Only Wanna Be with You

One verse of the song describes "[putting] on a little Dylan". The verse then references songs on Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks, quoting extensively from "Idiot Wind". The song then mentions "Tangled Up in Blue".^[6] According to Rucker, Dylan's management were aware of the lyrics and had no problem with them; however, when the song became a hit, they objected.^[7] He told Rolling Stone that "it never got to the point where we were sued... When we first did that song we sent it to the publishing company and everything was fine. We played it for years and had a really big hit with it. Then they wanted some money, and they got it."^[8] VH1 reported that Dylan received an out-of-court settlement in 1995 for $350,000 (equivalent to $740,000 in 2025).^[6]

Also mentioned in the bridge of the song is a reference, "I'm such a baby 'cause the Dolphins make me cry", alluding to Darius Rucker's favorite sports team, the Miami Dolphins.

Steve Baltin from Cash Box named "Only Wanna Be with You" Pick of the Week, writing that "this catchy upbeat gem shows why Hootie & The Blowfish can do no wrong when it comes to the charts." He added, "Hootie’s sound is never more mainstream than it is here, as the rocking and danceable beat is accompanied by a perky chorus of "I only wanna be with you." Like their previous hit singles, this track will rocket up the charts, gaining huge support from AAA and CHR."^[9]

In the United States, "Only Wanna Be with You" peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100,^[10] number one on the Billboard Top 40/Mainstream chart,^[11] number three on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart,^[12] and number two on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks and Adult Top 40 charts.^[13][14] In December 1995, Billboard ranked the song as the 33rd-most-successful hit of the year, and its continued success into 1996 allowed it to rank in at number 99 for that year.^[15][16] In Canada, the song topped the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart for three nonconsecutive weeks, ending 1995 as Canada's second-most-successful song.^[17][18] It also entered the top 10 in Iceland, rising to number four on the Icelandic Singles Chart, and in El Salvador, where it peaked at number six.^[19][20] In Australia and New Zealand, the single entered the top 40, peaking at numbers 40 and 17, respectively.^[21][22] In New Zealand, the song received a double-platinum certification for sales and streaming figures exceeding 60,000 units.^[23]

The accompanying music video for "Only Wanna Be with You", similar to the song, had a sports theme, incorporating many elements from ESPN's SportsCenter. The video featured appearances by then-current SportsCenter anchors Keith Olbermann, Dan Patrick, Mike Tirico, Charley Steiner and Chris Berman, reporting on the band playing in games with several professional athletes, including Dan Marino, Fred Couples, Gary McCord, Alonzo Mourning, Muggsy Bogues, Alex English, Walt Williams, and Charles Smith.^[6][24] Rucker said the video was his idea, adding, "It was just a way to meet all our idols."^[25]

A portion of the music video was filmed on the Poolesville Golf Course and Potomac Valley Lodge in Poolesville, Maryland,^[26] as well as on the floor of Reckord Armory at the University of Maryland.^[27] Additionally, the scenes in which Rucker and Dan Marino are playing catch were filmed on the football field of Hinsdale Central High School in Hinsdale, Illinois.

Quick facts Single by Post Malone, from the album Pokémon 25: The Album ...

"Only Wanna Be with You (Pokémon 25 Version)"
Single by Post Malone
from the album Pokémon 25: The Album
Released	February 25, 2021 (2021-02-25)
Length	4:01
Label	Republic Capitol
Songwriters	Mark Bryan Dean Felber Darius Rucker Jim Sonefeld
Producers	Louis Bell Andrew Watt
Post Malone singles chronology
"Spicy" (2020) "Only Wanna Be with You (Pokémon 25 Version)" (2021) "Life's a Mess II" (2021)
Pokémon 25 singles chronology
"Only Wanna Be with You (Pokémon 25 Version)" (2021) "Electric" (2021)
Music video
"Only Wanna Be with You (Pokémon 25 Version)" on YouTube

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On February 25, 2021, American musician Post Malone released a cover version for the 25th anniversary of the Japanese media franchise Pokémon.^[53][54] Malone's version contains samples of music from the video games and the Dolphins reference changed to reflect him being a Dallas Cowboys fan.^[55][56][57] The cover garnered attention for the unusual circumstances of its release.^{[56][57][58][59]} Hootie and the Blowfish vocalist Darius Rucker gave his approval of the cover on Twitter.^[57][60] "Only Wanna Be with You" is included on the track listing of Pokémon 25: The Album, released in October 2021 through Capitol Records.^[61]