"I Wanna Be Loved by You" is a 1928 pop standard and love song with music by Herbert Stothart and Harry Ruby and lyrics by Bert Kalmar. It was written for a 1928 Broadway musical and first performed on 5 September 1928 by Helen Kane, with Dan Healy credited in the original performance. Kane's recording, released on Victor in December 1928 (2:48), became her signature song and carries a jazz-age vocal feel. Her baby-talk, scat-style tag line "Boop-Oop-a-Doop" earned her the nickname "Boop-Oop-a-Doop Girl", and she was the inspiration for the cartoon character Betty Boop.
Later versions include Marilyn Monroe's performance in Billy Wilder's Some Like It Hot (1959), one of her best-known musical performances, and Barney Kessel's 1959 jazz version. The song was also used in Gentlemen Marry Brunettes (1955) and Three Little Words (1950). It is written in the key of C. The original lyrics and music entered the US public domain in 2024, and the song is included among the RIAA's Songs of the Century.
