Sophie B. Hawkins – Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover
American singer/songwriter, Sophie B. Hawkins, debuted in 1992 with her hit single, “Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover” from her first album, ‘Tongues & Tails’.
Critics from all over loved the song for various reasons and one even compared it to something Prince would have written:
Sophie B. Hawkins’s debut single starts off discreetly enough, with the sound of New York’s underground, the soft shuffle of a drum loop, and an opening line worthy of Prince: “That old dog has chained you up all right” Prince, in fact, could have written the song himself, except Hawkins took the sentiment of songs like the Purple One’s “I Wanna Be Your Lover” to grittier, even ballsier territory. One part Led Zeppelin, one part Rolling Stones, and a whole lot of female fortitude, “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover” was the most tenacious unrequited-love song of the decade—or maybe ever.
The original video was banned by MTV for being to sexy. Sony Music Entertainment has even banned from YouTube on copywright grounds. Another video was filmed with Hawkins singing in front of a band, in mostly black and white.
The song has been misinterpreted by most listeners. Hawkins has said many times that she considers herself “omnisexual” or pansexual, meaning the sex of a lover doesn’t matter. The song tells of an observer (Hawkins) watching a woman in an abusive relationship ans wishing she, herself, could take her away from all of that and show the woman love that she deserves.
It peaked at #5 on the U.S. Hot 100!
