I Just Want to Make Love to You

"I Just Want to Make Love to You" is a 1954 blues song written by Willie Dixon and first recorded by Muddy Waters.^[2] The song was a major hit, reaching number four on Billboard magazine's Black Singles chart.

Backing Waters' vocals and guitar on the single were Little Walter on harmonica, Jimmy Rogers on second guitar, Otis Spann on piano, Willie Dixon on bass, and Fred Below on drums.^[1] Waters recorded the song again for the album Electric Mud (1968).

Cover versions

Etta James version

In 1961, Etta James recorded the song for her debut album At Last!. Her rendition also served as the b-side to her hit "At Last." In 1996, Etta James' version became popular in the UK after featuring in a Diet Coke ad campaign. As a result, the single was re-released there. The song first appeared on the UK Singles Chart on February 10, 1996 at #5, the single stayed on the charts for 7 weeks and left the charts at #62 on March 23.^[4]

Rolling Stones version

The Rolling Stones recorded the song, with slightly modified lyrics, for their 1964 debut album The Rolling Stones (titled England's Newest Hit Makers in the US) and released the song as the B-side to "Tell Me" in America. A live version was later released on Rarities 1971-2003.

Foghat version

Blues-rock group Foghat released a version of "I Just Want to Make Love to You" on their self-titled debut album in 1972 and released the song as a single the same year where it reached #83 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was their first hit.^[5] A live version was released on Foghat Live and released another 45 rpm single with "Fool for the City" as the b-side, the single was edited from over eight minutes to 3 minutes and 56 seconds.^[6] This single version reached #33 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[5]

Foghat's version of the song was used in the films Dazed and Confused and Halloween II.

Other cover versions

The song was performed by a supergroup consisting of Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters, and Little Walter on Super Blues in 1967.

The song has also been recorded by Willie Dixon, Chuck Berry, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, the Grateful Dead, Buddy Guy, Mungo Jerry, The Kinks, Shadows of Knight, Robben Ford, Van Morrison, Lou Rawls, The Righteous Brothers, The Yardbirds, The Animals, Janis Siegel, Meat Puppets, Cold Blood, April Wine, Louise Hoffsten, Foghat, Lee Aaron, Saxon, Nanette Workman, Smith, James Blood Ulmer, Livin' Blues, Lloyd Spiegel, Junior Wells, Memphis Slim, Bo Diddley, Johnny Otis, Paul Rodgers, Ross/Wollner's Inner City, The New Orleans Radiators, W.C.Spencer, Medicine Mike, Eddy Clearwater, Stone, Thornetta Davis, Geoff Achison, Louise Hoffsten, Cash McCall, Corey Osborn, Radio Moscow, Chocolate Watchband, and Cold Blood/Lydia Pense.

A live version by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers is featured on their career-spanning live set, The Live Anthology.

The Bob Dylan song 'My Wife's Home Town', from the 2009 album Together Through Life, is heavily influenced musically by the song, and the album notes give credit to Willie Dixon. The song's lyrics however are entirely different.

The middle eight was adapted by the Violent Femmes for their 1983 song "Gone Daddy Gone" and the 2006 cover by Gnarls Barkley.

Spanish singer Soraya Arnelas released a Spanish version of the song, re-titled as "Tu Piel" on her 2005 album Corazón de Fuego.

References