For Your Babies

"For Your Babies" is a 1991 song by British soul and pop band Simply Red. Written by Mick Hucknall, it was included on the band's 1991 album, Stars, and reached number nine on the UK Singles Chart in February 1992. It also reached the Top 20 in Ireland, and the Top 30 in Austria and Belgium. The track was included on the band's compilation albums, Greatest Hits in 1996, Simply Red 25: The Greatest Hits in 2008 and Songs of Love in 2010. It was also featured on the band's acoustic album Simplified in a new version.[1]

"For Your Babies"
Single by Simply Red
from the album Stars
Released27 January 1992
Recorded1990
Genre
Length4:18
LabelEastWest
Songwriter(s)Mick Hucknall
Producer(s)
Simply Red singles chronology
"Stars"
(1991)		 "For Your Babies"
(1992)		 "Thrill Me"
(1992)
Music video
"For Your Babies" on YouTube

Critical reception

The song received favorable reviews from many music critics. Larry Flick from Billboard wrote that Mick Hucknall "offers an unusually restrained and completely effective performance on this delicately arranged R&B gem."[2] Cashbox stated, "The song is set at a mellow, easy-listening pace. Following in the footsteps of their previous material, they have perfectly matched the above-average production with the soft-tone vocals."[3] Writing for CultureSonar, Ellen Fagan said that Hucknall "was never more appealing than in this ballad of a proud dad serenading his little child with loving hopes for his future during the sleepless days of early parenthood. Hucknall had his first baby decades after this was written, so his ability to conjure up such a scenario is deliciously prescient."[4] Gavin Report called it "the ultimate Mother's Day record delivered with loving sentimentality by Mr. Hucknall."[5]

Music & Media described the song as a "very gentle, vulnerable pop ballad, thoughtfully arranged and featuring some fine Spanish acoustic guitar licks."[6] Music Week stated that it is "an uncluttered and pretty ballad with no hiding place, it certainly draws a fine performance from Hucknall, full of nuances and pure, clear phrasing. A smash."[7] musicOMH said that "For Your Babies" is a "perfect romantic ballad".[8] Newcastle Journal noted it as a "honest ballad".[9] People added that Hucknall's singing "is still the hook in Simply Red's music, sliding gently in a pillow-soft upper register."[10] Pop Rescue labeled the song as "a wonderfully gentle track, laden with piano, bass, and acoustic guitar." They added that Hucknall "takes a leisurely stroll through the lyrics."[11] Karla Peterson from The Press-Courier called it "a tender tribute to parenthood in times of trouble".[12] Johnny Dee from Smash Hits labeled it as a "soulful, smoochy track".[13]

Track listings
7-inch single, France (1992)
No.TitleLength
1."For Your Babies"4:16
2."For Your Babies" (Edition Francais)4:06
12-inch single, UK (1992)
No.TitleLength
1."For Your Babies"4:15
2."For Your Babies" (Edition Francais)4:06
3."Freedom" (Perfecto Mix)6:25
CD maxi, Europe (1992)
No.TitleLength
1."For Your Babies"4:15
2."For Your Babies" (Edition Francais)4:06
3."Me & The Devil Blues"1:59
4."Freedom" (How Long? Mix)4:09

Charts
Chart (1992) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[14] 55
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[15] 23
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[16] 30
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[17] 39
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[18] 24
France (SNEP)[19] 46
Germany (Official German Charts)[20] 43
Ireland (IRMA)[21] 11
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[22] 40
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[23] 47
Poland (LP3)[24] 21
UK Singles (OCC)[25] 9
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[26] 24

References
  1. "For Your Babies".
  2. "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. 4 April 1992. p. 67. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  3. "Music Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Cashbox. 25 April 1992. p. 5. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  4. "Holding Back Nothing: Simply Red's Top 10 Songs". CultureSonar. 20 December 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  5. "A/C: Reviews" (PDF). Gavin Report. 24 April 1992. p. 20. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  6. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 8 February 1992. p. 12. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  7. "Mainstream: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 1 February 1992. p. 8. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  8. "Simply Red - Simplified". musicOMH. 17 October 2005. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  9. "Simply a sell-out show for summer". Newcastle Journal. 24 July 1992. page 42. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  10. "Picks and Pans Review: Stars". People. 14 October 1991. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  11. "REVIEW: "STARS" BY SIMPLY RED (CD, 1991)". Pop Rescue. 16 October 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  12. "Simply Red embraces soul, R 'n' B, reggae". The Press-Courier. 10 June 1992. p. 13. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  13. "New Singles". Smash Hits. No. 343. 22 January 1992. p. 55. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  14. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  15. "Austriancharts.at – Simply Red – For Your Babies" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  16. "Ultratop.be – Simply Red – For Your Babies" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  17. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2172." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  18. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9 no. 10. 7 March 1992. p. 17. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  19. "Lescharts.com – Simply Red – For Your Babies" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  20. "Offiziellecharts.de – Simply Red – For Your Babies". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  21. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – For Your Babies". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  22. "Dutchcharts.nl – Simply Red – For Your Babies" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  23. "Charts.nz – Simply Red – For Your Babies". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  24. "Notowanie nr527" (in Polish). LP3. 27 March 1992. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  25. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  26. "Simply Red Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
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