't Wanna Wait (disambiguation){{!}}I Don't Wanna Wait}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}}

{{Infobox song

| name = I Don't Want to Wait

| cover = Paula Cole I Don't Want to Wait US CD cover.jpg

| alt =

| caption = U.S. CD single

| type = single

| artist = Paula Cole

| album = This Fire

| B-side =

  • "Hitler's Brothers"
  • "Bethlehem"

| released = {{start date|1997|10|14}}

| recorded =

| studio = The Magic Shop (New York City)

| genre =

| length =

  • 5:19 (album version)
  • 4:07 (radio edit)

| label =

| writer = Paula Cole

| producer = Paula Cole

| prev_title = Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?

| prev_year = 1997

| next_title = Me

| next_year = 1998

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|L_dVEtLPdDE|"I Don't Want to Wait"}}}}

}}

"I Don't Want to Wait" is a song written, recorded, and produced by American singer-songwriter Paula Cole. Cole wrote the song in mid-1996 and released it as second single from her second studio album, This Fire (1996), on October 14, 1997. The single release was successful, reaching {{abbr|No.|Number}} 11 in the United States and No. 5 in Canada. VH1 ranked "I Don't Want to Wait" as one of the 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s at No. 81.{{cite web |title=Top 100 Songs of the '90s |url=http://blog.vh1.com/2007-12-13/top-100-songs-of-the-90s |website=VH1 Blog |publisher=Viacom International Inc. |access-date=May 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214035830/http://blog.vh1.com/2007-12-13/top-100-songs-of-the-90s |archive-date=February 14, 2012 |date=December 13, 2007}} The chorus of the song later served as the opening theme for the American teen drama television series Dawson's Creek, which ran from 1998 to 2003.

Composition

Paula Cole wrote "I Don't Want to Wait" at her spinet piano in her apartment in New York City during mid-1996.{{cite web |last1=Michelson |first1=Noah |title=Paula Cole Reveals The Secret (And Dark) History Of The 'Dawson's Creek' Theme Song |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/paula-cole-dawsons-creek-i-dont-want-to-wait_n_5ace1b38e4b06a6aac8df856 |website=HuffPost |publisher=Verizon Media |access-date=May 31, 2020 |date=April 12, 2018}} Described by Cole as "a very personal song", she wrote the song when she realized that her grandfather was near the end of his life. The song is about him and his wife, and specifically the relationship between their life and Cole's who realized "I don't want to make some of these mistakes. I really hope I don't".{{cite web |last1=Wiser |first1=Carl |title=Songwriter Interview |url=https://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/paula-cole |website=Songfacts |access-date=June 13, 2020}} Cole has described the central question of the chorus as "Do you say yes to life? Do you embrace the things that give you joy? Or do you cower back in fear or by culture's machinations keeping you small?"

Sheet music for "I Don't Want to Wait" shows the key of G major in common time with a moderate tempo of 87 beats per minute.{{cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0040094|title=I Don't Want to Wait by Paula Cole – Digital Sheet Music|date=August 7, 2001|publisher=Musicnotes|id=MN0040094|access-date=19 October 2021}} Cole originally composed the song in F-sharp major, but when the songbook for the album was prepared, the song was notated in G major.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} According to Cole, "most sales [...] are to beginners and intermediate musicians", so the publishers opted against the original key.{{cite book |last1=Small |first1=Mark |last2=Taylor |first2=Andrew |date=1999 |title=Masters of Music: Conversations with Berklee Greats |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9nrM5F_9kboC&q=paula+cole+i+don%27t+want+to+wait+writing&pg=PA275 |publisher=Berklee Press Publications |page=276 |isbn=0634006428 |access-date=May 31, 2020}}

Chart performance

On the US Billboard Hot 100, "I Don't Want to Wait" spent 56 weeks within the top 100, peaking at No. 11 in January 1998. The single ranked at No. 10 on the Hot 100 year-end chart for 1998. In Canada, it is Cole's highest-charting single, peaking at No. 5 on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, and it also reached No. 27 in Australia and No. 43 in the United Kingdom.

Music video

The music video for the song was directed by Mark Seliger and Fred Woodward. It was one of Cole's first videos and is based on the concept of a woman who is immortal and had lovers in different time periods, all of whom have died. The cut of the video was originally in chronological order, but for unknown reasons, a cut that was out of order was more frequently aired which led to the directors taking their name off the video, replacing it with the common moniker Alan Smithee.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}}

Track listings

US 7-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=I Don't Want to Wait|others=Paula Cole|year=1996|type=US 7-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=Warner Bros. Records, Imago Records|id=7-17318}}

:A. "I Don't Want to Wait" (edit) – 4:07

:B. "Hitler's Brothers" (album version) – 3:35

UK, Australian, and Japanese CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=I Don't Want to Wait|others=Paula Cole|year=1997|type=UK & Australian CD single liner notes|publisher=Warner Bros. Records|id=WO422CD, 9362-43940-2}}Japanese releases:

