"I Love You" is an original Barney song that wraps up every Barney & Friends episode and almost every home video, album, and live tour. The song is a symbol of how Barney loves people deeply and how his friends are like family to him. It made its grand debut in the Barney & the Backyard Gang video The Backyard Show. It uses the tune of "This Old Man". The song's lyrics were penned by Lee Bernstein (copyright notices date back to 1983), with the arrangements initially done by Stephen Bates (Baltes).
Lyrics
I love you, you love me.
We're a happy family.
With a great big hug
And a kiss from me to you,
Won't you say you love me too?
I love you, you love me,
We're best friends,
Like friends should be
With a great big hug,
And a kiss from me to you,
Won't you say you love me too?
I love you, you love me.
We're as happy as can be.
With a great big hug
And a kiss from me to you,
Won't you say you love me too?
I love you, you love me.
We're a happy family.
With a great big hug
And a kiss from me to you,
Won't you say you love me too?
Versions
- The Backyard Show - The original rendition of I Love You used simple synthesizer instruments. The tempo is normal until the end then it goes a little faster (after Barney came to life).
- Waiting for Santa - A unique arrangement with a holiday flavor, given the Christmas theme of the video.
- Barney Goes to School - This arrangement would later be adapted to the one used in "Barney in Concert"
- (and eventually Barney & Friends)
- Barney in Concert - This rendition would be used for the television show. At the end of that version, an additional piano crescendo is heard (which is audible on the audiocassette version, but is drowned out by the cast saying goodbye on the video version).
- The Queen of Make-Believe - This version is similar to the one used in "Barney in Concert". However, the lyrics have been changed to the current lyrical composition. A shortened version would later be used in Season 2 ("Grandparents Are Grand!").
- Practice Makes Music - The rendition used in most episodes of Season 1, with an additional guitar part (being played by Luci on screen).
- Hola, Mexico! - This version is the same as the one used in "Practice Makes Music," However, Luci sings the first set of lyrics in Spanish (the same ones in Campfire Sing-Along).
- Falling for Autumn! - A re-harmonized version of "I Love You". Used in most episodes in Season 2. However this version made its first appearance in Barney's Magical Musical Adventure, this is the first version since the BYG series for the tempo to go faster this time in the last verse.
- A Very Special Delivery! - A version that is similar to Practice Makes Music's version but the guitar portions were removed in the second verse.
- Shawn and the Beanstalk - A remastered version of Season 2's shortened "I Love You". It was last used on the Season 3 finale, Up We Go!.
- If the Shoe Fits... - Season 2's "I Love You" in a different pitch. This version was also used on the 1996 Barney videos, "Barney's Talent Show", "Barney's Fun & Games", and "Barney's 1-2-3-4 Seasons".
- Classical Cleanup - The classical version of This Old Man is being played on the piano, with the lyrics replaced with the lyrics of "I Love You".
- A Day in the Park with Barney - A remix of the shortened Season 2 version, in the same style as Season 3. It was also used in the Christmas version of the show.
- Barney's Sleepytime Songs album - This version is a lower-pitched version of "Shawn and the Beanstalk" version and is similar to Season 3 with a slower tempo. This version was later used in a different pitch and faster tempo in I Love to Sing with Barney and Round and Round We Go with a pitch going back to its original from a Sleepytime Songs album.
- Run Jump Skip and Sing album - This rendition is similar to the first 3 Backyard Gang videos in 1997 style.
- Once Upon A Time - A reharmonized version, based on Season 3's version. It was also used in "Barney's Sense-Sational Day". It has the same key as Barney in Concert in the Season 4-6 version at the end.
- Camp WannaRunnaRound - A new vocal arrangement that would later be used for Season 4-6 episodes.
- Barney's Adventure Bus - This version of the same from the Run Jump Skip and Sing album except its tempo is slower.
- Barney's Big Surprise - This Version uses a Different Style Compared to Season 4 and 5.
- Barney's Good Day, Good Night - This version is similar to Once Upon a Time but the pitch is lower and has the Season 1 key in the intro. This version was also used in Barney in Outer Space but the vocal arrangement is different.
- First Day of School - A new version of "I Love You". It combined the vocal style from Camp WannaRunnaRound and the instrumental arrangement from Once Upon a Time.
- Is Everybody Happy? - Very similar to the one used in First Day of School, but the piccolo instrument used in the second verse was cut out. It also returns in the Season 6 home video You Can Be Anything.
- Barney's First Adventures - This version is compared to the version used in If the Shoe Fits... and Once Upon a Time and the second verse has Season 2's version with some different lyrics that have been on the last verse at the end of every episode. Even though the tempo doesn't go faster like it usually does in that verse at the end of each episode.
- Barney's Great Adventure - I Love You is orchestrated and sung with three verses (the last being a repeat of the first verse).
- Hashirim Shel Barney (album) - This version is the same from the first season but the pitch is low even though the pitch is the same as the original in the Hebrew series.
- Happy Holidays Love, Barney album - I Love You is given a Christmas version again and it is similar to Run, Jump, Skip and Sing in Christmas style.
- Books Are Fun! - Same instrumentals as Season 4, but some of the instruments in the second verse were cut out. This version would be used for Season 5-6.
- My Party with Barney - This version is the same as the one used in Barney's Good Day, Good Night and Barney in Outer Space, however, the pitch is higher in the second verse.
