"Because We Want To" is a song performed by Englishpop singerBillie. 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 debutsingle on 29 June 1998 and entered theUK 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 the1999 FIFA Women's World Cup.[1]
Selling over 80,000 copies during its opening week,[2] "Because We Want To" madeBillie the youngest artist to debut at number one on theUK 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.[3][4][5] 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.[6] Although the song became a hit in Canada, peaking at number 14 on theCanadian Singles Chart and number 30 on theRPM 100 Hit Tracks chart in September 1998, it did not chart in the United States.[7][8][9]
The video (directed by Phil Griffin[10]) starts in a run-down street in London, where the ground is violently shaking. The reason is soon seen: AUFO 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 shegraffitis "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.
^Because We Want To (Japanese CD single liner notes). Billie. Innocent Records, Virgin Records. 1998. VJCP-12115.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Because We Want To (UK CD2 liner notes). Billie. Innocent Records, Virgin Records. 1998. SINDX2, 7243 895124 0 3.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Because We Want To (European cassette single sleeve). Billie. Innocent Records, Virgin Records. 1998. SINC2, 7243 895123 4 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Because We Want To (European CD single liner notes). Billie. Innocent Records, Virgin Records. 1998. SINCDE2, 7243 895140 2 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Because We Want To (US 12-inch single sleeve). Billie. Virgin Records. 1998. 7087 6 13624 1 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Honey to the B (UK CD album booklet). Billie. Innocent Records, Virgin Records. 1998. CDSIN1, 7243 8 46614 0 3.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
