Because We Want To

"Because We Want To" is a song performed by British pop singer Billie. The song was written by Wendy Page, Jim Marr, Dion Rambo and Jacques Richmond, and produced by Page and Marr 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 Piper the youngest artist to debut at number one, at age 15. It also reached the top ten in Ireland, New Zealand, and Sweden. The song was the official theme of the 1999 Women's World Cup.[1]

"Because We Want To"
Single by Billie
from the album Honey to the B
B-side	"G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T."
Released	29 June 1998
Genre	Pop
Length	3:48
Label	Innocent, Virgin
Songwriter(s)	Wendy Page, Jim Marr, Dion Rambo, Jacques Richmond
Producer(s)	Page, Marr
Billie singles chronology
"Because We Want To" (1998) "Girlfriend" (1998)

Chart performance

Selling over 80,000 copies during its opening week,[2] "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 after six weeks on the chart, when Shapiro was 14 years old.[3][4] Outside the United Kingdom, the song became a top-ten hit in Ireland, New Zealand, and Sweden, peaking at numbers nine, nine, and eight, respectively.[5] Although the song became a hit in Canada, peaking at number 30 on the RPM Top Singles chart in September 1998, it did not chart in the United States.[6][7]

Music video

The video (directed by Phil Griffin[8]) 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

International CD single
(SINCD2; released 29 June 1998)

1. "Because We Want To" (radio mix)
2. "G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T."
3. "Because We Want To" (Sgt. Rock 'Old Skool' mix-edit)
4. "Because We Want To" (Tall Paul vs Billie mix)

UK special edition CD 2
(SINDX2; released 29 June 1998)

1. "Because We Want To" (radio mix)
2. "Because We Want To" (street mix featuring Sweet P)
3. "Because We Want To" (instrumental)
4. "Because We Want To" (PC video)

UK cassette
(SINC2; released 29 June 1998)

Side 1

1. "Because We Want To" (radio mix)
2. "G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T."

Side 2

1. "Because We Want To" (Tall Paul vs Billie mix)

UK promo 12" single-sided vinyl
(SINTDJ 2; Released 1998)

• A1. "Because We Want To" (Tall Paul vs Billie mix)

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (1998) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[5] 19 Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[9] 5 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[6] 30 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[10] 5 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[11] 24 Ireland (IRMA)[12] 9 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] 9 Scotland (OCC)[14] 2 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[15] 8 UK Singles (OCC)[16] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1998) Position Australia (ARIA)[17] 98 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[18] 56 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[19] 48 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales United Kingdom (BPI)[20] Silver 319,000[2]

Release history

Country	Date
United Kingdom	29 June 1998
Japan	11 November 1998

References

1. "Drama – People Index Billie Piper". BBC. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
2. Copsey, Rob (6 July 2017). "Official Chart Flashback 1998: Billie Piper's record-breaking debut at Number 1 with Because We Want To". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
3. Pidd, Helen (4 January 2008). "Profile: Billie Piper | Television & radio". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
4. "Helen Shapiro". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
5. "Australian-charts.com – Billie – Because We Want To". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
6. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7932." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
7. "Billie Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
8. "Because We Want To" by Billie (mvdbase.com)
9. "Ultratop.be – Billie – Because We Want To" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
10. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15 no. 29. 18 July 1998. p. 10. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
11. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (20.8–27.8. 1998)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 21 August 1998. p. 10. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Because We Want To". Irish Singles Chart.
13. "Charts.nz – Billie – Because We Want To". Top 40 Singles.
14. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
15. "Swedishcharts.com – Billie – Because We Want To". Singles Top 100.
16. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
17. "1998 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
18. "Årslista Singlar, 1998" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
19. "Best Sellers of 1998 – Singles Top 100". Music Week. 16 January 1999. p. 7.
20. "British single certifications – Billie – Because We Want To". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 9 October 2020.