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Baby Love
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Wikipedia article
"'Baby Love'" is a song recorded by the American music group the Supremes in 1964 for their second studio album titled, 'Where Did Our Love Go'. It was written and produced by Motown's main production team HollandDozierHolland and was released on 17 September 1964.
'Baby Love' topped the 'Billboard' pop singles chart in the United States from October 25, 1964 through November 21, 1964, and in the United Kingdom pop singles chart concurrently. Beginning with "Baby Love", The Supremes became the first Motown act to have more than one American #1 single, and by the end of the decade, would have more singles hitting the top slot than any other Motown act (or American pop music group) with 12, a record they continue to hold.
It was nominated for the 1965 Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Recording, losing to Nancy Wilson's "How Glad I Am". It is considered one of the most popular songs of the late 20th century, "Baby Love" was ranked #324 on the 'Rolling Stone' list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It dropped to #499 on the 2021 update of the list. The BBC ranked "Baby Love" at #23 on 'The Top 100 Digital Motown Chart', which ranks Motown releases by their all time UK downloads and streams.
History
At the insistence of Berry Gordy hoping for a follow-up chart-topper, HollandDozierHolland produced "Baby Love" to sound like "Where Did Our Love Go". Elements were reincorporated into the single such as Diana Ross's cooing lead vocal and oohing, Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson's "baby-baby" backup, the Funk Brothers' instrumental track, and teenager Mike Valvano's footstomping. Further, both Ballard and Wilson had brief solo ad-libs towards the end of the song on the released version (after this release Ross would be the only member to have any solos on the 1960s singles).
It was the second of five consecutive Supremes songs to go to #1 in the United States, reaching the top spot of the U.S. 'Billboard' Hot 100 pop singles chart on October 31, 1964, and staying there for four weeks. The song also reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks before being dislodged by The Rolling Stones' "Little Red Rooster", and topped the 'Cash Box' magazine's R&B chart. "Baby Love" and Roy Orbison's "It's Over" are the only American singles topped the UK charts between 1963 and 1965.
'Billboard' stated that "the swinging harmony style keeps [the song] rolling all the way through." 'Cash Box' described it as "a heartfelt, steady beat thumper...that the femmes deliver in ultra-commercial fashion."
"Baby Love" was later included on the soundtrack to the 1975 feature film 'Cooley High'.
Personnel
* Lead vocals by Diana Ross
* Background and ad-lib vocals by Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson
* All instruments by the Funk BrothersLiner notes. 'The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 4: 1964', Hip-O Select B0005946-02, USA, 24 Feb 2006
**Earl Van Dyke piano
**Eddie Willis guitar
**James Jamerson bass
**Richard "Pistol" Allen drums
**Jack Ashford vibraphone
**Henry Cosby tenor saxophone
**Mike Terry baritone saxophone solo
* Footstomps by Mike Valvano
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
All-time charts
Certifications
Cover versions
* In 1981, British singer and actress, Honey Bane covered the song with record label Zonophone (EMI). The single peaked at #58 on the UK music charts.
See also
* List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1964
References
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