(The Hit Hammer is where I'm reviewing each #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. Starting from when the chart started in 1958, and eventually working my way to the present. To see my inspiration and more information about this blog, please refer to the "Poor Little Fool" post.)
Brenda Lee - "I Want to Be Wanted"
Hit Number 1: October 24, 1960
Stay at Number 1: 1 Week
Earlier in 1960, Brenda Lee had the most popular song in the country with the power ballad "I'm Sorry", which was a song that showed America just how talented she really was, and how strong of a voice can come from someone who is only 4'9". In case that just wasn't enough, she then again hit the top spot, but this time with a less important song. "I Want to Be Wanted" is a song that still brings Lee's voice to the forefront, but it isn't as memorable as "I'm Sorry". In fact, there really is no impact that this song has on my day, where as I feel like the best songs have some sort of a positive impact on me. But I will say this: It is at the very least a "good song".
"I Want to Be Wanted", when it was first written, was actually an Italian song. "Per tutta la vita (For all lifetime)" was the original name of the song, and the lyrics were translated to English by songwriter and composer Kim Gannon. (Who was born as James Kimball Gannon. Why he wanted to go by Kim is beyond me.) The song is about a lonely girl who feels like no one wants to be her lover, imagines a life where someone does, and asks to herself where this person is. The song doesn't sound sad to me, and it sounds more joyous than it really should. But I guess it still works okay. The song has been covered a few times, including one by Olivia Newton-John (who will eventually appear in this blog) so it had some sort of an impact I guess on others. All I can get out of it, is that it's a good song that I will never go out of my way to actually listen to.
GRADE: 7/10
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