"Je te veux" (French for I want you) is a song composed by Erik Satie to a text by Henry Pacory. A sentimental waltz, it was written for Paulette Darty, whose accompanist Satie had been for a period of time. The text consists of two verses and a repeated chorus.
The song was registered with SACEM on 20 November 1902, but Roland-Manuel argued it had actually been composed in 1897. Satie composed various versions of the Je te veux waltz: for piano and voice, for an orchestra of brass instruments and for full orchestra (including a Trio). The piano and voice version was first published in 1903.[1]
The melody was performed to the public in 1903 at La Scala. In 1925 the song was recorded with Yvonne George as singer. Je te veux was also recorded by Mathé Altéry, Régine Crespin, Gigliola Negri, Nicolaï Gedda and Davide Bassino, and later by sopranos Jessye Norman, Marie Devellereau and Angela Gheorghiu. Other notable renditions include the ones by Japanese group ALI PROJECT[2] and Japanese chip musician SAITONE.
John Cage instructs the performer to do the piano and voice version as part of his "Sonnekus²".[1]
The song appears as the background music of the NES game Binary Land.