James Dean (I Wanna Know) Explained

James Dean (I Wanna Know)
Cover:	Jamesdeandb.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Daniel Bedingfield
Album:	Gotta Get Thru This
Studio:	Metropolis (London, England)
Genre:	Dance-pop bedroom pop^[1]
Length:	3:40
Label:	Polydor
Producer:	Daniel Bedingfield
Prev Title:	Gotta Get Thru This
Prev Year:	2001
Next Title:	If You're Not the One
Next Year:	2002

"James Dean (I Wanna Know)" is a song by British singer Daniel Bedingfield. It was released in August 2002 as the second single from his debut studio album, Gotta Get Thru This. Like his debut single "Gotta Get Thru This", "James Dean" was also a hit, reaching number four on the UK Singles Chart, making it his second top-10 hit. It entered the top 20 in Australia, peaking at number 19. The song name checks Freddie Mercury, Brad Pitt, Sly Stone and Daddy Warbucks.

Dom Passantino of Stylus Magazine described the song as "one final attempt at bedroom bounce-pop weirdness." Tom Ewing of Freaky Trigger found the song's electro to be harsher than on previous efforts.^[2]

Track listings

• UK and Australian CD single^[3]

1. "James Dean (I Wanna Know)"
2. "Gotta Get Thru This" (acoustic version)
3. "James Dean (I Wanna Know)" (ATFC's committed vocal mix)
4. "James Dean (I Wanna Know)" (video)

• UK 12-inch single^[4]

A1. "James Dean (I Wanna Know)" (ATFC's committed vocal)

A2. "James Dean (I Wanna Know)" (M & M vocal mix)

B1. "James Dean (I Wanna Know)" (Todd Edwards Life Line vocal remix)

B2. "James Dean (I Wanna Know)" (Izzy B vocal mix)

• UK cassette single and European CD single^{[5] [6]}

1. "James Dean (I Wanna Know)"
2. "Gotta Get Thru This" (acoustic version)

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the Gotta Get Thru This album booklet.^[7]

Studios

• Recorded and mixed at Metropolis Studios (London, England)
• Mastered at Sony Music Studios (London, England)

Personnel

• Daniel Bedingfield – writing, production
• Leo Green – saxophone
• Matt Holland – trumpet
• Al Stone – co-production, mixing
• Ned Douglas – additional programming
• Gavin Goldberg – engineering
• John Davis – mastering

Charts

Year-end charts

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)
United Kingdom	12 August 2002		Polydor	^[10]
Australia		CD		^[11]
United States	9 December 2002		Island	^[12]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Passantino . Dom . Gotta Get Thru This: Dom Passantino's Survey of the New Millennium's UK #1 Singles . . 26 July 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060624030747/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/weekly_article/gotta-get-thru-this-dom-passantinos-survey-of-the-new-milleniums-uk-1-singles.htm . dead . 24 June 2006 . 10 April 2006.
2. Web site: Ewing . Tom . Download This! 2002 . . 26 July 2019 . 1 January 2003.
3. James Dean (I Wanna Know). Daniel Bedingfield. 2002. UK & Australian CD single liner notes. Polydor Records. 5709342.
4. James Dean (I Wanna Know). Daniel Bedingfield. 2002. UK 12-inch single sleeve. Polydor Records. 5709341.
5. James Dean (I Wanna Know). Daniel Bedingfield. 2002. UK cassette single sleeve. Polydor Records. 5709344.
6. James Dean (I Wanna Know). Daniel Bedingfield. 2002. European CD single liner notes. Polydor Records. 570 939-2.
7. Gotta Get Thru This. Gotta Get Thru This (album). Daniel Bedingfield. 2002. US CD album booklet. Island Records. 440 065 113-2.
8. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 20. 36. 11. 31 August 2002. 15 September 2020.
9. Web site: The Official UK Singles Chart 2002. UKChartsPlus. 3 December 2018.
10. New Releases – For Week Starting 12 August 2002: Singles. Music Week. 27. 10 August 2002. 28 August 2021.
11. Web site: The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 12/08/2002. ARIA. 25. 12 August 2002. dead. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20021001140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20021002-0000/Issue650.pdf. 1 October 2002. 3 May 2021.
12. Going for Adds. Radio & Records. 1482. 18. 6 December 2002. 3 May 2021.