I Want Candy
The Strangeloves Lyrics

UPBEATFOREVER

I still give full credit for the original for their songs.and little credit for the covers.i didn't know til i found out some time this year!that this artist was the original!

Chris C

Candy Johnson was dancer in the movie "Beach Party" in 1963 and other beach movies. She also appeared at the 1964 World's Fair in Flushing, Queens, New York. After seeing her show, the New York rock group The Strangeloves were inspired to write their hit single "I Want Candy," which reached #11 on the Billboard charts. The song would be rerecorded by a number of artists over the following decades including The Tremoles, Bow Wow Wow and Aaron Carter.

Rabbi Ingber

the strange loves were not a rock "group"-they were a trio of songwriters whom bang records promoted as a bunch of australians-niles, giles, and miles. they wrote a lot of songs that charted

Rabbi Ingber

jay, i had their album and they do a great "hang on sloopy" which had some lyrics not on the mccoys monster smash.

Candace D'Andrea

@Rabbi Ingber the McCoys and Strangeloves were the same artists and song writers

Rabbi Ingber

@Candace D'Andrea Candace the mccoy's were musicians (check out there killer version of ritchie valens' "c'mon let's go") and the strangeloves were three jewish guys who wrote songs and were passed off as three australian musicians- niles, giles and miles. " i want candy" is a great record which still is used on commercials. Be Blessed

Candace D'Andrea

@Rabbi Ingber yes this is common knowledge and I personally know two of them...they are all the same three guys -Richard Gottehrer came to prominence as a songwriter in the 1960s with his most notable songs being "My Boyfriend's Back" and "I Want Candy". As Feldman-Goldstein-Gottehrer (FGG Productions), he wrote various songs including "Sorrow" - also from The McCoys and then David Bowie covered it on his Pin Ups album - with Jerry Goldstein and Bob Feldman. The three were also known as The Strangeloves.

johnny zell

I know a girl who's soft and sweet
She's so fine, she can't be beat
Got everything that I desire
Sets the summer sun on fire
I want candy, I want candy
Go to see her with her hair hung down
Ain't no finer girl in town
Candy's just what the doctor ordered
She's so sweet, she makes my mouth water
I want candy, I want candy
I want candy, I want candy
I want candy, I want candy
Hey
Hey
Hey
Hey
Candy on the beach, there's nothing better
But I like candy when it's wrapped in a sweater
Some day soon I'll make her mine
Then I'll have candy all the time
I want candy, I want candy
Hey
Hey
Hey

John Henni

I haven't heard this version of I Want Candy from the Sixties in years. It sounds pretty good to me! That Bo Didly the riff runs all the way through it. A great version of a good song!

Keith James

I remember hearing this as a kid. Then I heard Bo Diddly and realized how badly he got ripped off.

Ray K

Just heard this version for the first time today, I love it!

Old Goat

Just a pup.😋

1kinu T

It's the drumming that does it for me in both this original version and the Bow Wow Wow version.

Mr57Henry

Agreed Mon Ami! Can't help but stomp along all the way through!

Bruce M2021

It was Bobby Feldman on original drums/bongo’s. Now lives in Southeast Fl. At the age of 75

Marcel Audubon

the Bo Diddley beat

Brian Beveney

Both are great drummers, but my favourite gotta be the Stranglehold of the STRANGLERS!

Brian Beveney

Epic drums not forgetting the subliminal ride cymbal and the summerish swing of the strong vocals. 10 outta 10 every time

tom d

nice upload, i first heard this song 46 years ago and it was one of my favorites when i was a kid. but it just occurred to me that the late Bo Diddley, may he rest in peace, was not given any writing credit for this song, although the beat is unmistakably his. and i heard Bo Diddley by Bo Diddley 48 years ago and it was one of my favorite songs as well. maybe i had parallel childhoods and the realities of both are just becoming clear. music can lead to the most remarkable inner discoveries.

Patrick Coleman

You can't copyright a beat. Otherwise we'd have 98% less music. But yeah.. the bo beat is easily heard!

The Last Millennials 1994-1999

I heard this song in the early 2000s

nighthawk twoninetwo

That Bo Didley is taken from HAMBONE. It appears on many rock songs like Not Fade Away and Hand Jive

Jim Delp

Loved this song so much was one of the first licks I ever learned on guitar.

Edgar Allan Poe's The Black Cat

I never knew the 1980s version was a remake of this

tia panda

I dig your name

Chaosga

You'll be surprised on how many hit songs are covers of 50's and 60's songs.

