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Caravans - I Want Candy (Garage Rock/Beat, The Strangeloves Cover)

4,259 views · Published 26 September 2014 · 2:32 · Indexed 21 September 2026

Channel: CoverVerse · 2014 · Music

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From '' Universal Soldier / I Want Candy ''
Label: His Master's Voice – X 8472
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single
Country: Denmark
Released: 1965

Tracklist
A Universal Soldier
Written-By – Buffy Sainte-Marie
B I Want Candy
Written-By – Bert Berns, Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein, Richard Gottehrer


🎵 [SONG INFO]

"I Want Candy" is a song written and originally recorded by The Strangeloves in 1965 that went to number 11 in the United States.
It is a famous example of a song that uses the Bo Diddley beat.

Original version

"I Want Candy" was written by Bert Berns, Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer in 1965.
As writer/producers, Feldman, Goldstein and Gottehrer had already scored big hits for other artists, including "My Boyfriend's Back" by The Angels.
For this song, the trio took on the moniker of The Strangeloves, and recorded the tune themselves, augmented by studio musicians (co-writer Berns was not involved in the studio recording).

"I Want Candy", The Strangeloves' second single, became a top 10 hit in Canada and hit No. 11 in the US.
The record failed to chart in the UK—or in The Strangeloves' so-called "native" country, Australia.

Covers

The Bouncing Souls covered it on their first album The Good, the Bad, and the Argyle.

In the United Kingdom, the song first hit the UK Singles Chart in 1965, covered by Brian Poole and The Tremeloes, who took it to number 25.

It was also released by The Count Bishops in 1978. However, it failed to chart despite a performance on Top of the Pops.

The song hit the charts again in 1982 with a cover by Bow Wow Wow.

It was covered in 1996 by European production duo The Candy Girls. It featured Valerie Malcolm.

"I Want Candy" was covered by Spice Girl Melanie C for the 2007 film I Want Candy.

Aaron Carter covered the song in 2000 for his second album, Aaron's Party (Come Get It).

Veruca Salt covered the song on their 2007 spring tour.

Good Charlotte covered the song in the film Not Another Teen Movie.

Westlife did a cover in 2000 for their Mother's Day album.

Billie covered the song for her debut album, Honey to the B, but the cover was only included on the MiniDisc edition.

Australian R&B singer Cody Simpson recorded his rendition of the song for the soundtrack to the 2011 film Hop.

Kramer produced and sang his version of "I Want Candy" in a satirical techno-dancehall style for his solo LP The Brill Building, a tribute to the songwriters who worked in New York City's Brill Building between 1960 and 1966.
It was released on Tzadik Records in 2012.

Widespread Panic covered the song during their 2013 Halloween show in New Orleans.

Bow Wow Wow version

The song was the single by pop rock group Bow Wow Wow released as the first and only single from their EP The Last of the Mohicans.
For many in America, "I Want Candy" was their first introduction to young lead singer Annabella Lwin and the band.
The song barely scraped the Top 50, but became an enduring new wave classic.
The song gave its name to the band's 1982 release, I Want Candy, which was mainly a compilation, but included a couple of new cuts produced by Kenny Laguna (Joan Jett & the Blackhearts).

The enduring popularity of Bow Wow Wow's recording is partly due to the memorable video that got heavy play in the early days of MTV. This recording is highly associated with 80s pop music.

The Bow Wow Wow recording appeared on two VH1 countdowns:

86 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s
8 on 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s

Bow Wow Wow's recording is frequently included in collections of 80s pop music and on soundtracks for movies that take place in the 80s or in movies that want to make use of the recording's youthful, carefree tone.
The recording is on the soundtrack for Blank Check, Private School, Bio-Dome, Daddy Day Care, 200 Cigarettes, High Fidelity, Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion, Napoleon Dynamite and Marie Antoinette in the form of a remix by Kevin Shields.
It appeared on The Simpsons episode "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase".

Canadian teen drama Degrassi: The Next Generation, which is known for naming each episode after an 80s hit song, named an episode after this song.

The Black Eyed Peas sampled the song for the song "Electric City" on their 2009 album The E.N.D..

Aaron Carter version

Aaron Carter released a cover of "I Want Candy" and released as his 7th single and the second single from his second album Aaron's Party (Come Get It) (2000).

Candy Girls featuring Valerie Malcolm version

Candy Girls, who are Rachel Auburn and Paul Masterson, released a cover of I Want Candy and it became their third hit single, peaking at 30 in the UK.
It was their last release. After releasing this single, the duo split. Masterson went on to have hits as Amen! UK, The Clergy, Yomanda, Dorothy and Hi-Gate.

#caravans  
#iwantcandy 
#garagerock 
#beat 
#thestrangelovescover

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