{{Short description|1998 single by Billie Piper}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Infobox song | name = Because We Want To | cover = Because We Want To.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Billie | album = Honey to the B | B-side = G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T. | released = {{start date|1998|6|29|df=yes}} | recorded = | studio = * Ridge Farm (Surrey, England) * Marcus (London, England) | genre = Pop | length = 3:48 | label = * Innocent * Virgin | writer = * Dion Rambo * Jacques Richmond * Wendy Page * Jim Marr | producer = * Jim Marr * Wendy Page | next_title = Girlfriend | next_year = 1998 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|D_XI_290cfw|"Because We Want To"}}}} }} "'''Because We Want To'''" is a song performed by English pop singer Billie. The song was written by Dion Rambo, Jacques Richmond, Wendy Page, and Jim Marr and produced by Marr and Page for Billie's debut album, ''Honey to the B'' (1998). It was released as her debut single on 29 June 1998 and entered the UK Singles Chart at number one in July 1998, making Billie the youngest artist to debut at number one, at age 15. It also reached the top 10 in Ireland, New Zealand, and Sweden. The song was the official theme of the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/people/billie_piper_person_page.shtml|title=Drama – People Index Billie Piper|publisher=BBC|access-date=1 April 2014}}</ref>
==Chart performance== Selling over 80,000 copies during its opening week,<ref name="uksales">{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/official-chart-flashback-1998-billie-pipers-record-breaking-debut-at-number-1-with-because-we-want-to__19583/|title=Official Chart Flashback 1998: Billie Piper's record-breaking debut at Number 1 with Because We Want To|last=Copsey|first=Rob|publisher=Official Charts Company|date=6 July 2017|access-date=9 October 2020}}</ref> "Because We Want To" made Billie the youngest artist to debut at number one on the UK Singles Chart, aged 15. However, Helen Shapiro still holds the record as the youngest solo female singer to have topped the UK Singles Chart; "You Don't Know" rose to number one in 1961, when Shapiro was 14 years and 10 months old.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/jan/04/theatre.arts|title=Profile: Billie Piper {{!}} Television & radio|last=Pidd|first=Helen|newspaper=The Guardian|date=4 January 2008|access-date=9 January 2012|location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/9618/helen-shapiro/|title=Helen Shapiro|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=23 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Chart Commentary|last=Jones|first=Alan|magazine=Music Week|page=10|date=11 July 1998}}</ref> Outside the United Kingdom, the song became a top-10 hit in Ireland, New Zealand, and Sweden, peaking at numbers nine, nine, and eight, respectively.<ref name="charts"/> Although the song became a hit in Canada, peaking at number 14 on the Canadian Singles Chart and number 30 on the ''RPM'' 100 Hit Tracks chart in September 1998, it did not chart in the United States.<ref name="csc"/><ref name="rpm"/><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/billie|title=Billie Chart History|magazine=Billboard|access-date=23 June 2019}}</ref>
==Music video== The video (directed by Phil Griffin<ref>[http://www.mvdbase.com/video.php?id=3208 "Because We Want To" by Billie (mvdbase.com)]</ref>) starts in a run-down street in London, where the ground is violently shaking. The reason is soon seen: A UFO is flying just metres from the ground. Billie is then seen teleporting from the ship and down onto the street. She starts singing and dancing and soon gathers huge crowds of supporters. In the video, cut scenes of Billie and her friends walking down side streets are seen. In one scene, she melts a bin which transforms into a dancing humanoid and in another scene she graffitis "Billie" on a billboard and an animated character then jumps from the billboard and dances along with the humanoid made from the melted bin. Later in the video, she and her friends sneak into a warehouse and have a party.
==Track listings== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} '''UK CD1; Canadian, Australasian, and Japanese CD single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Because We Want To|others=Billie|year=1998|type=UK CD1; Canadian & Australasian CD single liner notes|publisher=Innocent Records, Virgin Records|id=SINCD2, 7243 895123 2 8}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Because We Want To|others=Billie|year=1998|type=Japanese CD single liner notes|publisher=Innocent Records, Virgin Records|id=VJCP-12115}}</ref> # "Because We Want To" (radio mix) – 3:45 # "G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T." – 4:19 # "Because We Want To" (Sgt. Rock 'Old Skool' mix-edit) – 4:11 # "Because We Want To" (Tall Paul v's Billie mix) – 8:47
'''UK CD2'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Because We Want To|others=Billie|year=1998|type=UK CD2 liner notes|publisher=Innocent Records, Virgin Records|id=SINDX2, 7243 895124 0 3}}</ref> # "Because We Want To" (radio mix) – 3:45 # "Because We Want To" (street mix featuring Sweet P) – 5:12 # "Because We Want To" (radio mix instrumental) – 3:45 # "Because We Want To" (video)
'''UK cassette single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Because We Want To|others=Billie|year=1998|type=European cassette single sleeve|publisher=Innocent Records, Virgin Records|id=SINC2, 7243 895123 4 2}}</ref> :A1. "Because We Want To" (radio mix) – 3:45 :A2. "G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T." – 4:19 :B1. "Because We Want To" (Tall Paul v's Billie mix) – 8:47 {{col-2}} '''European CD single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Because We Want To|others=Billie|year=1998|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=Innocent Records, Virgin Records|id=SINCDE2, 7243 895140 2 5}}</ref> # "Because We Want To" (radio mix) – 3:45 # "G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T." – 4:19
