"I Just Wanna Live" is the second single from American rock band Good Charlotte's third studio album, The Chronicles of Life and Death, Officially released on January 17, 2005, "I Just Wanna Live" was one of the songs that Sony paid radio stations to play in the 2005 payola scandal.^[1] As single from the album, it carried on Good Charlotte's commercial success; it was certified gold in Australia and the United States, and it achieved high chart placements worldwide.

Music video[edit]

The music video was directed by Brett Simon.^[2] The video opens with Good Charlotte performing in front of an unenthused and small crowd at a bar in Baltimore. Down on their luck and in need of funds, the band quit performing to work at a supermarket handing out flyers while dressed in various foods, only to find similar success. While dejectedly eating lunch on the side of the road, a record executive in a limousine passes by and, seeing a way to make a fortune from the group, signs them into his label. Now calling themselves The Food Group, their debut album, All U Can Eat, becomes a success and rockets the band to national and international stardom, especially among women in the young adult and teen range.^[2]

As the band continues to enjoy rising popularity and a life of debauchery, they start getting wrapped up in a myriad of scandals that diminish their popularity: Benji Madden (Corn) is arrested after getting involved in a high-speed chase with the police. Billy Martin (Strawberry) and Chris Wilson (Carrot) indiscriminately assault a paparazzi member. Paul Thomas (Burger) makes a sexually suggestive move with an underage girl dressed as an ice cream cone, leading to a ban of The Food Group by the PTA. Joel Madden (Pizza) is caught up in a lip-sync mishap while performing live, which he blames on his indigestion. With The Food Group's reputation tarnished and their former fans now against them following the scandals, the band eventually discards their food suits and return to performing as a little-known rock band.^[2]

Track listings[edit]

UK CD1^[3]

"I Just Wanna Live" – 2:46
"Mountain" (live from Sessions@AOL) – 3:53

UK CD2 and Australian CD single^[4]^[5]

"I Just Wanna Live" – 2:46
"S.O.S." (live from Sessions@AOL) – 3:28
"The World Is Black" (live from Sessions@AOL) – 3:10
"I Just Wanna Live" (video) – 2:46

UK 7-inch picture disc^[6]

A. "I Just Wanna Live" – 2:46

B. "S.O.S." (live from Sessions@AOL) – 3:28

Charts[edit]

Weekly charts[edit]

Chart (2005)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[7]	12
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[8]	15
Canada CHR/Pop Top 30 (Radio & Records)^[9]	11
Canada Hot AC Top 30 (Radio & Records)^[10]	27
Czech Republic (IFPI)^[11]	32
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[12]	18
Germany (Official German Charts)^[13]	19
Greece (IFPI)^[14]	20
Ireland (IRMA)^[15]	15
Italy (FIMI)^[16]	9
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[17]	9
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[18]	23
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[19]	6
Scotland (OCC)^[20]	9
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[21]	27
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[22]	21
UK Singles (OCC)^[23]	9
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)^[24]	1
USBillboard Hot 100^[25]	51
USMainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[26]	18

Year-end charts[edit]

Chart (2005)	Position
Australia (ARIA)^[27]	52
Italy (FIMI)^[28]	48
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[29]	76
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[30]	86
Venezuela (Record Report)^[31]	50

Certifications[edit]


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)^[32]	Gold	35,000^{^}
United States (RIAA)^[33]	Gold	500,000^*
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history[edit]

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
Australia	January 17, 2005	CD	Epic Daylight	^[34]
Denmark	January 24, 2005	CD		^[35]
United Kingdom	January 31, 2005	CD DVD		^[36]

References[edit]

^ Vineyard, Jennifer (July 23, 2005). "Sony BMG Apologizes For Payola Involving J. Lo, Avril, Good Charlotte, Others". MTV. Retrieved February 18, 2023.

^ ^a ^b ^c D'Angelo, Joe (November 19, 2004). "Good Charlotte Mock Their Rich And Famous Selves In 'I Just Wanna Live' Clip". MTV. Retrieved September 12, 2022.

