As with most Stone Roses releases, the cover displays a work by John Squire. It is a Jackson Pollock-influenced piece titled "Bye Bye Badman," which makes reference to the May 1968 riots in Paris.
The cover was named by Q magazine as one of "The 100 Best Covers of All Time." In the accompanying article, Squire said: "Ian had met this French man when he was hitching around Europe, this bloke had been in the riots, and he told Ian how lemons had been used as an antidote to tear gas. Then there was the documentary—-a great shot at the start of a guy throwing stones at the police. I really liked his attitude." This story was also the inspiration for the lyrics to the song of the same name. The background of the piece is based on the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. The band visited the causeway while playing a gig at the University of Ulster in Coleraine.
In 1989, the critical response was generally positive, and today the album is widely considered to be one of the very best British albums ever released. In 1997, it was named the 2nd greatest album of all time in a "Music of the Millennium" poll conducted by HMV, Channel 4, The Guardian and Classic FM. In 1998, Q magazine readers placed it at number 4, while in 2000 the same magazine placed it at number 29 in its list of the "100 Greatest British Albums Ever." In 2008, it was named the 5th "greatest British album ever" by a Q magazine/HMV poll.
The music weekly NME initially gave the album 7 out of 10, but lavished praise on it in later years. In 2000, it received the "greatest album ever" award at the NME Premier Awards show, and in 2006, the album topped the magazine's "100 Greatest British Albums Ever" list. In summer 2009, NME released a special issue about the album's 20th anniversary, labelling it as "the greatest debut album ever."
In 2005, Spin magazine ranked it 78 on its list of the "100 greatest albums of the past twenty years." In the same year, when revising the "500 Greatest Albums" for book format, Rolling Stone included it as one of the eight new entries placing it at #497. In 2006, Time named it one of "The All-TIME 100 Albums." In 2003, Pitchfork Media named it the 39th best album of the 1980s.
Last.fm's tracklist is almost entirely wrong. The original UK release of the album is as follows:
1. I Wanna Be Adored - 4:52
2. She Bangs the Drums - 3:47
3. Waterfall - 4:41
4. Don't Stop - 5:21
5. Bye Bye Badman - 4:07
6. Elizabeth My Dear - 0:56
7. (Song for My) Sugar Spun Sister - 3:27
8. Made of Stone - 4:15
9. Shoot You Down - 4:14
10. This Is the One - 4:59
11. I Am the Resurrection - 8:14
The original US release of the album adds "Elephant Stone" (3:04) in between tracks 2 & 3 and "Fools Gold" (9:53) at the end of the album. A different 1991 UK release includes the same mix of "Elephant Stone" in between tracks 5 and 6, and a shortened single mix of "Fools Gold" (4:15) at the end of the album. A 10th anniversary releases uses the original UK track listing and features a bonus disc with the following four songs, plus an enhanced portion with bonus video content, a discography, lyrics, and a photo gallery:
1. Fools Gold - 9:53
2. What the World Is Waiting For - 3:55
3. Elephant Stone - 4:48
4. Where Angels Play - 4:15
A 20th anniversary reissue includes a disc containing early demos for the album, including the following tracks:
1. I Wanna Be Adored - 3:45
2. She Bangs the Drums - 3:49
3. Waterfall - 4:47
4. Bye Bye Badman - 4:08
5. Sugar Spun Sister - 3:32
6. Shoot You Down - 4:28
7. This Is the One - 4:03
8. I Am the Resurrection - 6:41
9. Elephant Stone - 3:16
10. Going Down - 2:42
11. Mersey Paradise - 2:50
12. Where Angels Play - 3:19
13. Something's Burning - 3:05
14. One Love - 6:23
15. Pearl Bastard - 3:43
20. Something's Burning (hidden track) - 3:39
Several editions have an additional bonus disc containing singles, B-sides, and various other outtakes from the era of the album (in particular, including the entirety of the band's rarities collection Turns into Stone, though in a different order):
1. Elephant Stone - 4:53
2. Full Fathom Five - 3:05
3. The Hardest Thing in the World - 2:44
4. Going Down - 2:48
5. Guernica - 4:23
6. Mersey Paradise - 2:46
7. Standing Here - 5:09
8. Simone - 4:25
9. Fools Gold - 9:55
10. What the World Is Waiting For - 3:51
11. One Love - 7:46
12. Something's Burning - 7:45
13. Where Angels Play - 4:14
Additional releases contain LPs of the album and bonus material, a USB flash drive, and various other items.
I Wanna Be Adored
The Stone Roses Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's already in me
I don't need to sell my soul
He's already in me
I wanna be adored
I wanna be adored
I don't have to sell my soul
He's already in me
I don't need to sell my soul
He's already in me
I wanna be adored
I wanna be adored
Adored
I wanna be adored
You adore me
You adore me
You adore me
I wanna, I wanna
I wanna be adored
I wanna, I wanna
I wanna be adored
I wanna, I wanna
I wanna be adored
I wanna, I wanna
I gotta be adored
I wanna be adored
At its core, The Stone Roses's "I Wanna Be Adored" is an anthem for those seeking validation and adoration. The repetition of the phrase "I wanna be adored" speaks to a deep-seated desire for widespread recognition and praise. The verses, which declare "I don't have to sell my soul, he's already in me," suggest that this desire for adoration is not a selfish pursuit, but rather a reflection of something greater within oneself. The "he" referred to in the lyrics is open to interpretation - it could be a higher power, a muse, or simply one's own artistic inspiration.
The repetition of the phrase "I wanna be adored" throughout the song is coupled with a driving, hypnotic beat that emphasizes the importance of the desire for adoration. The simplicity of the lyrics and the repetitive nature of the song make it easy for listeners to get lost in the trance-like rhythm and feel as though they too are caught up in the quest for adoration.
Ultimately, "I Wanna Be Adored" speaks to the human struggle for acceptance and recognition. Whether it's in the realm of art, love, or simply in our everyday interactions, the desire to be admired and valued is a fundamental part of the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't have to sell my soul
I don't need to compromise my values or beliefs to achieve what I desire
He's already in me
I possess the qualities or traits that already make me successful or desirable
I don't need to sell my soul
My inner self is already complete and fulfilled, I don't need external validation
I wanna be adored
I desire to be admired and appreciated by others
Adored
Being adored is my ultimate goal, it means I have achieved outstanding success or popularity
You adore me
I want people to acknowledge and admire me
I wanna, I wanna
I have a strong longing and desire to be adored
I gotta be adored
Being adored is not just a want, it is a necessity for me to feel fulfilled and accomplished
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ian George Brown, John Squire
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind