"Baby Love" is a 1964 number-one hit recorded by The
Supremes for the Motown label. Written and produced by Motown's
main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, "Baby Love," one
of the most popular songs of the late 20th century, was the
Supremes' most successful single.
The song was ranked #324 on
Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All
Time.
It was the number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100 singles
chart for four weeks, from October 25, 1964 to November 21,
1964. It was also the second of five Supremes songs in a row to
go to number one (the others are "Where Did Our Love Go," "Come
See About Me," "Stop! In the Name of Love," and "Back in My
Arms Again"). The song also reached number one on the UK
Singles Chart for two weeks before being dislodged by the
Rolling Stones' "Little Red Rooster". "Baby Love" also reached
number one on Cash Box Magazine's R&B chart .
It is no small coincidence that "Baby Love" and its
immediate predecessor, "Where Did Our Love Go," sound a lot
alike: producers Holland–Dozier–Holland (H-D-H) worked into the
new song all of the elements that had made the previous song a
big hit: Diana Ross' cooing lead vocal, Florence Ballard and
Mary Wilson's "baby-baby" backup, The Funk Brothers'
instrumental track, and teenager Mike Valvano's footstomping.
In addition, 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). H-D-H hoped they could make lightning strike
twice and succeeded, as "Baby Love" was an even bigger hit than
"Where Did Our Love Go." The group did a performance of the
song which aired on the BBC program
Top of the Popson Thursday, October 15, 1964.
Beginning with "Baby Love," The Supremes became the first
Motown act to have more than one number-one single, and by the
end of the decade, would have more number-one singles than any
other Motown act (or American pop music group) with 12, a
record they continue to hold; Stevie Wonder is currently in
second place with ten number-one singles.
"Baby Love" was included on the Supremes' second studio
album,
Where Did Our Love Go, and was later included on the
soundtrack to the 1975 feature film
Cooley High. It was nominated for the 1965 Grammy Award
for Best Rhythm & Blues Recording, losing to Nancy Wilson's
"How Glad I Am".
Meet The Supremes(1962)
·
Where Did Our Love Go(1964)
·
More Hits by The Supremes(1965)
·
I Hear a Symphony(1966)
·
Merry Christmas(1965)
·
The Supremes A' Go-Go(1966)
·
The Supremes Sing Holland–Dozier–Holland(1967)
·
Reflections(1968)
·
Love Child(1968)
·
Let the Sunshine In(1969)
·
Cream of the Crop(1969)
·
Right On(1970)
·
New Ways but Love Stays(1970)
·
Touch(1971)
·
Floy Joy(1972)
·
The Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb(1972)
·
The Supremes(1975)
·
High Energy(1976)
·
Mary, Scherrie & Susaye(1976)
Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations(1968)
·
Together(1969)
·
The Magnificent 7(1970)
·
The Return of the Magnificent 7(1971)
·
Dynamite!(1971)
The Supremes at the Copa(1965)
·
Live at London's Talk of the Town(1968)
·
TCB(1968)
·
On Broadway(1969)
·
Farewell(1970)
·
The Supremes Live! In Japan(1973)
A Bit of Liverpool(1964)
·
The Supremes Sing Country, Western and Pop(1965)
·
We Remember Sam Cooke(1965)
·
The Supremes Sing Rodgers & Hart(1967)
·
Diana Ross & the Supremes Sing and Perform "Funny
Girl"(1968)
"Where Did Our Love Go"
·"
Baby Love
"
·"Come See About
Me"
·"Stop! In the
Name of Love"
·"Back in My Arms
Again"
·"I Hear a
Symphony"
·"My World Is
Empty Without You"
·"Love Is Like an
Itching in My Heart"
·"You Can't Hurry
Love"
·"You Keep Me
Hangin' On"
·"Love Is Here and
Now You're Gone"
·"The Happening"
·"Reflections"
·"In and out of
Love"
·"Love Child"
·"I'm Gonna Make
You Love Me"
·"I'm Livin' in
Shame"
·"Someday We'll Be
Together"
·"Up the Ladder to
the Roof"
·"Stoned Love"
·"River Deep –
Mountain High"
·"Nathan Jones"
·"Floy Joy"
·"Automatically
Sunshine"
The T.A.M.I. Show
·
Greatest Hits: Live in Amsterdam
·
Reflections: The Definitive Performances (1964–1969)
·
Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever
Discography
·Timeline
·Chronology
·Members
·(Broadway
musical)
·(film)
·Berry Gordy
·Holland–Dozier–Holland
·FLOS