Tom Sloan

You're be surprised how many hits were remakes of songs from the 30's and 20's and before. Led Zeppelin's When the Levee Breaks is one.

biff van arsdale

I Liked Bow Wow Wow but they ruined this song---as The Strangeloves owned this!

Brian

your generation maybe , I prefer bow wow wow

John Reichard

Now that is real music. Love it

WMS 1

I am here because this song was listed as 1 of 25 most annoying songs.
I really like it.
Good beat, good guitar and truthful message.

Glorified Truth

I think I saw that too. You know what's really annoying? Those click-bait web sites that make those lists. They hate everything.

R Gonzalez

Me too! I like it!

Crystal Nibarger

It's a good song but I like the 80s version better

Apple Scruff

They were probably talking about the crappy 80's version.

irv meese.

I remember seeing these guys perform on hullabaloo. The song still rocks !

Old Goat

You still alive? I thought I was the oldgoat.

sauquoit13456

On this day in 1965 {June 20th} "I Want Candy" by the Strangeloves entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #69; and on August 8th it peaked at #11 {for 1 week} and spent 10 weeks on the Top 100...
The trio had three other Top 100 records; "Cara-Lin" {#39 in 1965}, "Night Time" {#39 in 1965}, and "Hand Jive" {#100 in 1966}...

Dave M

I was a junior in high school when this tune was a hit. There was a beautiful girl named Candy in my English class. Boys annoyed the crap out of her until she finally, after days of verbal torment, screamed STOP!!!!!!! We stopped, we were jerks, not assholes.

The Last Millennials 1994-1999

Are you old

Dave M

@The Last Millennials 1994-1999 No, I'm only 70.

BeachsideHank

"...we were jerks, not assholes."
The beginning of wisdom, knowing the difference between the two. ☺

Elphin D. Blackforrest

@Dave M No, Dave M, you are old. Okay, you may be 'young at heart' but you are old in age. Only Dick Clark, who died at the young age of 82 was perpetually young. 😎

Mr57Henry

Always loved the drums if nothing else!

Lupco Kotevski

Very clever boys. They became very successful as producers and started businesses early in the digital era.

Gene Rogers

Remember this song well during the 60s as I remember. I actually dated a girl in high school named Candy! Love the beat and drums.

Old Goat

I had a neighbor who had 10 in her family named Candy. She is gone, but now find a local store clerk name Candy which found out is named Candy.

mikeval808

Chilling in quarantine, rewatching Kingpin. Never noticed this song before. FAR superior version over the cover. Drums drive much harder and the guitar lick is much more complex. Love it.

Joe Woolaghan

The original and the best, and you dont even need to be ashamed to enjoy it as it is actually a serious song and not just a joke lol

Jason Bouskill

and corey feldman's dad is in this band 

K-leb

@Jason Bouskill I wander what Corey's dad thought of Angelic 2 the Core.

Zachary Clossin

Check out "Bo Diddley" by Bo Diddley. Same song, ten years earlier

Imani M

I think this could classify as a Halloween song :) 🎃 Happy October folks!

To Meme or Not To Meme

Y'know, it's kind of weird that literally no one realized this was a 60's song. I didn't hear about this version, like, ever, until just now.

The Last Millennials 1994-1999

Yep

مركز

01:54 is my favorite part and the bass & what sounds like a strat marshall guitar, jumps back in at 02:06 💕

ig8083

I grew with this song in the 80's as a kid and this one of my favorites from the band bow wow wow (glam punk with pretty girl (edit)... one with a mohawk). My friend's sister at the time was into punk and when saw I like that band, she introduced me to all the good stuff at the time (Misfits, Dead Kennedys, etc.). I had no idea this was a 60's cover of this band. The guitar is lit on the bow wow wow version but the tune is essentially unchanged. Very cool learning the origin of this song.

Samuel Griffin

Who doesn't love the 60s version of I Want Candy way before the 80s decade with I Want Candy

Sheree Barrett

Good song,luv the drumming!

Sparrow

This song is perfect!

Math? Music!

There's the "Bo Diddley" beat again! Bo (Elias McDaniel) is buried about 10 miles from where I am typing this. A rock n' roll 'founder' and hero!

George Macias

I was just watching the Bo Didley video to verify if I was hearing the same beat. Glad someone else caught this as well

Sir Blankenship

@George Macias Its also kinda in not fade away, the rolling stones version :) (i took this from a book about songwriting haha)

danR

I was trying to think what was sounding familiar in this.