  • {{cite AV media notes|title=I Don't Want to Wait|others=Paula Cole|year=1998|type=Japanese CD single liner notes|publisher=Warner Bros. Records, Imago Records|id=WPCR-1859}}
  • {{cite AV media notes|title=I Don't Want to Wait|others=Paula Cole|year=1999|type=Japanese CD single liner notes|publisher=Warner Bros. Records, Imago Records|id=WPCR-10286}}
  1. "I Don't Want to Wait" (edit)
  2. "Bethlehem"
  3. "Hitler's Brothers"

UK cassette single and German CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=I Don't Want to Wait|others=Paula Cole|year=1997|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=Warner Bros. Records|id=WO422MC, 5439 17286 4}}{{cite AV media notes|title=I Don't Want to Wait|others=Paula Cole|year=1997|type=German CD single liner notes|publisher=Warner Bros. Records|id=5439-17286-9}}

  1. "I Don't Want to Wait" (edit)
  2. "Bethlehem"

Credits

Credits are lifted from the This Fire liner notes.{{cite AV media notes|title=This Fire|title-link=This Fire (album)|others=Paula Cole|year=1996|type=US CD album liner notes|publisher=Warner Bros. Records, Imago Records|id=9 46424-2}}

Studios

Personnel

{{div col}}

  • Paula Cole – writing, vocals, piano, keyboards, production
  • Greg Leisz – guitars
  • Tony Levin – bass
  • Jay Bellerose – drums, percussion
  • Roger Moutenot – recording, mixing
  • Joe Warda – recording assistance
  • Jack Herscha – mixing assistance
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering

{{div col end}}

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1997–1999)

!Peak
position

{{single chart|Australia|27|artist=Paula Cole|song=I Don't Want to Wait|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|5|chartid=3376|rowheader=true|access-date=October 16, 2018}}
{{single chart|Canadaadultcontemporary|13|chartid=3363|rowheader=true|access-date=October 16, 2018}}
{{single chart|Scotland|47|date=19980801|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|UK|43|date=19980801|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|11|artist=Paula Cole|rowheader=true|access-date=June 26, 2019}}
{{single chart|Billboardadultalternativesongs|3|artist=Paula Cole|rowheader=true|access-date=June 26, 2019}}
{{single chart|Billboardadultpopsongs|1|artist=Paula Cole|rowheader=true|access-date=June 26, 2019}}
{{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|3|artist=Paula Cole|rowheader=true|access-date=June 26, 2019}}
{{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|5|artist=Paula Cole|rowheader=true|access-date=June 26, 2019}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1997)

!Position

scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite magazine|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.3416&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.3416.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.3416|title='97 Year End Top 100 Hit Tracks|magazine=RPM|via=Library and Archives Canada|access-date=October 16, 2018}}

|29

scope="row"|US Adult Top 40 (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=The Year in Music 1997: Hot Adult Top 40 Singles & Tracks|magazine=Billboard|volume=109|issue=52|page=YE-83|date=December 27, 1997}}

|18

scope="row"|US Top 40/Mainstream (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Best of '97: Top 40/Mainstream Singles|magazine=Airplay Monitor|volume=5|issue=52|page=38|date=December 26, 1997}}

|42

scope="row"|US Triple-A (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Best of '97: Triple A Tracks|magazine=Airplay Monitor|volume=5|issue=52|page=28|date=December 26, 1997}}

|20

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1998)

!Position

scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite magazine|url=http://rpmimages.3345.ca/pdfs/Volume+68-No.+12-December+14%2C+1998.pdf|title=RPM's Top 100 Hit Tracks of '98|magazine=RPM|volume=63|issue=12|page=20|date=December 14, 1998|access-date=March 23, 2019}}

|75

scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1998|title=Billboard Top 100 – 1998|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309202636/http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1998|archive-date=March 9, 2009|access-date=August 28, 2010}}

|10

scope="row"|US Adult Contemporary (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mw0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA43|title=The Year in Music 1998: Hot Adult Contemporary Singles & Tracks|magazine=Billboard|volume=110|issue=52|page=YE-95|date=December 26, 1998|access-date=January 20, 2024}}

|7

scope="row"|US Adult Top 40 (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mw0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA44|title=The Year in Music 1998: Hot Adult Top 40 Singles & Tracks|magazine=Billboard|volume=110|issue=52|page=YE-96|date=December 26, 1998|access-date=January 20, 2024}}

|12

scope="row"|US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Most Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 1998|magazine=Airplay Monitor|volume=6|issue=52|page=45|date=December 25, 1998}}

|45

scope="row"|US Triple-A (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Best of '98: Most Played Triple-A Songs|magazine=Airplay Monitor|volume=6|issue=52|page=35|date=December 25, 1998}}

|42

{{col-end}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref(s).|Reference(s)}}

scope="row"|United States

|October 14, 1997

|{{hlist|CD|cassette}}

|rowspan="2"|{{hlist|Warner Bros.|Imago}}

|align="center"|{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Want-Wait-Hitlers-Brothers/dp/B000002KQM|title=I Don't Want to Wait / Hitler's Brothers|publisher=Amazon|access-date=July 23, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/I-Dont-Want-to-Wait/dp/B000002KQN|title=I Don't Want to Wait|publisher=Amazon|access-date=July 23, 2021}}

scope="row"|Japan

|April 5, 1998

|CD

|align="center"|{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/156654/products/306005/2/|title=アイ・ドント・ウォント・トゥ・ウェイト {{!}} ポーラ・コール|trans-title=I Don't Want to Wait {{!}} Paula Cole|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=August 31, 2023}}

scope="row"|United Kingdom

|July 20, 1998

|{{hlist|CD|cassette}}

|Warner Bros.

|align="center"|{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1998/Music-Week-1998-07-11-S-OCR.pdf|title=Reviews – For Singles Out on 20 July 1998|magazine=Music Week|page=7|date=July 11, 1998|access-date=July 23, 2021}}

scope="row"|Japan (re-release)

|March 25, 1999

|CD

|{{hlist|Warner Bros.|Imago}}

|align="center"|{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/156654/products/306005/1/|title=アイ・ドント・ウォント・トゥ・ウェイト {{!}} ポーラ・コール|trans-title=I Don't Want to Wait {{!}} Paula Cole|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=August 31, 2023}}

In popular culture

Screenwriter Kevin Willamson became a fan of Cole's and used "I Don't Want to Wait" as a theme song to his teen drama series Dawson's Creek after being unable to secure the licensing for Alanis Morissette's "Hand in My Pocket".{{cite web |last1=Goldberg |first1=Lesley |title='Dawson's Creek' Turns 20: Kevin Williamson Reveals the Teen Drama's Deepest Secrets |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/dawsons-creek-turns-20-kevin-williamson-reveals-teen-dramas-deepest-secrets-1075834 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=May 31, 2020 |date=January 19, 2018}} At the time, the use of a pre-existing work for a TV show theme, rather than the commissioning of a new song, was novel. The song became sufficiently identified with Dawson's Creek that it was used in parodies of the show, as featured in the film Scary Movie,Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/DUDWWtzJh9E Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20170831034406/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUDWWtzJh9E Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUDWWtzJh9E| title = Dawson in Scary Movie | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} the "Peterotica" episode of Family Guy,[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4cPNsXfZEE Family Guy - Quahog Creek] and the "Escape to Beer Mountain: A Rope of Sand" series premiere of Clone High on its original airing (replaced with "Standard Lines" by Dashboard Confessional in all subsequent airings and the DVD release).{{Cite tweet|user=DailyCloneHigh|number=1654982190822748162|title=The original airing of "Escape to Beer Mountain: A Rope of Sand" featured "I Don't Want to Wait" by Paula Cole (the original theme to Dawson's Creek). It was replaced with "Standard Lines" by Dashboard Confessional in future airings and on the DVD release. 17 DAYS}}{{cite web|date=January 20, 2003|title=Clone High [2002], "Escape to Beer Mountain: A Rope of Sand"|url=https://www.what-song.com/Tvshow/100400/Clone-High/e/113663|access-date=January 20, 2003|website=What Song?}} The song was featured in the 1998 horror film Urban Legend as a nod to Joshua Jackson's character.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I8Ui7-lZQE |title=Damon (Joshua Jackson) Turns Off The 'Dawson's Creek' Theme Song {{!}} Urban Legend {{!}} Creature Features |date=2021-06-05 |last=Creature Features |access-date=2025-05-22 |via=YouTube}} Paula Cole said it initially annoyed her how the song became closely tied with Dawson's Creek, but she now feels touched by it.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-10 |title=Videos |url=https://www.fox13seattle.com/video/1530068 |access-date=2024-11-03 |website=FOX 13 Seattle |language=en-US}} “I Don't Want to Wait" is humorously sung by Eric Cartman in the South Park episode "Trapper Keeper." In this episode, Cartman boasts about his advanced Trapper Keeper while facing a threat from a mysterious figure who warns that it could take over the world.https://imsdb.com/transcripts/South-Park-Trapper-Keeper.html

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [https://americansongwriter.com/behind-the-song-the-nine-lives-of-paula-coles-i-dont-want-to-wait/ Behind the Song: The Nine Lives of Paula Cole's "I Don't Want to Wait"] by American Songwriter

{{Paula Cole}}

{{Dawson's Creek}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1996 songs

Category:1997 singles

Category:Dawson's Creek

Category:Imago Records singles

Category:Paula Cole songs

Category:Television drama theme songs

Category:Warner Records singles

Category:Songs written by Paula Cole