“Only Wanna Be with You” is a feel-good, folk-rock-inspired song by American band Hootie & the Blowfish. After being included on the group’s EP Kootchypop, it was released in July 1995 as the third single from their debut album, Cracked Rear View (1994). The song became one of the band’s most recognizable hits, showcasing their signature blend of rock, pop, and country influences.
Lyrically, the song expresses devotion and frustration in a romantic relationship, with lead singer Darius Rucker delivering lines like “You and me, we come from different worlds”, emphasizing the contrasts between the lovers.
Only Wanna Be with You features jangly guitars, a relaxed, mid-tempo rhythm, and Rucker’s warm, soulful vocals. The song’s breezy, radio-friendly sound helped define the adult alternative rock movement of the 1990s, making it a staple of the decade’s pop-rock scene.
The song was a major commercial success, reaching No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Billboard Adult Contemporary and Mainstream Top 40 charts. It contributed to the massive success of Cracked Rear View, which became one of the best-selling albums of all time in the U.S.