This was Dusty Springfield's first single as a solo artist - she was previously a member of The Springfields with her brother Tom. That group had five Top 10 hits in the UK and one in the US ("Silver Threads and Golden Needles") before Dusty's departure. "I Only Want to Be With You" launched Dusty's Hall of Fame career, and became the first hit by a British artist since The Beatles started their run. Springfield was 24 when the song was released.
This song is about a girl who has finally found the guy of her dreams - or at least she thinks so. It's very much a teenage crush song in the same vein as many of the girl group songs Springfield loved. When she came to America and began her solo career, Dusty took more of a pop/R&B direction inspired by groups like The Shirelles and The Crystals.
Springfield performed this on the first ever episode of the British TV show Top Of The Pops on January 1, 1964. The Rolling Stones, The Dave Clark Five and The Hollies also performed on that show.
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