^ I Just Wanna Live (UK CD1 liner notes). Good Charlotte. Epic Records. 2005. EPC 675649 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

^ I Just Wanna Live (UK CD2 liner notes). Good Charlotte. Epic Records, Daylight Records. 2005. 675649 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

^ I Just Wanna Live (Australian CD single liner notes). Good Charlotte. Epic Records, Daylight Records. 2005. 675617.2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

^ I Just Wanna Live (UK 7-inch picture disc). Good Charlotte. Epic Records, Daylight Records. 2005. 675649 7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

^ "Good Charlotte – I Just Wanna Live". ARIA Top 50 Singles.

^ "Good Charlotte – I Just Wanna Live" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.

^ "R&R Canada CHR/Pop Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1593. February 11, 2005. p. 32. Retrieved October 15, 2020.

^ "R&R Canada Hot AC Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1599. March 25, 2005. p. 55. Retrieved May 10, 2024.

^ "Oficiální Česká Hitparáda – Pro týden 16/2005" (in Czech). IFPI ČR. Archived from the original on April 28, 2005. Retrieved January 12, 2020.

^ "Hits of the World – Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 8. February 19, 2005. p. 27. Retrieved April 4, 2020.

^ "Good Charlotte – I Just Wanna Live" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved January 1, 2020.

^ "Top 50 Singles – Eβδομάδα 10-17/7" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on July 18, 2005. Retrieved July 18, 2005.

^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I Just Wanna Live". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 1, 2020.

^ "Good Charlotte – I Just Wanna Live". Top Digital Download. Retrieved January 1, 2020.

^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 10, 2005" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved January 1, 2020.

^ "Good Charlotte – I Just Wanna Live" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved January 1, 2020.

^ "Good Charlotte – I Just Wanna Live". Top 40 Singles.

^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 1, 2020.

^ "Good Charlotte – I Just Wanna Live". Singles Top 100.

^ "Good Charlotte – I Just Wanna Live". Swiss Singles Chart.

^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 1, 2020.

^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 1, 2020.

^ "Good Charlotte Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 1, 2020.

^ "Good Charlotte Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 1, 2020.

^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2005". ARIA. Retrieved January 5, 2021.

^ "Classifiche annuali 2005 FIMI Nielsen, dominano gli artisti italiani" (in Italian). FIMI. Archived from the original on May 6, 2006. Retrieved January 15, 2021. Click on Scarica l'allegato.

^ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2005". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 5, 2020.

^ "2005 The Year in Charts: Top Mainstream Top 40 Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor. Vol. 13, no. 50. December 16, 2005. p. 26.

^ "Top 50 – Pop Rock: Cierre de Año, 2005" (PDF) (in Spanish). Record Report. December 24, 2005. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 8, 2006. Retrieved June 23, 2021.

^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2005 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved January 1, 2020.

^ "American single certifications – Good Charlotte – I Just Wanna Live". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 1, 2020.

^ "I Just Wanna Live". Sony Music Australia. January 17, 2005. Archived from the original on January 27, 2005. Retrieved October 10, 2021.

^ "21. februar 2005 – 13. marts 2005" (PDF) (in Danish). Sony Music Denmark. p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 27, 2005. Retrieved November 13, 2023.

^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. January 29, 2005. p. 31.

v t e Good Charlotte
Joel Madden Benji Madden Paul Thomas Billy Martin Dean Butterworth Aaron Escolopio Chris Wilson
Studio albums	Good Charlotte The Young and the Hopeless The Chronicles of Life and Death Good Morning Revival Cardiology Youth Authority Generation Rx
Singles	"Little Things" "The Motivation Proclamation" "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" "The Anthem" "Girls & Boys" "Predictable" "I Just Wanna Live" "The River" "Keep Your Hands off My Girl" "Dance Floor Anthem (I Don't Want to Be in Love)" "Like It's Her Birthday" "Sex on the Radio" "Last Night" "Makeshift Love"
Related	Discography Awards and nominations The Madden Brothers