DeAngelo Huff

Hey Bo Diddley!!!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Charlene O'Neill

Love this song.

Patrick Treu

Listening to this song makes me want to go bowling

Lana Gavin

That's funny!

Diego Olivarez

I see what you did there!  I came here after king pin as well!

Billy Goat

Watching Kingpin....now I’m here....bowling after!

DirectorWestfield

Now I feel like watching Kingpin!

Go Toads

I feel like eating Candy!

Debra Morici

My FAVORITE song with my gbabbies!!!! Love it and they eat soooo much candy, we just have to dance 🎼🎵😘

HMS Matiks

Bo Diddley Beat is simply genius

In 1966 or-67, my first band the Essex was the opening act for the Strangeloves tour supporting I WANT CANDY. I was a 16 year old high school kid. They were a real sight in crazy fake animal skins with blasting drums blowing the walls off our little R&B set. I still love to listen to that driving Bo Diddley beat and picture our high school administrators freaking out at their volume and look. We talked with them and they gave us their made up story of being brothers and growing up in the Australian outback. What a hoot! We all had fun and made memories! Jerry P - ESSEX FOREVER!

Kevin Silva

I came here because of the passing of a pop icon who covered this song.


RIP Aaron Carter

Raisa Cherry's Universe 🍒

😭😭😭😭😭 i miss him more and more.

Krysten55

A guy I always see at a local coffee shop would always talk about this version of this song, as well as Bow Wow's, and told me to check it out. I never knew there was a version before that one!

William Munson

I didn’t even know this song was so old!

The1200r

That guitar sounds so twangy and cool.

ScooTaz247

all the awsome music are from the 50-70s and i love 99.99% of the orginals =)

saintcastle

My step daughter keeps saying she wants candy so I played this song for her. She now has candy.

Halie Maxine

Well, technically she has a man who is singing about wanting candy as well.😂

Abraham Palmer

So lovely and timeless

AshKirby

So this is the original version of the song, and it was originally released in the 60s!🤔🧐 Cool!😄🤩😎👌

clc3111

This is the best version. All those other version made it overly pop

Vin D

Yes, the original by the real guys! Thanks for this post!!! Now in a new commercial!!!

Michael Boyce

They also provided the backing in the McCoys' "Hang On,Sloopy",too! Betcha didn't know that!

Brian Wilson

great snare sound.

SmellsLikeNothing

listen to this at the same time as ring of fire
theyre in the same key and have really similar melodies and rhythm patterns
the tempos are slightly diff so it takes a lil effort to get em synced but the result is a lot of fun

Raisa Cherry's Universe 🍒

Little Aaron did really good job with the cover 💜💜💜💜

river view

The drums the best!

Bill9696V

I was rocking out to this song in 1955. At age 4. God bless my teenage brother.

Husky Fan in Mass

+billo321 1955? Are you sure?

KageTheSideways

+billo321 Considering this song dropped in 1965, I'd say that was impossible.

Bill9696V

+Husky Fan in Mass +Dan Matheson 

I intended this comment to post under a comment about a Bo Diddley song. That is what I was listening to when I was 4. ;)

I was also partying to this Strangeloves song at age 14 in 1965. A friend's cousin was an incredibly sweet girl named Candy Snow, 13, so singing along with this song at the top of our lungs was mandatory. 

Jimmy Liggins was another record in  my brother's collection that I couldn't get enough of. Search YouTube for
JIMMY LIGGINS - DRUNK - SPECIALTY
to hear an artist in 1953 who influenced Chuck Berry and Elvis.

Husky Fan in Mass

*****
For me it's 100% impossible.

Debbie Bregman

GREAT SONG FOR HALLOWE'EN! ( Memories of Trick-Or_Treating)

ebisawkward

To think I grew up thinking a song this old was an Aaron Carter original.

Richard Loader

Yes, I much prefer the original to the Bow Wow Wow cover. The saxophone is a must in this song.

Dan Scott

Who knew this song before the internet or YouTube ...this guy right here. Bow wow wow covered this in 1982.

Irv Meese

great song

Richard Mollberg

Heavy beat!!

