Baby I Need Your Loving
"Baby I Need Your Loving" is a 1964 hit single recorded by the Four Tops for the Motown label. Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland,[1] the song was the group's first Motown single and their first pop Top 20 hit, making it to number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100 in the fall of 1964. It was also their first million-selling hit single. Rolling Stone ranked The Four Tops' original version of the song at #390 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[2]
"Baby I Need Your Loving" | ||||
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Single by Four Tops | ||||
from the album Four Tops | ||||
B-side | "Call on Me" | |||
Released | July 10, 1964 | |||
Recorded | Hitsville U.S.A. (Studio A); July 8, 1964 | |||
Genre | Soul, pop | |||
Length | 2:45 | |||
Label | Motown | |||
Songwriter(s) | Holland–Dozier–Holland | |||
Producer(s) | Brian Holland Lamont Dozier | |||
Four Tops singles chronology | ||||
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Personnel
- Lead vocals by Levi Stubbs.
- Background vocals by Renaldo "Obie" Benson, Lawrence Payton, Abdul "Duke" Fakir, and The Andantes: Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps.
- Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (strings).
- Piano by Earl Van Dyke
- Bass by James Jamerson
- Guitar by Robert White
- Drums by Benny Benjamin
- String arrangements by Gil Askey
- Written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Edward Holland Jr.
- Produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier.
Johnny Rivers' version
"Baby I Need Your Lovin'" | ||||
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Single by Johnny Rivers | ||||
from the album Rewind | ||||
B-side | "Gettin' Ready for Tomorrow" | |||
Released | 1967 | |||
Genre | R&B, soul, rock, folk | |||
Length | 3:08 (album) 3:18 (single) | |||
Label | Imperial | |||
Songwriter(s) | Holland–Dozier–Holland | |||
Producer(s) | Lou Adler | |||
Johnny Rivers singles chronology | ||||
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"Baby I Need Your Lovin'" was covered in 1967 by Johnny Rivers, who performed it at a somewhat slower tempo. It reached #3 on Billboard Hot 100, topping the original version in chart performance.[3] It is included on his 1967 album Rewind.
Personnel
- Lead vocals by Johnny Rivers.
- Background vocals by The Blossoms: Darlene Love, Fanita James, and Jean King.
- Instrumentation by The Wrecking Crew
- Piano by Larry Knechtel
- Guitar by Mike Deasy
- Bass by Joe Osborn
- Drums by Hal Blaine[4]
- String arrangements by Marty Paich
- Produced by Lou Adler
- Written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Edward Holland Jr.
Cover versions
- The Fourmost released their version of this song, reaching #24 in the UK in November 1964.[5]
- O. C. Smith covered it and took it to #52 in 1970 (and #21 US AC).[6]
- Eric Carmen took "Baby I Need Your Loving" to #62 in 1979 (Change of Heart, 1978).[7] His cover also reached the Top 10 on the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart (#8).
- Carl Carlton also covered the song in 1982 (The Bad C.C.), reaching #17 on the U.S. R&B charts.
References
- Hits of the Sixties: The Million Sellers - By Demitri Coryton and Joseph Murrells, p. 100.
- Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 50 - The Soul Reformation: Phase three, soul music at the summit. [Part 6] : UNT Digital Library" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.
- "Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. April 2010. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
- Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
- Blaine, Hal, with David Goggin, Hal Blaine and the Wrecking Crew, MixBooks, Emeryville, California, 1990
- Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
- Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
External links
- Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
- List of cover versions of "Baby I Need Your Loving" at SecondHandSongs.com