- Sing and Dance with Barney - This version has the version used in Barney's Sleepytime Songs in the first verse and the version used in It's Time for Counting in the second verse.
- I Love to Sing with Barney album - Same version as Barney's Sleepytime Songs except the pitch is lower and has a faster tempo. The second verse has another different pitch also.
- It's Time for Counting - The rendition mixes the Barney's Sleepytime Songs version with the Season 4 version with a different pitch in the first verse.
- What a World We Share - The instrumental portions for the first half of the song portrays a classical-music style, while the second half portrays a bluesy style.
- Barney's Band - This version is the same from Season 5-6 with a violin added. It would also be used in Sweet as Honey.
- Live Show-A version based on Come on Over to Barney's House's version except with Duncan Brannan's voice
- Barney's Night Before Christmas - A Christmas lullaby version sung by Barney and Hannah. Although the tempo is slower, This version is based on Season 4's version.
- Barney's Rhyme Time Rhythm - This version is slightly similar to the regular Season 5-6 version of the song. However, in the shortened version of the video, A "Little" Mother Goose, the regular Season 5-6 version of the song is used.
- Barney's Musical Castle - This version, like the Let's Make Music version, used violin instrumentals with the Season 5-6 version beginning with Season 1 's key and the Season 2's key for this show.
- Barney For Baby: Love and Lullabies album - This version is long and has the same arrangement as Barney's Musical Castle. However, The second verse has the same version as Season 3 but the lullaby arrangement does remain the same so far.
- Barney's Super Singing Circus- A circus version of Season 4's I Love You. The first verse arrangement may have been the same as What a World We Share (the piano and guitar both can be heard) except the pitch was toned up and has Season 7's key at the end.
- Come on Over to Barney's House - Season 2's version of "I Love You" with a lower pitch and in Season 6 style. The second verse would also have Season 2's pitch so far.
- Round and Round We Go - This version is the same from "Barney's Sleepytime Songs" except the tempo is faster (because it is a calypso and soul variation of the lullaby style version). Bob West's voice was also replaced with Duncan Brannan's voice.
- Barney's Beach Party - This version is similar to the version used in Barney's Magical Musical Adventure, and some Season 2 episodes, but in the same style as Season 7 with Barney saying a word before the last verse.
- Be My Valentine, Love Barney - A version that is based on Season 7's version (except it has a Season 2 key at the beginning of the second verse), but it is similar to the version used in Barney's Musical Castle. It was also used in Come on Over to Barney's House, Barney's Dino Dancin' Tunes, Barney Rocks!, Barney's Open House, Barney's Theatre, Let's Go to the Zoo, & Barney's Pajama Party. This version is still used in many live shows as of today, but sometimes uses Season 7's version.
- Let's Go to the Zoo - A blues/safari variation of the version first used in Be My Valentine, Love Barney.
- Barney's Pajama Party - In the first verse, it has Season 4's version but the ending of that verse was cut off and went straight to Come on Over to Barney's House's version in the second verse.
- All Aboard! - I Love You gets remastered again, with the song ending in the same key as Season 2's version. This version is one that has been used since 2002 and is similar to Campfire Sing-Along in 2002 style.
- Barney's Christmas Star - A holiday version of the normal 2002 version of the song. It was later also used again in A Visit to Santa. This version is also based on Waiting for Santa's version.
- My Family and Me - I Love You is sung with three verses, like in Barney's Great Adventure. However, the instrumental bits are the same as the regular rendition at the time. This version is almost the same as the version used in Barney Rocks and Dino Dancin' Tunes until the start of the last verse and then it goes to Season 7's version (on the first and last verse).
- Barney Live - The Let's Go Tour - The same as All Aborad except has the piano instrumental bits of it combines it. A saxophone can be heard at the end of this. That version has also appeared on Barney Appearances, and The Sunny Side Up Show.
- Let's Make Music - A guitar version of "I Love You with a violin in the second portion. This version is in the same style as Season 4 in that portion but with Season 7's pitch.
- The Sleepless Sleepover - Similar version as the home video "Let's Make Music" except the violin instrumental portion was cut out.
- Barney's Birthday Bash: Live In Concert - A rendition mixing the "The Sleepless Sleepover" version with the one from the first and second season. The song is given a folk song feel (fitting in with the show remixing Barney songs). The version in the first verse is similar to Barney's Sleepytime Songs because of the key being used after Barney sings the first part of the song.
- Barney Live! World Tour - A Celebration! - Season 7 style with a mix of the version from the first three "Barney & the Backyard Gang" videos.
Trivia
- The only four Barney videos/shows where "I Love You" wasn't sung: "Rock with Barney" (though it was an underscore for when Barney came to life, then at the end), "Imagination Island", "Barney Live! In New York City" (both due to a lawsuit over the song at the time), and "Best Fairy Tales" (for unknown reasons). The album Barney's Favorites Vol. 2 didn't have the song either, due to the lawsuit.
- Though "I Love You" is usually sung at the end of most Barney media, it was sung near the beginning of most Backyard Gang videos (with the exception of "Barney Goes to School" and "Barney in Concert").
- An extended version of "I Love You", sung by Sheena Easton, Take 6, and the First AME Choir of Los Angeles (among others), was included on the Barney's Great Adventure soundtrack (but not in the actual movie itself).