'''US 12-inch single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Because We Want To|others=Billie|year=1998|type=US 12-inch single sleeve|publisher=Virgin Records|id=7087 6 13624 1 1}}</ref> :A1. "Because We Want To" (Tall Paul vs. Billie) :A2. "Because We Want To" (radio mix) :B1. "Because We Want To" (Sgt. Rock Old Skool mix) :B2. "Because We Want To" (street mix) {{col-end}}
==Credits and personnel== Credits are lifted from the ''Honey to the B'' album booklet.<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Honey to the B|title-link=Honey to the B|others=Billie|year=1998|type=UK CD album booklet|publisher=Innocent Records, Virgin Records|id=CDSIN1, 7243 8 46614 0 3}}</ref>
'''Studios''' * Recorded at Ridge Farm (Surrey, England) and Marcus Studios (London, England) * Mixed at Metropolis Studios (London, England)
'''Personnel''' {{div col}} * Dion Rambo – writing * Jacques Richmond – writing * Wendy Page – writing, backing vocals, vocal arrangement, production, mixing * Jim Marr – writing, keyboards, programming, production, mixing * Billie Piper – vocals * Roger Jackson – additional keyboards * Yak Bondy – additional programming * Pete Craigie – recording, mixing * Steve Cooper – assistant engineering (Ridge Farm) * Michelle Barry – assistant engineering (Marcus) * Matt Tait – assistant engineering (Metropolis) {{div col end}}
==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1998) !Peak<br/>position |- {{single chart|Australia|19|artist=Billie|song=Because We Want To|rowheader=true|refname="charts"}} |- {{single chart|Flanders Tip|5|artist=Billie|song=Because We Want To|rowheader=true}} |- !scope="row"|Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)<ref name="csc">{{cite magazine|title=Hits of the World: Canada|magazine=Billboard|volume=110|issue=37|page=74|date=12 September 1998}}</ref> |14 |- {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|30|chartid=7932|rowheader=true|access-date=23 June 2019|refname="rpm"}} |- !scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1998/MM-1998-07-18.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=15|issue=29|page=10|date=18 July 1998|access-date=26 January 2020}}</ref> |5 |- !scope="row"|Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timarit.is/page/2973103#page/n9/mode/2up|title=Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (20.8–27.8. 1998)|newspaper=Dagblaðið Vísir|language=is|page=10|date=21 August 1998|access-date=3 October 2019}}</ref> |24 |- {{single chart|Ireland2|9|song=Because We Want To|rowheader=true}} |- !scope="row"|Italy Airplay (''Music & Media'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1998/MM-1998-08-15.pdf|title=Major Market Airplay: Italy|magazine=Music & Media|volume=15|issue=33|page=31|date=15 August 1998}}</ref> | 9 |- {{single chart|New Zealand|9|artist=Billie|song=Because We Want To|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Scotland|2|date=19980711|rowheader=true|access-date=23 June 2019}} |- {{single chart|Sweden|8|artist=Billie|song=Because We Want To|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|UK|1|date=19980711|rowheader=true|access-date=23 June 2019}} |- !scope="row"|UK Airplay (''Music Week'')<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=1998-07-18 |title=The Official UK Airplay Chart: Top 50 |magazine=Music Week |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1998/Music-Week-1998-07-18-S-OCR.pdf |access-date=2025-12-21 |page=15}}</ref> | 13 |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1998) !Position |- !scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/1998/singles-chart|title=ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1998|publisher=ARIA|access-date=9 October 2020}}</ref> |98 |- !scope="row"|Sweden (Hitlistan)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/43?dspy=1998&dspp=1|title=Årslista Singlar, 1998|publisher=Sverigetopplistan|language=sv|access-date=9 October 2020}}</ref> |56 |- !scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Best Sellers of 1998 – Singles Top 100|magazine=Music Week|page=7|date=16 January 1999}}</ref> |48 |} {{col-end}}
==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Billie|title=Because We Want To|award=Silver|relyear=1998|certyear=1998|id=764-1751-1|salesamount=319,000|salesref=<ref name="uksales"/>|access-date=9 October 2020}} |}
==Release history== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" !scope="col"|Region !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Format(s) !scope="col"|Label(s) !scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- !scope="row"|United Kingdom |29 June 1998 |{{hlist|CD|cassette}} |rowspan="2"|{{hlist|Innocent|Virgin}} |<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1998/Music-Week-1998-06-27.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=27|date=27 June 1998|access-date=4 July 2021}}</ref> |- !scope="row"|Japan |11 November 1998 |CD |<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/134066/products/296692/1/|title=ビコーズ・ウイ・ウォント・トゥ {{!}} ビリー|trans-title=Because We Want To {{!}} Billie|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=23 January 2024}}</ref> |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Billie Piper}} {{Authority control}}
Category:1998 songs Category:1998 debut singles Category:1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Category:Billie Piper songs Category:FIFA Women's World Cup official songs and anthems Category:Innocent Records singles Category:Music videos directed by Phil Griffin Category:Music videos shot in London Category:Songs written by Jim Marr Category:Songs written by Wendy Page Category:UK singles chart number-one singles Category:Virgin Records singles