Old Goat

God am I the old goat? I played drum's in a garage band when this came out. Now found a store clerk is named CANDY? Great person who is over 55.😁

hrodbert696

The song is built on the "Bo Diddley Beat," which is why it sounds like Bo Diddley and also the Hand Jive.  Bo Diddley doesn't get a writing credit because you can't copyright a drumbeat, nor a chord progression - "songwriting" is considered to be lyrics and melody only.  

marcusraidientsunami

that is interesting do you remember the "Ice- Ice, Baby" of Vanilla Ice (ending his career by the way) and the Chris Howe of YES and David Bowie blow up over song design rights?!
 like the way performers were so fond of stealing each others 'sound' back in the sixties.

hrodbert696

Do you mean Queen's Freddie Mercury and David Bowie?  The issue there was that Vanilla Ice used a melody from "Under Pressure" - a guitar riff with just one note added - so it was a violation of copyright.  I'm not aware of Yes being involved in any similar disputes (did you mean Steve Howe and Chris Squire?).  

marcusraidientsunami

hrodbert696
probably, now that all of my albums are in another state stolen by a friend of mine. But I remember it being something with Yes and David Bowie, but then again I remember it being reported on msnbc who never tells the truth anyway. That is probably why I who bought ALL the Yes albums could misremember Steve Howe's name and mixed it with Cris Squire. I did not have all the Queen albums at any time back then I didn't need to, they were always played on the radio. It was Yes and Genesis that were never played much

Reina Laguerra

Even if Bo Diddley had writing credits, I'm sure Jerry Goldstein of The Strangeloves would have found a way to connive those credits from him, as Goldstein has taken copywrites from the original artists of WAR, who are called the LOWRIDER BAND because of him, and Sly Stone, The Chambers Brothers, Tanya Tucker, Eric Burdon, Blood Sweat & Tears, and the Circle Jerks. This golddigging Goldstein needs to be stopped by fans of any of these bands. Word of mouth goes a long way if you just open it. Peace. 

TheDJGrandPa

People had been doing that beat before Bo Diddley, it's not anything complicated. He popularized it

disorder51

3 minutes of magic

cammy grant

LOVE IT DUDEEEEE

Ellie Zatorski

Was anyone else’s mouth watering when they say that pic of candy?

CzechRiot

Bangin tune

Ananya Padi

my elementary music teacher had a tiny witch doll that sang this song on Halloween.

witchiqynne

It’s so good

Gaz Thegnome

heard this on the radio for the first time today i do love the bow wow wow version from back in the 80's i also picked out another song from the horns at about 1:50 in as sounding like a song called Henry the wasp by the high liners fron back in the late 80's

medford briggs

#17 On the Top 20 Song Chart for July 24, 1965.

Byron Gordon

The original remains the best. Accept no substitutes.

mrbertiep1

These guys appeared at a local music store to promote the now defunct Power Sonic amplifiers. This was big show closer.

Lupco Kotevski

The Strangeloves also wrote 'Sorrow', covered by David Bowie and others.

Jeff Williams

No that was The McCoys who also recorded on Bang.

Lupco Kotevski

@Jeff Williams written by Feldman, Goldstein, Gotterher aka The Strangeloves.

Jeff Williams

Yes, they wrote it bit didn't play on the record.
@Lupco Kotevski The Strangeloves were a fake band. The McCoys were a real band. See Ace records comp "Smash Boom Bang" for details.

Lupco Kotevski

@Jeff Williams yeah, professional songwriters. I think they produced Sorrow for the McCoys. Cheers.

Lupco Kotevski

@Jeff Williams Mate, a bit of trivia. One of the Stangeloves (can't remember which) appeared down here in Australia on the TV music/comedy quiz show 'Spicks and Specks' about 2010. Steve Lukather and Stephen Schwartz have also been on the show. Some shows are on youtube..

Spencer Petunia

Grew up with the Aaron Carter and Bow Wow Wow versions here. BWW's version is pretty good but this one slaps compared to both of them. Tremeloes version is good, too.

ka mel

long live Bo Diddley

EmperorOf Arkham

+ka mel IKR I was just thinking it sounds like Bo Diddley then I read your comment

ka mel

+EmperorOf Arkham right

Total Singing Dojo

+EmperorOf Arkham - its called the "Bo Diddly Beat".

ka mel

+Kevin Richards Rock the Stage NYC RIGHT

quig

ka mel preach man

VirTaro

I have never. Ever. Heard this version.

Christopher Nagel

the old original is cool. Greetings from Germany.

cammy grant

FUCKING LOVE THIS SONG

Kritikal

This will be controversial but I think this song is better at 1.25x speed.

