MU106 Great Composers

Sixties British Songwriters

"What Do You Want?"

Songwriter: Johnny Worth/Les VanDyke

Publisher(s): Belwin Mills Music Ltd.

Musicians: Adam Faith (vocals) with Vic Flick (guitar), Les Reed (piano) and others (probably members of the John Barry Seven)

YouTube: Adam Faith with the Beverly Sisters on their variety television show.

Date of Recording: 25 September 1059

Location of Recording: EMI Recording Studios, Abbey Road, London

Date of Release: October 1959

Label and Number: Parlophone R 4591

Charts: 20 November 1959, UK #1

Producer: John Burgess

Music Director / Arranger: John Barry (md) and Les Reed (arr)

Engineer(s): Malcolm Addey

Other Information:

Geoff Stephens (Thompson 2008: 174): [Johnny Worth was] brilliant. He wrote great pop songs! That man was Britain's first real pop song writer to challenge the Americans. Johnny Worth was strictly pop, but very, very on the mark."

Lyrics

a.  What do you want if you don't want money? What do you want if you don't want gold?
Say what you want and I'll give it you darling. Wish you wanted my love baby.

b.  What do you want if you don't want ermine? What do you want if you don't want pearls?
Say what you want and I'll give it you darling. Wish you wanted my love baby.

c.  Well I'm offering you this heart of mine, but all you do is play it cool.
What do you want? Oh boy you're making a fool of me.

d.  One of these days when you need my kissing. One of these days when you want me too.
Don't turn around cause I'll be missing. Then you'll wanta my love baby.

e.  Well I'm offering you a diamond ring, but all you do is turn me down.
What do you want? Oh boy you're goin' to town on me.

Form

Section	Meas.	Text	Description
intro		--
verse		a
verse		b
chorus		c
verse		d
verse		e
coda		d