I ONLY WANT MY LOVE TO GROW IN YOU
Oyster, 1976
Release date: 23 Jul 1976 (UK)
"I Only Want My Love" was the first single under the Strawbs new record deal with Oyster Records, and the new radio-friendly Cousins/Cronk writing team had produced what seemed to be a real winner. The single got great airplay, was a Radio 1 record of the week, but failed to achieve the chart placing it deserved, owing to some undisclosed skullduggery and/or cock-up along the way. To make up for that, the single seems to have been released in more countries than any other 45 since "Part Of The Union". It even got a CD release when Airac in Japan were licensed by Witchwood Media to release 8 Strawbs/Dave Cousins CDs in facsimile card sleeves, and they added it as a 1-track bonus CD in the boxed set.
UK vinyl
US vinyl
Canada vinyl
Europe vinyl
Back to main 1976-1980 singles page
UK VINYL
Acetate (*)
"I Only Want My Love To Grow In You" (Cousins/Cronk)
Spotted online.
UK promo release
"I Only Want My Love To Grow In You" (Cousins/Cronk)/
"(Wasting My Time) Thinking Of You" (Cousins/Cronk)
(2066 705, Oyster, 1976)
Whereas A&M always had paper labels, Polydor's standard in the UK was the moulded "self-labelling" single. The promo version of the single had a little Oyster sticker over the middle black section. Also seen a copy with a nice white Oyster sleeve.
UK release
"I Only Want My Love To Grow In You" (Cousins/Cronk)/
"(Wasting My Time) Thinking Of You" (Cousins/Cronk)
(2066 705, Oyster, 1976)
US VINYL
US promo release
"I Only Want My Love To Grow In You [stereo]" (Cousins/Cronk)/
"I Only Want My Love To Grow In You [mono]" (Cousins/Cronk)
(OY 702, 1976)
The US promo release had stereo and mono versions.
US releases
"I Only Want My Love To Grow In You" (Cousins/Cronk)/
"(Wasting My Time) Thinking Of You" (Cousins/Cronk)
(OY 702, 1976)
This was fully released in the US, with the same B-side as elsewhere. There seem to have been three variants of the release
Variant 1
Variant 2
Variant 3 (*)
CANADA VINYL
Canadian promo release ?? (*)
Was there a promo release in Canada - anyone got one?
Canadian release
"I Only Want My Love To Grow In You" (Cousins/Cronk)/
"(Wasting My Time) Thinking Of You" (Cousins/Cronk)
(OY 702(C), Oyster, 1976)
This was fully released in Canada. The label states that it was manufactured and distributed by Polydor in Canada - but it also says "made in USA".
EUROPE VINYL
Irish release
"I Only Want My Love To Grow In You" (Cousins/Cronk)/
"(Wasting My Time) Thinking Of You" (Cousins/Cronk)
(2066 705, Oyster, 1976)
Straightforward Polydor company sleeve.
Dutch release
"I Only Want My Love To Grow In You" (Cousins/Cronk)/
"(Wasting My Time) Thinking Of You" (Cousins/Cronk)
(2066 705, Oyster, 1976)
This familiar promo photo appears on both sides of this sleeve
French release
"I Only Want My Love To Grow In You" (Cousins/Cronk)/
"(Wasting My Time) Thinking Of You" (Cousins/Cronk)
(2066 705, Oyster, 1976)
A sixties style "psychedelic" lettering style features on this French release.
German release
"I Only Want My Love To Grow In You" (Cousins/Cronk)/
"(Wasting My Time) Thinking Of You" (Cousins/Cronk)
(2066 705, Oyster, 1976)
The German picture sleeve features this design on both sides.
Promotional copies seem to be stamped.
Belgian release
"I Only Want My Love To Grow In You" (Cousins/Cronk)/
"(Wasting My Time) Thinking Of You" (Cousins/Cronk)
(2066 705, Oyster, 1976)
First known Strawbs release in Belgium (as far as I can tell, not even "Lay Down" or "Part Of The Union" were released there. The same design as for the German sleeve on the front, ads for various albums on the back.
ASIA PACIFIC VINYL
New Zealand release
"I Only Want My Love To Grow In You" (Cousins/Cronk)/
"(Wasting My Time) Thinking Of You" (Cousins/Cronk)
(2066 705, Polydor, 1976)
Polydor also picked this release up for New Zealand.
Australian release ?? (*)
It's surprising that Polydor didn't also release in Australia as well as New Zealand - in the A&M years the two territories were pretty much in lockstep. The Deep Cuts album was released in Australia on vinyl and cassette. Anyone have any sighting of an Australian single release??
Japanese release
"I Only Want My Love To Grow In You" (Cousins/Cronk)/
"(Wasting My Time) Thinking Of You" (Cousins/Cronk)
(DWQ 6016, Oyster, no date)
The Japanese excelled themselves on the packaging for this one, picking up on the striking image used on the Deep Cuts album, which would have been released in 1976.
Japanese promo release
"I Only Want My Love To Grow In You" (Cousins/Cronk)/
"(Wasting My Time) Thinking Of You" (Cousins/Cronk)
(DWQ 6016, Oyster, no date)
It has also appeared as a promo release with a white version of the label.
OTHER VINYL
South African release
"I Only Want My Love To Grow In You" (Cousins/Cronk)/
"(Wasting My Time) Thinking Of You" (Cousins/Cronk)
(PS453, Polydor, 1976)
A release on Oyster's parent Polydor label for the single in South Africa.
Guatemalan release (*)
"I Only Want My Love To Grow In You" (Cousins/Cronk)/
"(Wasting My Time) Thinking Of You" (Cousins/Cronk)
(2066 705, Polydor, 1976)
A release on Oyster's parent Polydor label for the single in Guatemala. Lots of writing on the labels, so difficult to read the translated titles; it's owner clearly didn't rate the B-side!
Mexican release
"Que Mi Amor Brille En Ti (I Only Want My Love To Grow In You)" (Cousins/Cronk)/
"Todo El Tiempo Pienso En Ti (Wasting My Time - Thinking Of You)" (Cousins/Cronk)
(773, 2006 705, Polydor, 1976)
Local catalogue number is 773, but the main Polydor cat number 2006 705 is also quoted. Plain sleeve.
Mexican promo release (*)
"Que Mi Amor Brille En Ti (I Only Want My Love To Grow In You)" (Cousins/Cronk)/
"Todo El Tiempo Pienso En Ti (Wasting My Time - Thinking Of You)" (Cousins/Cronk)
(773, 2006 705, Polydor, 1976)
Spotted online. Local catalogue number is 773, but the main Polydor cat number 2006 705 is also quoted.
CD
Japanese CD single release
"I Only Want My Love To Grow In You" (Cousins/Cronk)
(AIRPROMO-077, Airac, 2013)
This one-track CD was released at the same time as 8 albums licensed from Witchwood Media in 2013 and included in the boxed set which was got up to look like the All Our Own Work album. The front of the insert looks like the Japanese 45, the back lists the 8 albums in Japanese and sets out the song lyrics. There's a nice little protective inner slevee and the CD itself has been got up to look like a UK Polydor "molded label" 45 release. Nice package!
Insert front and back
CD and inner
