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I Don't Want To

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"I Don't Want To"
Artwork for US CD maxi-single. US CD single and non-US releases use this artwork with different background color; non-US releases omit "I Love Me Some Him" on the front cover
Single by Toni Braxton
from the album Secrets
B-side"I Love Me Some Him"
ReleasedMarch 11, 1997
RecordedMay 1996[1]
GenreR&B
Length4:17
LabelLaFace
Songwriter(s)R. Kelly
Producer(s)R. Kelly
Toni Braxton singles chronology
"Un-Break My Heart"
(1996) 		"I Don't Want To" / "I Love Me Some Him"
(1997) 		"How Could an Angel Break My Heart"
(1997)
Music video
"I Don't Want To'" on YouTube

"I Don't Want To" is a song recorded by American R&B singer Toni Braxton for her second studio album, Secrets (1996). It was released as the third single from the album on March 11, 1997; in the United States it was released as a double A-side with "I Love Me Some Him". Written and produced by R. Kelly, the R&B ballad describes the agony of a break-up. The song was well received by music critics, who were complimentary about Kelly's production.

The single reached the top-ten in Iceland, Ireland and the United Kingdom, and the top-twenty in six countries, including Canada and the United States, where it shot to number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number nine on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart during the summer of 1997. While not as successful as the two preceding singles, it became her third consecutive chart-topper on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in July 1997, following "You're Makin' Me High" and "Un-Break My Heart".

The accompanying music video was shot during a hectic time in Braxton's career. After the commercial success from the preceding singles and co-headlining a tour with Kenny G, Braxton was exhausted. The time schedule for a video was roughly one day for director Bille Woodruff. A simple video featured Braxton wandering around in a white room wearing a white tanktop, blue jeans and a built up shoe.

Composition

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"I Don't Want To" was written and produced by R. Kelly, who was also responsible for all instruments, background vocals and mixing. Braxton provided both lead and background vocals. It was recorded at Middle Ear Studio, Miami Beach, Florida.[2] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Universal Music Publishing Group, "I Don't Want To" is written in the key of B major with a moderate tempo of 109 beats per minute. Braxton's vocal range spans from the low note of F3 to the high note of G4. It follows in the chord progression of B–B9-G#7sus4-G#7–C#m-C#m(maj7)-C#m7-F#7.[3] The midtempo R&B ballad talks about the agony of heartbreak.[4] It also touches upon themes of loss and abstinence.[5]

Critical reception

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Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic praised R. Kelly's composition, noting that he "demonstrate[s] why [he is] considered [one] of the top songwriters in '90s R&B and soul."[6] Larry Flick of Billboard praised its groove, which according to him, "is masterfully woven by R. Kelly," adding: "He smartly keeps the musical melodrama to a minimum, opting instead for a smooth and subtle jeep-soul setting that leaves plenty of room for La B to flex her rich vocal range.[4] A reviewer from Music Week rated the song three out of five, complimenting it as "another surefire hit ballad" from the Secrets album.[7] The magazine's Alan Jones described it as "another stately ballad performed with grace and style. Braxton is A Real Singer, but prefers to take the most direct route between two notes, unlike many of her ability. Another monster hit."[8] David Fricke of Rolling Stone also praised Kelly, noting that "the unruffled tenor of the music, however, puts the focus squarely on Braxton, and she's up to it." He described the song as "a quiet groan of loss and abstinence."[5] Ian Hyland from Sunday Mirror gave it eight out of ten, commenting, "Another aching soul-searcher from the most beautiful woman in America. It should be almost as successful as "Un-Break My Heart" but it's a bit too slow for a dance remix. Not that anyone cares about the song anyway - we just want to see her in that video."[9] David Sinclair from The Times declared it as a "plush power ballad" from the soul diva, and "a guaranteed smash."[10] Richard Harrington from The Washington Post wrote, "With a slow, deliberate pulse and anguished mood reminiscent of "Breathe Again", it stirs the ashes of emotional burnout for someone who is taking separation as hard as it can be taken."[11]

Release and commercial performance

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"I Don't Want To" was released as the album's third single on March 11, 1997.[4] In the United States, the song was released as a double A-side with "I Love Me Some Him".[12] On March 31, 1997, the song was released in the United Kingdom.[13] Commercially, "I Don't Want To" proved to be moderately successful in the United States, reaching number nineteen on the US Billboard Hot 100, while peaking at number nine on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[14] The song also became her third consecutive chart-topper on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in July 1997, following "You're Makin' Me High" and "Un-Break My Heart".[15] In the United Kingdom, "I Don't Want To" became Braxton's third consecutive top-ten single from Secrets, peaking at number nine.[16] In New Zealand, the song debuted at number 31, and two weeks later climbed to number 21, becoming its peak position.[17] In Sweden, the song debuted at number 57, climbing to number 29 in the second week. Two weeks later, the song peaked at number 15, falling on the two following weeks until it climbed to its peak position once again. It later remained for further six weeks on the charts.[18]

Music video

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The accompanying music video for the song was directed by Bille Woodruff and shot on March 4, 1997.[19] The video was filmed during a hectic time in Braxton's career, and after the commercial success from the preceding singles and co-headlining a tour with Kenny G, Braxton was exhausted and it was shot in one day. The video was considered simple, featuring Braxton wandering around in a white room wearing a white tanktop, blue jeans and a built up shoe.[20] The original treatment for the video was a one-take version. Woodruff told MTV News that he shot multiple takes and at the end of the day, the best version would be picked. The video had Braxton walking around a house, trying on various wigs and scrubbing her feet in a bathtub. However, Braxton made a "creative decision to scrap the first shoot in favor of a simpler, non-bathroom video,"[20] after MTV News staff mentioned while interviewing Braxton that Jewel, Tony Rich, and No Doubt had recently used bathrooms as music video backdrops[19] (in "Who Will Save Your Soul", "Nobody Knows", and "Just a Girl" respectively).

The video for "I Don't Want To" was published on Braxton's official YouTube channel in October 2009. It has amassed more than 41 million views as of April 2023.[21]

Track listings and formats

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  • European CD single[24]
  1. "I Don't Want To" (Album Version) – 4:15
  2. "I Don't Want To" (Frankie Knuckles Radio Edit) – 4:17
  3. "I Don't Want To" (Franktified Club Mix) – 10:57

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Belgium (BEA)[51] Gold 25,000*
United States (RIAA)[53] Gold 600,000[52]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ R. Kelly: The New King of R&B. Ebony Man (EM). May 1996.
  2. ^ Secrets (CD liner notes). Toni Braxton. La Face Records. 1996.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ^ "Toni Braxton "I Don't Want To It" Sheet Music". MusicNotes.com. Universal Music Publishing Group. 3 March 2008. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c Flick, Larry (March 1, 1997). "Reviews & Previews: Singles". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 9. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 60. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  5. ^ a b Fricke, David (December 26, 1996). "Toni Braxton: Secrets". Rolling Stone. No. 750–751. p. 190. ISSN 0035-791X. Archived from the original on October 15, 2008. Retrieved February 18, 2012.
  6. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Secrets – Toni Braxton". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  7. ^ "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. April 12, 1997. p. 27. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  8. ^ Jones, Alan (May 10, 1997). "Talking Music" (PDF). Music Week. p. 40. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  9. ^ Hyland, Ian (May 11, 1997). "He's Got Us All at His Beck and Call". Sunday Mirror.
  10. ^ Sinclair, David (May 17, 1997). "The week's top pop releases; Records". The Times.
  11. ^ Harrington, Richard (June 23, 1996). "After the Debuts, Precious Seconds". The Washington Post. p. G07.
  12. ^ a b "I Don't Want To - Toni Braxton | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  13. ^ a b "I Don't Want To: Amazon.co.uk". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  14. ^ "Secrets > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved October 11, 2008.
  15. ^ "Billboard Hot Dance Music". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 29. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. July 19, 1997. p. 30. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  16. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
  17. ^ a b "Toni Braxton – I Don't Want To". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  18. ^ a b "Toni Braxton – I Don't Want To". Singles Top 100. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  19. ^ a b "Toni Braxton talks about new single, video". MTV News. March 7, 1997. Archived from the original on October 25, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  20. ^ a b MTV News Staff (April 23, 1997). "Toni Braxton Leaves The Bathroom For New Video -". MTV News. Archived from the original on October 22, 2016. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  21. ^ "Toni Braxton - I Don't Want To (Official Music Video)". YouTube. October 25, 2009. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  22. ^ "Toni Braxton – I Don't Want To / I Love Me Some Him". Discogs. 1997. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  23. ^ "Toni Braxton – I Don't Want To [UK CD 1]". Discogs. 12 May 1997. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  24. ^ "I Don't Want To: Amazon.co.uk". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  25. ^ "Toni Braxton – I Don't Want To" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  26. ^ "Toni Braxton – I Don't Want To" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  27. ^ "Toni Braxton – I Don't Want To" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  28. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1874". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. 17 July 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
  29. ^ "Toni Braxton Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  30. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 22. May 31, 1997. p. 19. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  31. ^ "Braxton, Toni – I Don't Want To" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  32. ^ "Íslenski Listinn NR. 220 Vikuna 8.5. '97 - 14.5. '97" (PDF). Dagblaðið Vísir. May 9, 1997. p. 16. Retrieved April 8, 2018.[permanent dead link‍]
  33. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I Don't Want To". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  34. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Toni Braxton" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  35. ^ "Toni Braxton – I Don't Want To" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  36. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  37. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  38. ^ "Toni Braxton Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  39. ^ "Toni Braxton Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  40. ^ "Toni Braxton Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  41. ^ "Toni Braxton Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  42. ^ "Toni Braxton Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  43. ^ "Toni Braxton Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  44. ^ "Toni Braxton Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  45. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1997". Ultratop. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  46. ^ "Rapports Annuels 1997". Ultratop. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  47. ^ "Romanian Top 100: Top of the Year 1997" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on September 22, 2005.
  48. ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 1997". Archived from the original on June 11, 2009. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
  49. ^ "1997 The Year in Music". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 52. December 27, 1997. p. YE-82. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  50. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1997". Billboard. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  51. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 1997". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  52. ^ "Best-Selling Records of 1997". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 5. BPI Communications Inc. January 31, 1998. p. 76. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  53. ^ "American single certifications – Braxton, Toni – I Don%27t Want To". Recording Industry Association of America.
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