Baby, I Love You

"Baby, I Love You" is a song originally recorded by the Ronettes in 1963 and released on their debut album Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes (1964). The song was written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, and Phil Spector, and produced by Spector.

For other uses, see Baby I Love You (disambiguation).
"Baby, I Love You"
Single by the Ronettes
from the album Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes
B-side"Miss Joan And Mr. Sam"
ReleasedNovember 1963 (1963-11)
Recorded1963
StudioGold Star, Los Angeles
GenrePop
Length2:50
LabelPhilles
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Phil Spector
The Ronettes singles chronology
"Be My Baby"
(1963)		 "Baby, I Love You"
(1963)		 "(The Best Part of) Breakin' Up"
(1964)
Music video
"Baby I Love You" on YouTube

Released in November 1963, the single reached number 24 on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cashbox Top 100 charts, and peaked at number 11 on the UK Pop Chart.[1] Billboard ranked the song as number 56 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.[2]

Original recording

After their lack of success under contract to Colpix Records between 1961 and 1963, the Ronettes ended their Colpix contract and signed with Phil Spector's Philles Records in early 1963. During their first few months with Phil Spector, the Ronettes achieved mainstream success with the release of "Be My Baby" in August 1963, which climbed to number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number one on the Cashbox Hot 100. It was the success of "Be My Baby" which had Spector eager to do a follow-up for the Ronettes in the fall of 1963.

However, a problem arose when the Ronettes were booked to appear on Dick Clark's "Caravan of Stars" tour across the country.[3] Phil Spector decided to keep lead singer Ronnie Bennett in California to record "Baby, I Love You" while the other two Ronettes, Estelle Bennett and Nedra Talley, went out on the tour with Dick Clark. Ronnie's cousin, Elaine, took her place on the tour while Ronnie recorded the song at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles.[3] Since the other Ronettes were unavailable for recording, Spector used Darlene Love and Cher to complete the backing vocals.[4] The song also featured Leon Russell on piano. "Baby, I Love You" peaked at number 11 in the UK during January 1964, at a time when the Ronettes were touring the UK as the support act to the Rolling Stones.

The song was featured on the album Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes, which was released at the end of 1964.

Personnel

Chart history
Chart (1964) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[5] 24
US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[6] 6
U.S. Cashbox Hot 100[7] 24
UK Singles Chart (Official Charts Company)[8] 11

Andy Kim version
"Baby, I Love You"
Single by Andy Kim
from the album Baby I Love You
B-side"Gee Girl"
ReleasedMay 1969 (1969-05)
GenrePop rock
Length2:56
LabelSteed
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Jeff Barry
Andy Kim singles chronology
"Tricia Tell Your Daddy"
(1969)		 "Baby, I Love You"
(1969)		 "So Good Together"
(1969)

Andy Kim recorded the song for Jeff Barry's record label Steed Records on his album Baby I Love You (1969). Kim's version became a US Top Ten hit, reaching number nine in 1969 and earned a gold record.[9]

Weekly charts
Chart (1969) Peak
position
Australia KMR 15
Canada RPM Top Singles[10] 1
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary [11] 24
New Zealand (Listener)[12] 16
US Billboard Hot 100[13] 9
US Billboard Adult Contemporary[14] 31
US Cash Box Top 100[15] 6

Year-end charts
Chart (1969) Rank
Canada RPM Top Singles [16] 11
US Billboard Hot 100[17] 28
US Cash Box [18] 44

Ramones version
"Baby, I Love You"
Single by Ramones
from the album End of the Century
B-side"High Risk Insurance"
ReleasedJanuary 1980 (1980-01)
Recorded1979
Length3:47
LabelSire
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Phil Spector
Ramones singles chronology
"Rock 'n' Roll High School"
(1979)		 "Baby, I Love You"
(1980)		 "Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?"
(1980)

Phil Spector produced the Ramones' cover version of the song which appeared on their album, End of the Century (1980). The single reached number eight in the UK Singles Chart in 1980, their biggest hit in that country.[19]

Background and reception

In an incident at Spector's house, the producer held the Ramones hostage at gunpoint and made them listen to him play "Baby, I Love You" until 4:30 in the morning. Spector insisted that the Ramones recorded a cover of the song and got Joey Ramone to sing it with some session musicians, as none of the other members of the Ramones would play on it. Joey has said that "it didn't sound anything like the Ramones" and he hated the song.[20] Mickey Leigh has said "it made me almost embarrassed", "with its gooey string section arrangement that sounded right out of Redbone's "Come and Get Your Love"".[21]

Kurt Loder for the Rolling Stone described it as a "sludged-out rehash of the Ronettes antiquity" that was "a bad idea to begin with, and one that’s further burdened by the cheesiest string arrangement this side of the Longines Symphonette".[22] Reviewing End of the Century retrospectively for Pitchfork, Evan Minsker wrote that "even with a full understanding of End of the Century’s context, “Baby, I Love You” is jarring" and "is a museum piece—a pound-for-pound attempt to relive Spector’s golden years".[23]

Charts
Chart (1980) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[24] 25
Ireland (IRMA)[25] 5
UK Singles (OCC)[19] 8

References
  1. Spector, Ronnie (2004). Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness, or My Life As a Fabulous Ronette. New York City: New American Library. p. 330. ISBN 0-451-41153-6.
  2. "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time: Critics' Picks". Billboard. July 10, 2017. Archived from the original on January 26, 2018. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  3. Spector, Ronnie (2004). Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness, or My Life As a Fabulous Ronette. New York: New American Library. p. 72. ISBN 0-451-41153-6.
  4. Spector, Ronnie (2004). Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness, or My Life As a Fabulous Ronette. New York: New American Library. ISBN 0-451-41153-6.
  5. "Hot 100 - Billboard", Billboard, retrieved February 4, 2018
  6. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart - Billboard", Billboard, retrieved February 10, 2018
  7. "Cashbox Magazine Hot 100 - week ending February 1, 1964". Cashbox. Archived from the original on August 28, 2011.
  8. UK Official Singles Chart, UK Official Charts Company, January 15, 1964, retrieved August 22, 2018
  9. "Andy Kim - Baby, I Love You - RIAA Gold Certification". RIAA. October 14, 1969. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  10. "RPM Weekly Top Singles". Library and Archives Canada. RPM Weekly (archived). August 9, 1969. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  11. "RPM Weekly Adult Contemporary August 16, 1969 (Volume 11, No. 26)". Library and Archives Canada. RPM Weekly (archived). Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  12. [ Flavour of New Zealand, 29 August 1969]
  13. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  14. Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. __.
  15. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, August 16, 1969". Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  16. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.6104&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062
  17. "Billboard Year-End Hot 100 chart". musicoutfitters.com. Billboard. 1969. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  18. "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 27, 1969". Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  19. "Ramones: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  20. Webb, Robert (2013-07-15). 100 Greatest Cover Versions: The Ultimate Playlist. McNidder and Grace Limited. pp. 214–215. ISBN 978-0-85716-057-7.
  21. Leigh, Mickey (2011-01-11). I Slept with Joey Ramone: A Family Memoir. Simon and Schuster. p. 201. ISBN 978-1-4516-3986-5.
  22. Loder, Kurt (1980-03-20). "End of the Century". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2020-10-28.
  23. Minsker, Evan (October 23, 2016). "Ramones: End of the Century". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2020-10-28.
  24. "Ultratop.be – Ramones – Baby, I Love You" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  25. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Baby I Love You". Irish Singles Chart.
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