TheRockerxx69

WE OLE ROCKERS WERE AROUND AT THE TIME AND .....OF COURSE DANCED TO THE TUNE---

cripplehawk

I'll always think of Kingpin (1996) when I hear this song (IT was during a montage sequence)

H. Glennwade Holloway

I saw them on Hullabadigagogo back in '65. Way cool!

Ted Cruz For gay rights

That guitar

dlpine71

Thanks, for the terrific post! Great song!!

Anon Ymous

FOREVER!!!!!!!!!

Michael Mattson

This sounds like "There is Joy" by Toronto Blessing. "There is Joy in the meaning Joy for you."

Ray LeBlanc

This song is on a list I'm going through for Most Annoying Pop Songs Ever Made. I have to give them a listen and see if I agree.

Tempo

All I know is I want candy!!!

jenn faire

Bow Wow Wow rocks this song to the max!

yarbles67

like totally,fur sure.  see ya in the Valley.

lucalone

Best Version.

Michael Boyce

This is slightly longer than its Single Version,due to some clever editing..Bang was in that nasty habit of doing that!

marcusraidientsunami

although I DO remember this from my childhood, STILL I think Bow Wow Wow's version has more music than this original. One; there is a Lead guitar that you can actually hear. Two there IS a lead singer. And three; the drummer has a more rhythmic speed to his beat than the original. (I would throw in four as well since you tell there is a bass guitar playing in the Bow Wow Wow version, not really in this one where the bass is more important to the drummer than the rest of the band - this was the time unlike today's musicians).
 I would like to see if someone would make a scientific analysis of both versions to point out the best each has to offer. I think from a musical standpoint or more variations the result will bend more to my opinion.

gorelash

bravo

midnight ryder

“We’re bible salesmen....hey you don’t hafta read em to sell em”

Matt Hirsh

I remember hearing this in the movie Kingpin.

Shawn Fox Firth

My lovely wife is named Candy .. .and I'm a fool for her charms .

Michael Serrurier

Greatest scream ever.

WastrelWay

I think the greatest sceam ever is on the Castaways' "Liar, Liar" but i suppose it's a matter of taste :-)

Boddah

WastrelWay Nirvana's Rough Demo version of Aneurysm has the greatest scream ever.

bingobongo445

+Boddah If you listen to Nirvana you might suffer an aneurysm.

Michael Serrurier

Lmao.

Boddah

bingobongo445 That's only because most people can't handle Kurt's awesome vocals, that's why one of his songs is titled Aneurysm, it's a warning to others.

Dexter 64

I love this one better than the Bow Wow Wow, don't get me wrong, I still like this one.

Terena S. House

It's October 29, 2019, still listening... 👍

Timothy Roper

Great Bo Diddley beat.

myearsloveit

makes me want candy

Mike Reiss

This song is listed in a music book I have as being one of the songs that planted the seeds of "heavy metal" music. Not sure I really agree with that though.

Mike Reiss

Well, I would say the Kinks or even the Dave Clark Five before these guys.

Dan Kelly

+Greg Moonen Seeds doesn't mean it has to sound 90% like what we know as HM today. Same with blues, listen to the old blues from over half a century ago. You think the blues of today didn't come from that?

PyroGothNerd

+Mike Reiss Actually, hard rock has roots in classical and blues music, so I imagine heavy metal has similar roots.

Bill9696V

+Greg Moonen The Kinks pioneered hard rock. They may have spawned it entirely from their own skinny loins.

Mike Reiss

PyroGothNerd Heavy metal which is just a more extreme version of hard rock has roots in blues also. In fact Black Sabbath started out as a blues band.

Mikemoto’s World

Way better than the Bow Wow Wow version

RonJohn63

Bonifacio agreed. Someone did a piss poor job of mixing the audio. (The drums dominate this song; you can barely hear the guitars and sax, and the lyrics aren't much better.)

Sofa Kinggood

Bow Wow Wow made this song theirs...

asia321999

914 people watched this,no comments.WOW!!A WORLD RECORD!!!

SonoFelice

I'm not trying to tarnish the song, but listen to him say "She's got everything that I desire! Sets the summer sun on fire!"
I always knew he said that, but every time he says "Sets" at the beginning of the second sentence I, for a second, think that he's listing what she's got that he desires. "Sex, the-" * Realizes it's "Sets" *
I think I over-complicated what I meant.

Angelo Malong

RIP Aaron Carter. Aaron covered this song BTW

c0mptar2000

Crazy that the Strangeloves are still around and Aaron Carter is gone.